Healthy Tikka Masala Food

SKINNY CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until golden.
• Add the crushed ginger, stir for a few minutes 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, yogurt and milk. Simmer on low heat until sauce thickens, about 10 minutes.
• Add chicken and simmer for 10 - 15 minutes or until cooked through.
• Add a generous amount of chopped cilantro and serve with Bamati Rice or Naan.

INSTANT POT CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA

Steps:

• Season the chicken with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and set aside.
• Add the butter to an Instant Pot and set to SAUTE. Once melted, add the onion, garlic, ginger, garam masala, chili powder, cumin, turmeric, and cayenne. Cook, stirring often, until the onion is soft and the spices are very fragrant, about 5 minutes.
• Add the chicken pieces, stir to coat with the spices and onion, and cook, stirring often, just until the outsides start to brown, about 4 minutes. Add the tomato sauce and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir to combine. Cover and cook on HIGH pressure for 8 minutes. Vent to immediately release the pressure.
• Uncover and stir in the coconut milk. Turn the Instant Pot back to SAUTE. Bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring occasionally, and let it continue to simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, about 10 to 15 minutes. Turn the Instant Pot off, and then stir in the peas. Let cool for 3 to 4 minutes, and then stir in the Greek yogurt (do not stir in the Greek yogurt right away or it may curdle). Enjoy warm with rice or naan and a sprinkle of fresh cilantro.

INDIAN CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA

Steps:

• Combine tomatoes, yogurt, garlic, and ginger in a blender and process until smooth.
• Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add onion and fry until soft, 3 to 4 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in curry paste and fry until fragrant, 1 minute more, stirring once or twice. Add the tomato mixture and chicken to the pan and mix together. Season with salt and pepper. Remove pan from heat.
• Mix water and flour together in a bowl. Stir into the chicken mixture in the frying pan. Return pan to the heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until thickened, about 15 minutes more. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve immediately.

HEALTHY TIKKA MASALA

Steps:

• Put the onion, garlic and ginger in a food processor and whizz to a smooth paste.
• Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a flameproof casserole dish over a medium heat. Add the onion mixture and fry for 15 mins. Tip into a bowl and wipe out the pan.
• Add the remaining oil and the chicken and fry for 5-7 mins, or until lightly brown. Stir in the tikka spice and cayenne and fry for a further minute. Tip the onion mixture back into the pan, along with the tomatoes and 1 can full of water. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 15 mins. Stir in the almonds and spinach and cook for a further 10 mins. Season, then stir though the yogurt and coriander. Serve with brown rice.

THE BEST CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA

Steps:

• For the chicken marinade: Whisk together the yogurt, ginger, salt, chili powder, garam masala, pepper, turmeric and garlic in a large bowl until combined. Toss the chicken in the spiced yogurt marinade until evenly coated. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 3 hours and up to 24. (Overnight works best.)
• For the sauce: Melt the ghee in a large Dutch oven or wide heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onions and serrano, season with 1 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are golden and beginning to caramelize, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic and cook, stirring, until very fragrant and the ginger starts to turn golden and sticks to the bottom of the pot, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the fenugreek leaves, garam masala, chili powder and paprika and cook, stirring occasionally, until very fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, breaking them up into pieces with a spoon, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has reduced by half and the tomatoes are very tender, about 30 minutes.
• Let the hot sauce cool for about 5 minutes or so, then transfer it to a blender filling no more than halfway. (If your blender is small, you may need to work in batches.) Remove the center cap from the lid and place it on the blender. Cover the lid with a kitchen towel to catch splatters, and pulse until smooth. Add 1/4 cup heavy cream and puree until creamy. Pour into a clean pot and bring to a simmer. Season with salt.
• Meanwhile, position a rack directly under the broiler and preheat to high. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and set a wire rack inside.
• Arrange the chicken in a single layer on the rack. Broil until the chicken starts to brown in spots, 3 to 6 minutes per side (it will not be cooked through). Remove from the broiler. When cool enough to handle, cut the chicken into 1-inch pieces. Add the chicken to the simmering sauce, cover and cook until the chicken is cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Top the chicken and sauce with cilantro. Serve with rice and naan.

HEALTHY CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA

Steps:

• In a food processor, puree ginger, onion, and garlic to a paste. Add 1/4 cup of mixture to yogurt in a large bowl, reserving remainder. Season chicken with salt, pepper, and 1 teaspoon tandoori spice. Add to yogurt mixture; toss to combine. Let stand 30 minutes; meanwhile, preheat broiler.
• Transfer chicken to a broiler pan and broil until browning in spots, 5 to 6 minutes. Flip and brown on second side, 5 to 6 minutes more. Remove from broiler. (It won't be cooked through.)
• Heat a large straight-sided skillet over medium-high. Swirl in oil. Add reserved onion paste; cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add remaining 2 teaspoons tandoori spice; cook 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes, 1/2 cup water, and chicken. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, until chicken is tender, about 25 minutes. Use 2 forks to shred chicken into bite-size pieces. Season with salt and pepper; serve with naan, cucumbers, herbs, and more yogurt.

CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA

Steps:

• Soak bamboo skewers in water.
• Thread chicken on skewers, and marinate (in the refrigerator) for an hour or so.
• Discard marinade.
• For sauce, melt butter on medium heat.
• Add garlic & jalapeno; cook 1 minute.
• Stir in coriander, cumin, paprika, garam masala & salt.
• Stir in tomato sauce.
• Simmer 15 minutes.
• Stir in cream; simmer to thicken- about 5 minutes.
• Grill or broil chicken, turning occasionally, to cook through- about 8 minutes.
• Remove chicken from skewers; add to sauce.
• Simmer 5 minutes.
• Garnish with cilantro Serve with basmati rice, naan or pita bread.
• Note: You can make your own garam masala. McCormick also makes garam masala; it's available in super markets.

LOW-FAT CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA

Steps:

• For the marinated chicken, mix together all the ingredients in a bowl, cover with cling film and put in the fridge aside to marinate while you make the sauce.
• For the tikka masala sauce, bring the stock to a simmer in a saucepan. Add the sliced onions, garlic and ginger. Cut a square of baking paper or greaseproof paper large enough to cover the mixture in the pan. Push it right down to cover the onions and garlic closely, cover the pan with a lid and simmer very gently for 15 minutes.
• Remove the paper. The onions should be translucent and soft. Add the tikka spice powder, the tinned tomatoes and the chopped coriander and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat slightly and simmer briskly for 20-30 minutes, until the sauce is thickened. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper then set aside to cool slightly.
• Meanwhile, preheat the grill to its hottest setting. Cover a baking tray with foil, and then place the marinated chicken on the tray in a single layer. Grill the chicken for 15 minutes, or until the chicken pieces are cooked through. Give the chicken a turn halfway through cooking, to ensure it's nicely browned all over.
• Using a stick blender or food processor, blend the tikka masala sauce until smooth. Return to the heat and warm through, then add the plain yoghurt. (Don't boil the sauce after you add the yoghurt or it will split.) Stir the cooked chicken pieces into the sauce and serve with brown basmati rice and a sprinkling of coriander to finish.

CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA

Steps:

• Marinate the chicken:
• Use a fork to prick the chicken breasts all over on both sides. Arrange the chicken breasts on a large sheet of plastic wrap, spacing them apart from one another, then cover with a second large sheet of plastic wrap. Using the smooth side of a meat mallet or a rolling pin, beat the chicken until the breasts are an even 1/2- to 3/4-inch thickness.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the yogurt, 1 tablespoon peanut oil, lime juice, and garlic. Add the pounded chicken, and rub the marinade over the meat. Set the chicken aside while you make the sauce.
• Make the sauce:
• In a small bowl, whisk together the coriander, cumin, cardamom, nutmeg, paprika, cayenne, and grated ginger. In a heavy, wide 4-quart pot or sauté pan over moderately high heat, melt the butter. Add the onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until light brown and caramelized, about 5 minutes. (Note that because they are sautéed so quickly over moderately high heat, the onions will not caramelize evenly.) Reduce the heat to moderate then stir in the spice and ginger mixture. Add the tomato purée, water, heavy cream, and salt, and bring the sauce to a boil. Reduce the heat to gently simmer the sauce, uncovered, until thickened slightly, about 10 minutes. DO AHEAD: The sauce can be prepared ahead and refrigerated, in an airtight container, up to 3 days.
• While sauce is simmering, cook chicken:
• Heat a heavy 11- to 12-inch griddle or skillet over moderately high heat until very hot and add 1/2 tablespoon of peanut oil. Working in two batches, cook the chicken breasts, turning them a few times and lowering the heat if the chicken chars too quickly, until just cooked through and browned well on both sides, 6 to 8 minutes total. Transfer the chicken as cooked to a cutting board. Wipe the griddle or skillet clean with a paper towel and cook the remaining chicken, adding the remaining 1/2 tablespoon peanut oil between batches.
• When all the chicken is cooked, cut it into 1 1/2-inch pieces. Add the chicken to the simmering sauce and continue to gently simmer it, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the black pepper and chopped cilantro, and season with salt. DO AHEAD: Chicken tikka masala can be prepared ahead, cooled, uncovered, and refrigerated, covered, up to 3 days.
• To serve:
• Transfer the chicken to a serving dish and garnish with additional cilantro sprigs. Serve with naan, and/or if desired with Basmati Rice .

HEALTHY SLOW COOKER CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add in onion, jalapeno and garlic; saute for about 5 minutes or until onions are slightly golden and translucent. Transfer to a large slow cooker.
• Next add in tomato puree, ginger, lemon juice, garam masala, paprika, cayenne pepper, turmeric, and curry powder to the slow cooker; stir to combine.
• Add chicken breasts and spoon sauce over the chicken to make sure they are covered. Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 2-3 hours.
• Once cooked, remove chicken with a slotted spoon and transfer to a cutting board. Shred the chicken with two forks, then transfer back to the slow cooker.
• Stir in coconut milk and allow to cook on high UNCOVERED for 15-20 more minutes to help thicken the sauce. Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary, including adding more salt, if desired.
• Serve with brown rice, pita bread/naan or enjoy as is. Garnish with plain greek yogurt and chopped cilantro. Store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days.