Chicken Tikka Masala

This is a great Indian dish to try! It took me about an hour to make but it was worth it. I halved this entire recipe and there was a lot left over with two of us. I made substitutions for almost everything in here because I didn't have the exact seasonings; for example, dry mustard or crushed mustard seed instead of turmeric (although you don't get the fun yellow-colored rice), but it tasted great. Because it calls for salt in each piece of the recipe, be careful to not overdo it (mine was just a little salty). Maybe wait until the end to season to taste with the salt.

Ingredients:
3-4 chicken breasts
1/2 c plain yogurt (or fat free sour cream)
6 Tb butter (divided)
cumin
coriander
kosher salt

1 large onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 in. chunk fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1 T. salt
3 T. Garam Masala
1 T. sugar
28 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 1/2 c heavy cream

2 c Basmati rice, uncooked
1 T ground turmeric
4 c. water

optional:
fresh cilantro
chili peppers or ground red peppers
frozen peas

Directions:
Start by seasoning the chicken breasts with Kosher salt (don't use too much or it tastes very salty). Next sprinkle them on both sides with coriander and cumin. Then coat the chicken with the plain yogurt. Set the chicken on a metal cooling rack over a foil-lined cookie sheet and place it about 10-12 inches below a broiler for 5-7 minutes on each side. It should have slightly blackened edges. Remove from oven.

To a rice cooker add 2 cups Basmati rice, 4 Tb butter, 1 tsp salt, 1 Tb ground turmeric and 4 c water. Cover, turn on your rice cooker and walk away.

Next dice the onion and saute with 2 Tb butter over med-high heat until slightly browned. As the onions cook, mince your garlic and ginger. Add to onions with 1 Tb salt.
At this point add 3 Tb Garam Masala spice. If you like it hot, add a chili pepper or two. (I just used some ground red pepper) Add the tomatoes and continue cooking and stirring, scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze it. Add about 1 Tb sugar and allow this mixture to simmer on medium for 5 minutes.

After the Tikka Masala sauce has had a chance to simmer for a bit, add in the 1 1/2 c heavy cream. Now chop up your chicken breasts into chunks and add them into the sauce.
A handful of chopped cilantro is a nice addition if you like cilantro (I do not). You can also throw some frozen peas into the cooked rice, give them a stir and allow the heat of the rice to cook the peas. (We had peas on the side. I like something green with my meals:)

Also, if you're cheap like me and don't want to spend $4 on a seasoning you're going to use once, substitute for the Garam Masala (I halved this as well):

1 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp crumbled bay leaves
1/4 tsp ground cloves

Adapted from whatsonmymenu.blogspot.com