Chicken Tikka Masala

I am posting this recipe here because I have recently had some trouble with Pinterest where I have pinned a link with intentions of making a recipe or following a tutorial only to go back a month or so later and find that the post was removed or the link no longer works. 

I have mentioned on here before that my favorite chicken tikka masala is from a restaurant in Provo called Bombay House.  And I have had chicken tikka masala all over the world in places you would think you could find better versions of it like D.C. or London.  So when I found this blog post with a recipe describing the same situation and comparing this recipe to that of Bombay House chicken tikka masala, I decided I had to try it.  It turned out well with just a couple of exceptions.  The flavor profile was very, very close.  I used two cups of cream for the medium-mild spiciness and it was just the same level of "my-nose-is-starting-to-run-but-just-barely" that I usuaully experience at the restaurant.  The biggest problem with the recipe was that my sauce turned out too runny so I think that possibly the original post skipped a step somewhere to either simmer the sauce down after adding the cream or to add a thickening agent or something.  The original post had pictures with a sauce that looked just like the one at Bombay House so obviously hers turned out just fine.  Possibly she made a spicier version with less cream?  I will have to work on that and update this post eventually with my solution, but even with a runny sauce this meal was excellent and the only things I had to buy special for it were a bottle of garam masala (easy to find in the Safeway spice section) and a jalapeno. 

Chicken Tikka Masala (Bombay House Style)

1 1/2 Lbs chicken breast, chopped into bite size pieces

(marinade)
1 cup plain yoghurt
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp red pepper
2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground ginger

(sauce)
1/4 cup cilantro
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeño, minced
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp salt
1 can (8oz) tomato sauce
1 cup heavy cream (hot-medium spiciness) or 2 cups heavy cream (medium-mild spiciness)

Cut the chicken into one-inch size cubes.  Mix all marinade ingredients in a dish or ziploc bag: yoghurt, lemon juice, cumin, red pepper, black pepper, cinnamon, salt, & ground ginger.  Add chicken and stir to coat, then cover tightly and marinade for 1-2 hours.  Thread chicken pieces on skewers and grill.  Or you can cook the chicken in a high sided skillet until done, or no longer pink inside (about 8 minutes).

For the sauce, melt the butter over medium heat in a frying pan. Add garlic and jalapeño and cook for 1 minute.  Next add coriander, cumin, paprika, garam masala and salt; stir to combine.  Stir in tomato sauce and simmer for 15 minutes.  Finally, add the grilled chicken and stir in the cream: 1 cup for hot-medium, 2 cups for medium-mild.  Serve with basmati rice and garnish with chopped cilantro and naan.