Over the holidays last year, my co-works and I had a team building event. We decided on a cooking class where we made Chicken Tikka Masala. I have been thinking about making a Paleo version of it ever since then.
My husband and I never really venture out of our comfort zone as far as trying new foods. However, we have been more daring lately when choosing restaurants. I’m sure many couples are the same way when it comes to deciding where to eat that night. You go back and forth asking each other “where do you want to eat? “. Then finally you decide on the same restaurant you have been to 500 times because it’s close by and you are now both “hangry”.
Not that Indian food is really all that daring, but it is just not something we choose as our go-to. I decided to test my culinary skills and made my own version of Chicken Tikka Masala. It is gluten and lactose-free and turned out delicious. If you are not worried about the lactose, you could easily use heavy cream in place of the coconut milk and plain Greek yogurt in place of the sheep milk yogurt. My favorite sheep milk yogurt is this one here which I can find at the local grocery store. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!
Paleo Chicken Tikka Masala
Ingredients
- 5 Cloves Garlic- finely chopped
- 2 tsp. ground Ginger
- 4 tsp. Turmeric
- 2 tsp. Garam Masala
- 2 tsp. ground Coriander
- 2 tsp. Cumin
- 1/2 tsp. Cardamon
- 1 Cup plain Sheeps Milk Yogurt or plain Greek Yogurt (My favorite here)
- 1 tsp. Salt
- 4 Chicken Breasts- cut into bite size pieces
- 2 Tbs. Ghee or Butter
- 1 small White Onion- thinly scliced
- 1 (6 oz) can Tomato Paste
- 1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
- 1 (28 oz) can Tomatoes- whole, peeled
- 1 (13.5 oz) can Coconut Milk- Regular
- 1/2 cup Fresh Cilantro- chopped
- 4 cups Brown Rice- cooked
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine garlic, ginger, turmeric, garam masala, coriander, cumin, and cardamon. Remove half of this spice mixture and set aside, covered in refrigerator.
- Stir sheeps milk yogurt into the half of the spice mixture. If you are not concerned about dairy free, you can easily use plain greek yogurt. Add chicken pieces to the mixture and coat well. Cover and refrigerate for 4-6 hours.
- Using a large pot, melt ghee or butter over medium heat. Mix in the onion slices, tomato paste, and red pepper flakes. Stir often until the onions are soft and tomato paste has started to darken, usually about 5 mins.
- Add in the remaining half of the spice mixture. Stir frequently for about 4-5 more minutes.
- Add whole tomatoes and juices, crushing with your hands as you add them. (Be careful! They will squirt on your clothes so wear an apron!)
- Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer for about 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently. The sauce should start to thicken.
- Add in the coconut milk and chopped cilantro. Continue to simmer for another 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- While sauce is cooking, preheat broiler. Line a baking sheet with foil and spread out chicken mixture in a single layer. Broil until the chicken starts to blacken slightly, about 10 minutes. Note: The chicken will not be fully cooked.
- Add chicken pieces to the large pot with the sauce. Simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 8-10 minutes.
- Serve over brown rice. Enjoy!
What a week…
What a crazy week so far. It’s so true that the older we get, the faster time seems so go! I worked the past 3 days in a row which doesn’t happen a lot for me. Yes, I think I’m going to make it 😉.
On Tuesday night, we went to a fundraiser for our friend, Will, who is cycling from the Golden Gate Bridge to New York this summer. His father passed away unexpectedly this past December and had done this same ride previously. Will is planning on replicating his father’s ride as a tribute to him. I attended nursing school with his wife and they are truly one of the sweetest and most fun couples we have the pleasure of knowing. They recently had twins and now have a beautiful family of 5! You can find out more about Will’s Ride Across America here if you are interested.
I am counting down the days until I leave for Tulum! A group of us are heading to Mexico next week for a bachelorette party and I can’t wait for our beach getaway! There may be snow in the forecast here this weekend and a warm, sandy beach can’t come soon enough!
