Chicken Tikka Masala {recipe}

chicken tiki masala

Ever since I discovered the benefit of spices for your metabolism, I’ve been trying to integrate them into more of my meals.  It’s no surprise that most Indian dishes are packed with tons of delicious spices and ingredients, most of which are great for you.  So the other night, while contemplating something healthy and different to make for a family dinner party, it occurred to me, why not make one of my favorite Indian dishes-Tikka Masala!  Chicken Tikka Masala is one of the lightest, most popular Indian dishes since it uses pretty common spices, and it’s more familiar to us because of it’s tomato based sauce.  I found a great recipe for tikka masala online and adapted it slightly to make it even better for you!  This dish should please even the pickiest of eaters, like my teenage cousin who plays online bingo for hours on end and eats nothing but mashed potatoes!  Without further ado, here’s the delicious (healthy) Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe

chicken tikka masala

Healthy Chicken Tikka Masala {recipe}
Serves 4, adapted from FramedCooks

INGREDIENTS

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp ground coriander

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp salt salt

1 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breast

2 medium garlic cloves, minced

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

1 red bell pepper, cut into strips

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 tablespoon garam masala

1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes

2 teaspoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon table salt

1/2 cup skim milk

16 oz., or two containers of plain Greek yogurt (reserve 8 oz., one container for chicken)

1/4c up chopped fresh cilantro or parsley leaves

METHOD

For the Chicken

1. Combine cumin, coriander, cayenne, and salt in small bowl. Apply the rub to chicken, cover and let marinate for 30 to 60 minutes. Preheat oven to 400 degree broil.

For the Sauce

2. Heat oil in large skillet oven over medium heat. Add onion and bell pepper and cook until light golden, 6-8 minutes.  Add garlic, tomato paste, and garam masala; stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, milk, sugar, and salt; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in (8 oz.,one container) greek yogurt and return to simmer. Remove pan from heat and cover to keep warm.

3. While sauce simmers, adjust oven rack to upper-middle position (about 6 inches from heating element). Using tongs, dip chicken into Greek yogurt (chicken should be coated with thick layer of yogurt) and arrange on a foil-lined baking sheet or broiler pan. Broil chicken until browned, 10 to 18 minutes, flipping chicken halfway through cooking.

4. Let chicken rest 5 minutes, then cut into 1-inch chunks and stir into warm sauce.  Stir in cilantro or parsley, adjust seasoning with salt, and serve.

This dish is great served over brown or basmati rice.

Bon Appetite!

4 responses to “Chicken Tikka Masala {recipe}

  1. I haven’t come across a healthy version of this dish yet. We love spices in our dish. I’ll have to try this one. I eat what is on yr top 10 foods for speedy metabolism, spices and water are my favorites.

    1. Thanks, Jen! I can’t believe I’ve been calling it “tiki” all this time! Glad you brought this to my attention 😉

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