Quick & Easy Chicken Tikka Masala
Chicken Tikka Masala is a staple dish in South Asian cuisine. Probably one of the most popular dishes from the South Asian subcontinent and a cousin to the famous Butter Chicken. It's a creamy tomato based dish with roasted chicken and aromatic spices eaten with Naan (flatbread) or rice.
A beautiful friend once told me that her good friend whose an amazing cook, makes butter chicken with pasta sauce...yes you heard it right, Pasta Sauce!!! And it totally made sense. After all, we cook down the tomatoes just like your normal marinara sauce with herbs and spices so why wouldn’t it work?
It got me thinking, and I thought before I put my hand into making butter chicken...lets try this with the staple Chicken Tikka Masala. And guess what?! It absolutely WORKED! I had dinner ready in a jip, the house didn’t smell like curry all day and the hubby and kids LOVED it.
The recipe turned out so well that BRANDLESS teamed up with me to recreate it using their amazing products. Brandless is based on the idea that people deserve better- better ingredients, better pricing, better everything really. They eliminate BrandTax, the hidden costs you pay for a national brand, which then gives you the freedom to choose delicious, healthy and affordable everything for just $3. Yes, that's right, everything is $3! #sponsored So lets get started on this delicious recipe with great ingredients!
What you need is:
1/2 to 3/4 Jar Arrabbiata Pasta Sauce
1 tsp Garlic/Ginger Paste (recipe found here)
1lb Boneless Chicken Thigh (cut in 1 inch thick slices)
2 tbsp Olive Oil
1/4 cup Cream
and the following spices:
1 tsp Chili Powder
1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
1/2 tsp Ground Cumin
1/2 tsp Ground Coriander
Salt (to taste)1/2 tsp Ground Black Pepper
1/2 tsp Dry Fenugreek (optional)
1 tsp Sugar (optional)
Method:
Heat some oil in a pot and add your spices and allow them to bloom and release their oils along with the garlic/ginger paste .
Now add your chicken and give it a mix until your chicken is just shy of no longer pink, then add in 1/2 to 3/4 jar of the Arrabbiata Pasta Sauce (more or less depending on how much gravy you want).
Mix and let all the flavors marry for 7 to 10 minutes on medium high flame.
Then put the heat to low, drizzle in your cream (reserving a tbsp for garnish), cover and let the chicken cook completely through for an additional 5 to 7 minutes until the oil separates from the gravy.
While the chicken masala is cooking through, cook up a side of delicious, Brown Basmati Rice. A great long grain accompaniment to this staple Chicken Tikka Masala. Follow the packaging directions on the back of your BRANDLESS pack for your rice and lets get plating!
Serve garnishing with a drizzle of cream, freshly chopped cilantro/sweet basil, and a side of rice and Naan flatbread (recipe found here).
Want an Autumn Flare? Add a heaping tablespoon of pumpkin puree (recipe found here) and 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon for a warm, earthy surprise.
Whether it be unexpected guests, or a quick weeknight meal, save yourself the hassle and give this quick and easy shortcut a try. I cant thank Jasmine enough for this great pasta sauce shortcut, and with BRANDLESS making it easy with all their amazing ingredients this recipe has definitely become a keeper in my books! ❤️
