Chicken Tikka Masala

I have heard a lot of people rave about Indian food and chicken tikka masala. This recipe for chicken tikka masala got a lot of great reviews. Since I have never eaten Indian food and I love trying new things, I decided to give it a try tonight.

Now I'll say this first - the purpose of my blog isn't to post only the success stories. It is to share my cooking experiences, both good and bad. Tonight, unfortunately, fell into the bad category for both Jon and I. This was very disappointing after last night's amazing dinner!! (see post below for a great recipe!)

If you like Indian food and the flavors listed below, definitely try this recipe. I wish we would have liked it. I wanted to like it. It just didn't go that way!

I think it had to do with the cinnamon so I may try this recipe again without the cinnamon. The sauce was good, but the cinnamon from the marinade just didn't seem to go. We both couldn't eat more than a few bites.

Here is the original recipe if you are interested:

Ingredients

• 1 cup yogurt
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
• 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 4 teaspoons salt, or to taste
• 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
• 4 long skewers
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 3 teaspoons salt, or to taste
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  

Directions

• In a large bowl, combine yogurt, lemon juice, 2 teaspoons cumin, cinnamon, cayenne, black pepper, ginger, and 4 teaspoons salt. Stir in chicken, cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Preheat a grill for high heat. Lightly oil the grill grate. Thread chicken onto skewers, and discard marinade. Grill until juices run clear, about 5 minutes on each side.
• Melt butter in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Saute garlic and jalapeno for 1 minute. Season with 2 teaspoons cumin, paprika, and 3 teaspoons salt. Stir in tomato sauce and cream. Simmer on low heat until sauce thickens, about 20 minutes.
• Add grilled chicken, and simmer for 10 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter, and garnish with fresh cilantro.