"I Like Your Spice:" Chicken Tikka Masala

Tonight, I tried a new recipe based on a few of what I believe to be cooking truths:

• The first weekend of truly chilly weather, deserves warm, comforting food
• Cleaning out the freezer demands good casseroles, curries and stews
• Garam masala should be made into perfume, it is so damn delectable

So, after finding a pack of boneless, skinless chicken breasts, I opted to try a recipe for tikka masala. We love Indian flavors (see note about garam masala, seriously, I'd dab that stuff behind my ears) and The Two Man Gentleman Band only helped to pique our curiosity!

Tikka masala, although it sounds incredibly exotic, isn't a particularly shocking dish, even for the wary eater. Don't listen to the myths that all Indian food is five-alarm spicy or will upset your stomach. What Indian food I've tried has been very flavorful - all sorts of flavors, sweet, spicy, herbaceous - and quite palatable.

If you enjoy warm stews, this recipe won't be far out of your comfort zone. The sauce is primarily made of tomatoes, so it's not unlike a thin, acidic pasta sauce. With the addition of less than a cup of heavy cream, it takes on a smoothness that evens the tartness of the tomatoes and helps cling to the hearty chunks of chicken. You can kick this recipe up with heat or tone it down, it's all really flexible because the major flavor components come from the garlic, ginger and garam masala, not the cayenne or raw peppers. For example, the original recipe called for a serano pepper (up to 23,000 on the Scoville heat rating) but we used a jalapeno (10,000 SHU at most) and it was still flavorful and hot. We even served ours with an extra dollop of yogurt, just in case; and you could certainly make a traditional Indian raita, too. 

 

Now let's talk about this infamous spice - garam masala. It's an Indian spice mixture, like "Italian seasoning," that is a mixture of coriander (the seed of cilantro, that thankfully doesn't have the same soapy dishwater flavor), cinnamon, black pepper and cardamom; but can include other spices like nutmeg, tumeric and cumin. All of the spices have a warmth to them as opposed to a fresh herbaceousness like thyme or rosemary. They don't have a heat to them, but a well-rounded earthy flavor.This mix smells like cooked food and just makes me feel warm and comfortable; to me this is the smell of a cold day outside but a busy day in the kitchen that fogs up the windows. 

But despite use of what might be my favorite spice blend, the most interesting part of this dish is the chicken preparation. After dry rubbing the chicken with spices and allowing it to rest, you dredge the chicken breasts in a yogurt sauce then broil it in the oven. This makes for such a tender piece of meat, permeated with flavors and with a smooth coating of creamy (heat fighting) sauce. I think I would employ this method in many other recipes, too; it's too quick, easy and delicious not to! 

Grab some warm naan and a bowl of jasmine or basmati rice and serve up a delicious meal for a cool fall evening! 

Chicken Tikka Masala

Adapted from Buzzfeed

Ingredients for the chicken tikka: 

1/2 t ground cumin

1/2 t ground coriander (or garam masala)

1/4 t cayenne pepper

1 t. salt

1-2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of fat

1 c. plain yogurt

2 T vegetable oil

3-4 medium garlic cloves, minced

1 T grated fresh ginger

Ingredients for the masala sauce: 

3 T vegetable oil

1 medium onion, finely diced

3-4 medium garlic cloves minced

1 chile, ribs and seeds removed (jalapeno, serrano etc. based on your heat level of choice)

1 T tomato paste

1 T garam masala (or make your own with 2 t ground coriander, 1/4 t cardamom, 1/4 t ground cinnamon, 1/2 t ground black pepper)

1/8 t cayenne pepper

2 t sugar

1/2 t salt

2/3 c heavy cream

1/2 c chopped cilantro, green onions or parsely

Method: 

Combine cumin, coriander, cayenne and salt in a small bowl. Sprinkle liberally onto chicken breasts, pressing the meat to make sure the spices adhere. Place on a plate, cover with plastic wrap and allow to rest in the fridge for 30-60 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk together yogurt, oil, garlic and ginger in a small bowl; set aside. 

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat, add the onions and sautee - stirring frequently - until light brown. Add garlic, tomato paste, cayenne and garam masala; stirring frequently until spices "bloom" about 3 minutes. Add tomatoes, sugar and salt; bring to a boil and lower to medium-low heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position (2nd rack position, 6" below broiler) and turn on broiler. Dredge chicken into yogurt mixture, covering it with a thick layer of sauce and arrange on a wire rack over a foil-lined baking sheet (for easy cleanup). Discard excess yogurt. Broil chicken until it registers 160 degrees at it's center and has lightly charred spots - 10-15 minutes, flipping chicken at the 5-7 minute mark. Remove chicken from oven and allow to rest for at least five minutes. 

After removing chicken from oven, add cream to the tomato sauce and return to a simmer. Then remove from heat. Cut chicken into 1 inch cubes and stir into sauce. 

Serve over rice and garnish with chopped cilantro, parsley or green onions.