Chicken Tikka Masala

Chicken Tikka

• 1/2 teaspoon Spicely® Ground Cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon Spicely Ground Coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon Spicely Cayenne Pepper
• 1 teaspoon table salt
• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of fat
• 1 cup plain whole-milk or low-fat yogurt
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 medium garlic cloves , minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

Masala Sauce

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 medium onion , diced fine (about 1 1/4 cups)
• 2 medium garlic cloves , minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
• 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
• 1 fresh serrano chile , ribs and seeds removed, flesh minced (see note above)
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon Spicely Garam Masala
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 2/3 cup heavy cream, half and half or whole milk
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

1. For The Chicken: Combine cumin, coriander, cayenne, and salt in small bowl. Sprinkle both sides of chicken with spice mixture, pressing gently so mixture adheres. Place chicken on plate, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes. In large bowl, whisk together yogurt, oil, garlic, and ginger; set aside.

2. For The Sauce: Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until light golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, chile, tomato paste, and Spicely Garam Masala; cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, sugar, and salt; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in cream and return to simmer. Remove pan from heat and cover to keep warm or make up to a day in advance and bring to simmer before adding chicken.

3. While sauce simmers, adjust oven rack to upper-middle position (about 6 inches from heating element) and heat broiler. Using tongs, dip chicken into yogurt mixture (chicken should be coated with thick layer of yogurt) and arrange on wire rack set in foil-lined rimmed baking sheet or broiler pan. Discard excess yogurt mixture. Broil chicken until thickest parts register 160 degrees on instant-read thermometer and exterior is lightly charred in spots, 10 to 18 minutes, flipping chicken halfway through cooking.

4. Let chicken rest 5 minutes, then cut into 1-inch chunks and stir into warm sauce (do not simmer chicken in sauce). Stir in cilantro, adjust seasoning with salt, and serve with basmati rice.

Serves 4-6.

Curried Chicken Salad with Garam Masala Biscuits

• 1 carrot, coarsely chopped
• 1 onion, coarsely chopped
• 1 teaspoon Spicely® Black Peppercorns
• 1 Spicely® Bay Leaf
• 1 tablespoon Spicely® Garam Masala
• 4 pounds chicken breast halves, on the bone, with skin
• 1 cup mayonnaise, plus more for spreading
• 1 tablespoon Spicely® Curry Powder
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 3 cups red grapes (about 14 ounces), halved
• 2 celery ribs, finely diced
• 2 Tbls. chopped cilantro
• 1/4 cup shelled pistachios, toasted
• Kosher Salt and Spicely® Ground Black Pepper

Fill a large pot with 3 quarts of water. Add the carrot, onion, peppercorns, Spicely® Garam Masala and Spicely® Bay Leaf and bring to a simmer. Add the chicken and simmer over moderate heat until cooked through, about 30 minutes. Remove the chicken to a plate and refrigerate until cool enough to handle. Reserve the broth for another use. Discard all of the chicken skin. Remove the meat from the bones and cut it into 1/2-inch pieces.

In a medium bowl, mix the 1 cup of mayonnaise with the Spicely® Curry Powder and lime juice. Stir in the chicken pieces, grapes, celery, cilantro and pistachios and season with salt and pepper. Serve the chicken salad with biscuits.

Can be made ahead and refrigerated overnight. Add the grapes and pistachios shortly before serving. To toast pistachios, spread in baking pan and bake at 350° for 5 minutes.

Serves 8

Garam Marala Bisquits

Add 1 – 2 Tbls. Spicely® Garam Masala to your favorite Buttermilk Biscuit recipe. Bake as directed.

Butter Chicken

• 2-3 lbs. chicken breast, 1" cubes
• 1 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 1/2 cups plain yogurt
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons Spicely® Chili Powder
• * 2 tablespoons garlic paste (recipe below)
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ** 2 tablespoons ginger garlic paste – mix garlic and ginger paste
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Spicely® Garam Masala
• *1 tablespoon ginger paste (recipe below)
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon green chile pepper, chopped
• 2 cups tomato puree
• salt to taste
• 1 cup water
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon Spicely® Fenugreek Ground
• 1 cup heavy cream

Marinate chicken in a glass dish with lemon juice, 1 tablespoon Spicely® Chili Powder and (1/2 teaspoon salt optional). Cover tightly with plastic wrap and marinate in refrigerator for about an hour.

Pour off excess liquid from yogurt if any exists. Combine with 2 tablespoons garlic paste, 1/2 tablespoon Spicely® Garam Masala, Spicely® Chili Powder, salt, butter, ginger paste, olive oil and lemon juice.

Combine yogurt mixture with chicken and marinade and return to refrigerator for another few hours. Preheat oven to 400°F.

Skewer the chicken pieces. Place skewers in a baking dish in preheated oven for 20 minutes. Chicken will be nearly cooked through.

To prepare the sauce, in a saucepan melt the butter and stir in 1 tablespoon garam masala. When the spice begins to sputter, stir in green chile peppers, and ginger. Saute 5 minutes, stirring in the garlic paste near the end (don't allow it to turn brown). Stir in tomato sauce, 1 tablespoon chili powder, salt and water. Bring up to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Stir in the fenugreek and honey.

Put the chicken into the saucepan. Cooking over medium heat for another 5 minutes, or until chicken is tender and done. Pour in the fresh cream at the last minute and remove from heat.

Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve.