{Chicken Tikka Masala}

I am doing a repost on this one. It is seriously my favorite meal, I have a hard time not going back for thirds. The flavor combo is just amazing, and its great because my husband and 3 small kids scarf this down everytime. Success! Even if you are not a fan of different ethnic foods, please try this. It will change your world. Also, my husband has a few friends from India in his graduate class and one of the girls was so sweet to make me some homemade Garam Masala which you can also find in most stores now but how awesome is she for doing that?

3 whole Chicken Breasts
Kosher Salt
Ground Coriander
Cumin, To Taste
½ cups Plain Yogurt
6 Tablespoons Butter
1 whole Large Onion
4 cloves Garlic
1 1-2 inch Chunk Fresh Ginger
3 Tbs Garam Masala
1 can (28 Ounce) Diced Tomatoes
1 Tbs Sugar
1-½ cup Heavy Cream (I have also used half and half and it worked great)
2-3 Tbs fresh Cilantro

FOR THE RICE:

2 cups Basmati or Jasmine Rice
3 cups water
2 Tbs butter
1 Tbs Turmeric
Frozen Peas (Optional)


Start by seasoning the chicken breasts with some kosher salt. Next sprinkle them on both sides with some coriander and cumin. Then coat the chicken breasts completely with the plain yogurt. Set the chicken on a metal cooling rack over a foil-lined baking sheet and place it about 10-12 inches below a broiler for 5-7 minutes per side. Watch carefully so as not to totally char the chicken. It should have slightly blackened edges. Remove from oven.
Next dice one large onion. In a large skillet melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. Toss in the onions and sauté until they are slightly browned. As the onions cook, mince your garlic. Next, cut off the outer skin and mince or grate a 1 by 2 inch chunk of fresh ginger. Add the garlic and ginger to the onions. Also throw in about 1 tablespoon of salt.
Next you are going to add about 3 tablespoons Garam Masala spice. Now you are going to add your can of diced tomatoes. Continue cooking and stirring, scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze it. Add about 1 tablespoon sugar. Let this mixture simmer on medium for about 5 minutes.
To a rice cooker or in a pan on the stove add 2 cups Basmati or Jasmine rice, 2 tablespoons butter, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon Ground Turmeric and 3 cups water. Cover, turn on your rice cooker and walk away.
After the Tikka Masala sauce has had a chance to simmer for a little bit, add in the 1 ½ cups of heavy cream. Now, chop up your chicken breasts into chunks and stir them into the Tikka Masala sauce. A handful of chopped fresh cilantro is a nice addition if you like cilantro. You can also throw some frozen peas into the cooked rice, give them a stir, and allow the heat of the rice to cook the peas. It tastes great and gives another nice dash of color. Serve the rice with the Chicken Tikka Masala over top. Make sure to have some Nann bread handy, too.

Recipe Source: The Pioneer Woman