Chicken Tikka Masala

The best Tikka recipe that I have found. This was adapted from Cook's Illustrated. I chop all the onion, ginger, cilantro and chilis in the food processor. This is best using whole milk yougurt but it wasn't available as an ingredient.

• Ready In: 1 hr 15 mins
• Serves: 12-16

Ingredients

• chicken

• 6  lbs boneless chicken breasts or 6  lbs  boneless chicken thighs
• 1  tablespoon cumin
• 1  tablespoon  coriander
• 1  teaspoon cayenne
• 1  tablespoon salt
• 3  cups plain yogurt
• 4  tablespoons  oil
• 6  garlic cloves
• 2  tablespoons  minced fresh ginger

• Sauce

• 4  tablespoons  oil
• 3  medium onions, chopped
• 6  garlic cloves
• 3  tablespoons fresh ginger, chopped
• 3  serrano peppers, chopped (remove seeds)
• 5  tablespoons curry powder or 5  tablespoons garam masala
• 1  teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2  tablespoons sugar
• 2  teaspoons salt
• 3 (28 ounce) cans tomatoes (redi-cut or chopped)
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 2  cups heavy cream
• 1  cup cilantro, chopped

Directions

1. For chicken, mix spices together and rub into chicken pieces. Let it sit for 1-12 hours.
2. Mix yogurt, oil, garlic and ginger. Set aside.
3. Sauce:
4. Heat oil in large pot. (I use soup pot.).
5. Add onion, garlic, ginger and peppers. Fry until onions are soft. Add spices and fry until they smell good, a few minutes. (Keep stirring as you don't want spices to burn.).
6. Add sugar, tomatoes and paste.
7. Simmer while you make the chicken. (At least an hour.).
8. Add cream and cilantro, heat till warm.
9. Dip chicken pieces into yogurt mixture until well coated.
10. Place on BBQ or broil for 15 minute or so turning once. Cooking time depends on thickness of meat. It should be 160 on thermometer. I like it to sear and get a little crunchy on the outside.
11. Let it cool and tear or cut into bite-size pieces and stir into sauce.
12. Serve with rice or naan.