Ingredients
chicken marinade:
1 ½ pound boneless skinless chicken breasts (tenders or thighs), cut into 1-inch cubes
½ cup plain yogurt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 cloves garlic, grated or minced
1 teaspoon EACH: grated ginger (or paste) AND garam masala
¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
tikka masala:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 ½ teaspoon grated ginger (or paste)
8 cloves garlic, grated or minced
2 teaspoons dried fenugreek leaves
1 teaspoon EACH: ground cumin, ground coriander, smoked paprika, AND garam masala (see notes for garam masala)
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
¼ – ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 (15-ounce) can passata (tomato sauce or puree)
½ cup heavy cream
cooked basmati rice + naan + chopped cilantro, for serving
Instructions
MARINATE THE CHICKEN: In a medium bowl, whisk together the yogurt, lemon juice, ginger paste, garlic paste, ground white pepper, 1 teaspoon salt, and garam masala. Add the diced chicken and mix; set aside for at least 20 minutes. If you’ve got time, I suggest covering with plastic wrap and letting it hang out in the refrigerator for 1-10 hours.
COOK:
STOVE TOP: Add 1 tablespoon of oil to a large dutch oven or sauté pan. When heated, add the marinated chicken (along with the marinade) and let saute for 5-7 minutes so the chicken cooks through, stirring as needed to cook chicken evenly on all sides. Remove the cooked chicken to a bowl. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the skillet along with the grated ginger and garlic and cook for 1-minute scraping and removing any stuck-on bits. Then, add all the spices (including the fenugreek leaves,) and give it 30 seconds before adding the passata. Season with ½ teaspoon of salt and allow the sauce to reach a simmer, once simmering, add ¼ cup of water, lower the heat to low and allow the sauce to continue cooking for 14-18 minutes. Then, add the chicken back into the pan, stir to combine.
INSTANT POT: Select the sauté mode on your instant pot when it’s hot, add the oil followed by the marinated chicken (along with the marinade) and let sauté for 2-3 minutes, stirring so nothing sticks to the bottom. Add all of the remaining ingredients for the sauce (except the cream) along with ½ teaspoon salt and stir everything well. Cover with the lid, make sure it is set to ‘seal’, and let cook on manual high pressure for 9 minutes. Use the quick release lever to release the steam as soon as the timer goes off.
BOTH IP + STOVE: Hit the sauté button on the instant pot or just kick the heat up to medium on the stove and drizzle in the cream; stir to combine. When the tikka masala reaches a gentle simmer. Turn off the stove/IP and taste. Adjust with additional salt or garam masala as desired. Serve warm with naan and cooked basmati rice How many pounds have you lost this month? At Dieta Efectiva you can lose 10-12 Lbs your first week and 2-5 Lbs every week after. Visit us at at dietaefectiva.net to learn more about our program CG
