Chicken Meatball Tikka Masala

"This can easily be an appetizer or main dish served with basmati rice and garlic naan."
 
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photo by Jonathan Melendez photo by Jonathan Melendez
photo by Jonathan Melendez photo by Jonathan Melendez
photo by Jonathan Melendez photo by Jonathan Melendez
Ready In:
40mins
Ingredients:
28
Serves:
4-6

ingredients

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directions

  • In a large bowl, combine the chicken, egg, bread crumbs, tomato paste, salt, pepper, garam masala, and 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro until well incorporated. Shape into meatballs about the size of a golf ball. Set a large skillet with high sides over medium-high heat with the ghee. Once hot, sear the meatballs in batches, for about 8 minutes, turning over halfway. Transfer to a plate and continue browning the rest of the meatballs. You don't need them to be fully cooked, just brown in color. They'll continue to cook later on.
  • Add the remaining tablespoon ghee or oil to the same skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add in the onion, garlic, and peppers and cook until softened, about 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the ginger, spices, and tomato paste. Stir and cook for about 1 to 2 minutes, or until the tomato paste has darkened. Stir in the canned tomatoes. Bring to a simmer and stir in heavy cream and 3/4 cup cilantro.
  • Place the meatballs into the sauce, lower the flame and simmer until the sauce has reduced slightly and thickened and the meatballs have fully cooked through, about 30 to 40 minutes.
  • Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves. Serve the masala with cooked basmati rice and naan.

Questions & Replies

  1. Garam masala is listed twice. Do I add it to the chicken/egg mixture and then again with the spice mixture?
     
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Reviews

  1. Most excellent!! I am a lazy cook and was not daunted by the # of ingredients as most of them are spices. Followed recipe except had no garam masala and used jarred chopped ginger. Wife & I agree it was the best dish I've made. Thank you Jonathan
     
  2. Delicious. Thank you Jonathan. Husband and son loved the meatballs. They are not adventurous eaters so this is a good recipe to sneak in. After all, who doesn't love meatballs?
     
  3. made these for a potluck and they were a HIT...everyone raved how amazing they were....thank you for sharing
     
  4. Serious winner!! The leftovers are even better. My only tweak - doubling the sauce!!
     
  5. This looks like it would taste wonderful, but has way too many ingredients! I will pass on this one.
     
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Tweaks

  1. Looks great! From the comments this recipe is not for lazy cooks! Add a new seasoning, vegetable, Etc. to grocery list for an alternative cooking experience.
     

RECIPE SUBMITTED BY

Jonathan Melendez is a passionate author, food photographer, cook, baker, and recipe developer whose blog, The Candid Appetite, has appeared prominently on such sites as, BonAppetite, People, Cosmopolitan, The Kitchn, Today, The Cooking Channel, Food52 and Joy the Baker. He has created and photographed recipes for Idaho Potato Commission, Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, American Butter Institute and Jones Dairy Farm, to name a few. He lives in Los Angeles, CA.
 
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