Chicken Tikka Masala

Ingredients For the Marinade

2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into large cubes
5 ounces (2/3 cup) plain yoghurt
1 tablespoon garam masala
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon salt divided

Ingredients For the Sauce

1.5 tablespoons vegetable oil (or as much as you need. Could also use ghee, butter, etc.)
1 large onion, chopped into large pieces
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
3 cloves garlic, grated
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground fenugreek
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 x 14 oz can puréed tomatoes (Could use whole tomatoes or chopped, if you prefer)
1/2 cup milk
3 tablespoons fresh coriander/cilantro, chopped (optional)

Directions

In a lidded bowl large enough to fit the chicken in, combine the yoghurt, garam masala, coriander, and 1/2 teaspoon salt, mix well. Add in the raw chicken pieces and mix well to ensure the meat is coated. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
When ready to cook, heat the vegetable oil over Medium hear and fry the onions until softened. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for another minute.
Add in the cumin, fenugreek, and tomato paste, mix and cook for another minute.
Add in the chicken and the yoghurt, and mix again.
Add in the milk and tomato sauce, and mix yet again.
Simmer on Low heat, uncovered, until the sauce thickens and the chicken it cooked through. (About 15 minutes.) Season to taste.

My Notes

I used the sauce portion of this recipe to make a gravy to accompany paneer, but I’ve saved the whole recipe so I can make the entire dish next time! I used 1 cup of caramelised onions instead of a raw onion, and I added in a can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained. I forgot the garam masala until the end when I added it in, and I also added about 1/2 teaspoon of celery salt instead of regular salt. It made 3 portions of sauce that we’ll have over paneer, with rice on the side.