Chicken Tikka Masala made on the lighter side with tender chunks of boneless chicken breast cooked in an aromatic creamy tomato sauce.
Chicken Tikka Masala
Probably the most popular dish on the menu of any Indian restaurant in the states is the chicken tikka masala. But ironically, this dish is claimed to be originally from Britain and is actually Britain’s national dish. My lighter version uses yogurt in place of cream which is wonderful served over rice.
I’ve attempted a skinny version of this dish many times without all the cream and ghee (clarified butter) yet never felt quite satisfied with the results. I almost gave up figuring this is probably just one of those dishes that does not lighten up well. After all, it’s also known as Butter Chicken!
There is no standard recipe for chicken tikka masala; a survey found that of 48 different recipes, the only common ingredient was the chicken so I am sure we all have different ideas of what it should taste like. I stumbled on a recipe from a throw down with Bobby Flay from the restaurant Saffron on the Hudson. I gave it another shot using yogurt and milk in place of the cream and thought it was great for a lightened up version that’s not too complicated! I served this over basmati rice but this would also be wonderful with naan.
More Indian-Inspired Dishes You Will Love
- Indian Shrimp Curry
- Mango Blueberry Lassi
- Salmon Tikka Masala
- Cauliflower Rice Biryani
- Indian Chicken Pulao
Chicken Tikka Masala
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons canola oil , or butter
- 1 small onion, minced
- 1 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 1/2 cups crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 cup 1% milk
- 3/4 cup plain yogurt, not Greek (I prefer whole milk)
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon garam masalad
- 1 teaspoon turmeric, optional
- 1/2 tablespoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt to taste
- 16 oz boneless chicken breasts, ut into bite sized pieces, from 2
- 4 tablespoon fresh cilantro, or to taste
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until golden, about 3 minutes.
- Add the crushed ginger, stir for 1 minute then add the garlic and cook another minute. Add cumin, garam masala, turmeric, chili powder, and salt; mix well until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
- Stir in tomatoes and milk. Simmer on low heat until sauce thickens, about 10 minutes.
- Temper the yogurt: Place the yogurt in a bowl and add 1/2 cup of the sauce to the yogurt and stir. Add it to the sauce and mix well.
- Add chicken and simmer for 10 - 15 minutes or until cooked through.
- Add a generous amount of chopped cilantro and serve with Basmati Rice or Naan, if desired.
