Today I have a guest post for you from my neighbor, Monica, the author of The Movement Menu. I’ve been uber busy working on my mixes and my next cookbook for you, so I asked Monica if I could share her Chicken Tikka Masala, and she said yes! So, here she is! xoxox ♥, Kelly

Chicken Tikka Masala

by Monica, The Movement Menu

I have been seriously yearning to make Indian food for EVER. I decided to make Chicken Tikka Masala because between that dish and different Indian curries, my taste buds are always participating in a PARADE while I am eating. I have come to realize that Indian food is one of my favorite cuisines, and whenever we go out for Indian, no matter how full I may be at the end of our meal, I always want more. I’m serious. The way they infuse such aromatic spices and in turn flavors into their dishes completely baffles me. I decided last weekend that it was time to cut the lollygagging out and get down with some Indian cooking in my kitchen! Luckily, one of my best friends is Indian, and of course I ended up flooding her inbox with plenty of questions while prepping to make this dish. What I took away was that I needed to grab more raw garlic and ginger, so I could create a paste that would be at the base of the marinade for the chicken AND the tomato sauce.

This dish was a lot easier to make than I anticipated it to be. And that’s always great news. Oh, and you want to have something to dip into the sauce? I’ve got you covered! My long overdue venture through Brittany Angell’s Every Last Crumb has finally come to an end. I started flipping through the cookbook several weeks ago and had bookmarked a few recipes I wanted to try first. It’s as if I knew I was going to end up making Indian food because there it was: Naan with a hot pink sticky note at the top of the page. I knew after figuring out I was going to pair this Tikka Masala with her naan– this dish was going to be something truly memorable and equally de-freaking-licios.

Without too much further babble, the recipe is here!!! Get ready for your house to smell like a big slice of heaven for at least 24 hours. Maybe it will last for a few days if you’re lucky. —Monica

Ingredients

For Chicken Tikka:
4 boneless skinless chicken thighs (cut into cubes)
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons ginger garlic paste (in a spice grinder or small blender, blend together 1/4 cup raw garlic with 1/4 cup raw ringer, 1 teaspoon avocado or olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder)
1 1/2 teaspoons coriander powder
1 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 cup coconut yogurt
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon sea salt

For the sauce:
1 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes (puree them in a blender!)
2 tablespoons ginger garlic paste (see above)
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon coriander powder
1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon powdered fennel seeds
1/2 cup coconut cream
1 1/2 tablespoons avocado or olive oil
1 teaspoon chopped cilantro (if you’d like for garnish!)
sea salt to taste

For the Naan:
4 large eggs
25 grams whole psyllium husks (about 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon)
175 grams (about 3/4 cup) plain yogurt (dairy or nondairy) or cream from 1 to 2 cans full-fat coconut milk
56 grams mild-flavored oil, melted salted butter, or melted ghee (about 1/4 cup), plus more for the pan
165 grams coconut flour (about 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons)
132 grams tapioca starch (about 1 cup)
1 1/2 teaspoons double-acting, aluminum-free baking powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder, garlic paste, or minced garlic (optional) <– I USED IT! YUM!
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

Directions

1. Mix all the dry ingredients into the mixture of coconut yogurt and lemon juice to prepare a marinade for the chicken cubes.
2. Add chicken into the marinade and mix everything very well (I used my hands).
3. Cover the bowl and let it sit in the refrigerator for at least an hour (if you have time to leave it in overnight, that would be best!)
4. Place the chicken in a cast iron pan and pop it in the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 16-20 minutes. Make sure the internal temperature reads 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Once it is cooked through, remove it from the oven and set it aside.
5. To prepare the sauce, pour the oil in a thick bottom pan. Add in the ginger garlic paste. Turn on the flame and let the paste cook slowly as the oil heats.
6. When the oil is hot, add in the onion powder, coriander, fennel, black pepper and garam masala. Mix it all together well.
7. Now, you can add the tomato puree and mix it very well with all the spices. Let it simmer for about 15-20 minutes until the sauce starts reducing and the excess water has evaporated. Make sure you are stirring occasionally, while scraping the bottom of the pot.
8. Add in the cooked chicken pieces along with their drippings if cooked in an oven and cream. Mix everything together, and continue letting it simmer for another 10-12 minutes.
9. Turn off the heat, cover with a lid and let it sit for at least 10 minutes before serving it. You want all of the spices to really infuse into the dish. After 10 minutes, taste the sauce and add any additional sea salt to your taste preference!
10. Garnish with some chopped cilantro and serve with none other than Brittany Angell’s naan (You have to purchase her cookbook Every Last Crumb for that recipe!)
11. Now, it’s time to make the amazing Naan from [url:1]Brittany Angell’s cookbook: Every Last Crumb[/url]! Lightly oil a baking sheet to use as a holding area for the formed Naan before they go into the skillet. Have on hand a large skillet with a lid.
12. In the bowl of a stand mixer, using the whisk attachment (or in a mixing bowl with a hand-held electric mixer), beat the eggs on medium speed for about 30 seconds. Add the psyllium husks, yogurt, and oil. Beat for an additional minute. Add the coconut flour, tapioca starch, baking powder, garlic powder, and salt and mix until well combined. The batter should be semi-thick and very sticky. NOTE: IF YOU USE GARLIC POWDER INSTEAD OF GARLIC PASTE, YOU MAY WANT TO ADD AN EXTRA TABLESPOON OF YOGURT.
13. Stir in the vinegar quickly using a spatula.
14. Oil your hands liberally and divide the dough into 4 roughly equal portions. Keeping your hands well oiled, shape a piece of dough into a ball and then plop it onto the oiled baking sheet. Using your palms, press the dough until it is between 1/4 and 1/2″ thick. Leave it slightly uneven to make it look authentic. Repeat with the other 3 pieces of dough.
15. Place the skillet over medium heat and coat the bottom with a little oil. Allow it to heat up for a minute or so, and then place a shaped Naan in the pan. Cover and cook for roughly 3 minutes on each side, until cooked through. (You will know it’s done when the dough springs back slightly when you poke it with your finger.) Remove from the skillet and set aside.
16. Repeat with the other 3 shaped pieces of dough.
17. To enjoy Naan with the perfect texture, allow the breads to rest for 5 minutes or so after removing from the skillet. (If you eat them as soon as they are done, hot from the skillet, the texture may be a little gummy.) Store in a sealed bag or container at room temperature, or freeze and then heat up at a later date.