Chicken Tikka Masala

(by Jeff)

A while ago, we mentioned that we enjoy making Indian food. We included a recipe for naan that we really like, and we said that the next time we made our favorite Indian dish--chicken tikka masala--we would take a picture of it and post the recipe. Here it is, as promised:

Chicken Tikka Masala

(from allrecipes.com, with a few modifications by us)

INGREDIENTS

Yogurt marinade

• 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
• 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces

Sauce

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

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large bowl, combine yogurt, lemon juice, cumin, cinnamon, cayenne, black pepper, ginger, and 4 teaspoons salt. Stir in chicken, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
2. Remove chicken from marinade. Cook in a frying pan until juices run clear.
   
3. Melt butter in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Saute garlic and jalapeno for 1 minute. Season with cumin, paprika, and 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.