Chicken Tikka Masala
with cauliflower / carrots

Name: Chicken Tikka Masala
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 2 tsp Coriander, ground; 2 tsp Garam masala; 1 tsp Salt; 1 tsp Cumin; 1 tsp Turmeric, ground (opt); 1/4 tsp Red pepper flakes (opt); 1 Onions, medium, chopped; 8 oz Carrots, chopped; 2 tsp Ginger (opt), grated; 3 cloves Garlic, chopped; 1 lb Chicken breasts, boneless and skinless, halved; 3 tsp + 3 tsp Indian Spice Mix (ingredients listed separately); 1 Tbsp Oil, cooking; 2 Tbsp Butter; 1 Tbsp Tomato paste; 1 can Tomatoes, crushed (28 oz / 794 g); 6 oz Cauliflower florets, frozen; 1/2 cup Coconut milk, light; 2 Tbsp Cilantro, leaves torn; 2 tsp Lime juice

Active: 25 Total: 55

Original GF Paleo Vegetarian

This Indian take-out favorite, which we last featured in 2017, is surprisingly easy to make at home. It's worth the extra time to marinate the chicken in a spice mix. This will help build layers of flavor even in a short cook time.
Smarts: Like most Indian curries, this one will taste even better after a day or two in the fridge.

Ingredients

Metric

Servings:

Indian Spice Mix:

Coriander, ground - 2 tsp
Garam masala - 2 tsp
Salt - 1 tsp
Cumin - 1 tsp
Turmeric, ground (opt) - 1 tsp
Red pepper flakes (opt) - 1/4 tsp

Chicken Tikka Masala:

Onions, medium - 1 , chopped
Carrots - 8 oz , chopped
Ginger (opt) - 2 tsp , grated
Garlic - 3 cloves , chopped
Chicken breasts, boneless and skinless - 1 lb , halved
Indian Spice Mix (ingredients listed separately) - 3 tsp + 3 tsp
Oil, cooking - 1 Tbsp
Butter - 2 Tbsp
Tomato paste - 1 Tbsp
Tomatoes, crushed (28 oz / 794 g) - 1 can
Cauliflower florets, frozen - 6 oz
Coconut milk, light - 1/2 cup
Cilantro - 2 Tbsp , leaves torn
Lime juice - 2 tsp

Prep

Make spice mix - Combine coriander, garam masala, salt, cumin, turmeric, and red pepper flakes. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
Onions / Carrots / Ginger / Garlic - Prep as directed. Store onions and carrots separately. Combine ginger and garlic in a third container. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
Season chicken - Slice chicken breasts in half and tenderize with a fork. Coat chicken in first portion of spice mix. Let chicken marinate in spices for at least 20 minutes and up to a day. (Can be done 1 day ahead)

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Make

Heat a Dutch oven with oil over medium heat. Add chicken and cook for 2 minutes on each side to get it started cooking (don't worry if it's not cooked through). Set aside.
To heated pan, add butter and then onions. Saute until onions start to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in ginger (if using), garlic, and second portion of spice mix. Saute for 1 minute more.
Add tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, cauliflower (no need to defrost it first), and carrots. Bring to a simmer.
Chop chicken into bite-sized pieces and return it to pan. Simmer until chicken is cooked through, ~15 minutes.
Add coconut milk. Continue simmering until the carrots are tender, 5 to 8 minutes more.
While masala simmers, chop cilantro.
Stir lime juice into masala. Taste and add some salt, pepper, or more lime juice if needed.
Serve masala with cilantro on top. Enjoy!

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