Chicken Tikka Masala

The recipe is from allrecipes.com. I took out the salt, since it called for an absurd amount in both the marinade and the sauce. Just sprinkle some on at the end to taste. Some commenters said it's a lot better if you add a teaspoon or two of garam masala to the sauce. I need to get me some of that. You can do the sauce with something not so calorie-laden as the heavy cream, but it won't be quite as good, so that's your call.

When I made it, it was okay the first day, but seemed a little gritty and tasted like there was either too much cumin or maybe like I'd burned the spices somehow. The leftovers the next day were awesome. It was much better after the flavors in the sauce had time to mix and settle down some.

I'd recommend just mixing up both the marinade and the sauce the day before. Let it marinate overnight and let the sauce settle overnight, and it should be much better.

And if anyone can come up with a good naan recipe to go with this, let me know.

Serve with Basmati rice.

Ingredients

1 cup yogurt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
4 long skewers

1 tablespoon butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons paprika
salt to taste
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Directions

In a large bowl, combine yogurt, lemon juice, 2 teaspoons cumin, cinnamon, cayenne, black pepper, ginger, and 4 teaspoons salt. Stir in chicken, cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Preheat a grill for high heat.

Lightly oil the grill grate. Thread chicken onto skewers, and discard marinade. Grill until juices run clear, about 5 minutes on each side.

Melt butter in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Saute garlic and jalapeno for 1 minute. Season with 2 teaspoons cumin, paprika, and 3 teaspoons salt. Stir in tomato sauce and cream. Simmer on low heat until sauce thickens, about 20 minutes. Add grilled chicken, and simmer for 10 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter, and garnish with fresh cilantro.