Chicken Tikka

I love this recipe for chicken tikka. It's simple and the flavors are complex and delicious. I marinated the chicken all day Saturday and we had it for dinner later that night.


One of these days I'm going to make this over the summer when I can grill the chicken. I'm sure the flavors will be even better with the smokiness from the grill.

Chicken Tikka
From Gina at What's For Dinner?

Marinade
1 cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into strips or large cubes

Sauce
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons flour
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeño chili, minced
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 1/2 cups half-and-half
1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Combine everything on the marinade list, including the chicken. Marinate in a plastic Ziploc gallon bag in the fridge for at least 2 hours (overnight is better.)

If you have a gas grill or grill pan, grill the chicken until slightly undercooked. If you have a charcoal grill, thread the chicken onto skewers first.

Set the lightly grilled chicken aside on a plate. Melt the butter and flour in a large deep skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and jalapeño, and stir for a minute. Stir in the seasonings, and salt. Add the tomato sauce, and stir for one minute. Add the half-and-half, and simmer until the sauce thickens.

Add the chicken to the sauce (remove it from the skewers if you did this) and let simmer for a couple of minutes. Serve with basmati rice.