Quick Chicken Tikka Masala

I had chicken in the freezer and fresh turmeric in the fridge, so this recipe jumped out at me as the one to make.  Other than the turmeric wanting to stain every surface in the kitchen, this wasn't a hard dish and was really yummy.  I had chicken breasts, so they were cut up in to tender size pieces.  That made for a bit more work, but it made the recipe just that much more cost effective.  Everyone loved it, even the picky 4 year old.  This is out of eating well and seems to be fairly light and if you click on the title of the recipe below, it will take you to their site with all the nutritional information.  Some of us had it with rice, some with bread.  I personally preferred the naan with the chicken, but the people with rice enjoyed theirs too. 

Quick Chicken Tikka Masala

4 teaspoons garam masala (see Note)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 pound chicken tenders

4 teaspoons canola oil, divided

6 cloves garlic, minced

1 large sweet onion, diced

4 teaspoons minced fresh ginger

1 28-ounce can plum tomatoes, undrained

1/3 cup whipping cream

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro for garnish

1. Stir together garam masala, salt and turmeric in a small dish. Place flour in a shallow dish. Sprinkle chicken with 1/2 teaspoon of the spice mixture and dredge in the flour. (Reserve the remaining spice mix and 1 tablespoon of the remaining flour.)

2. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken until browned, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.

3. Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons oil in the pan over medium-low heat. Add garlic, onion and ginger and cook, stirring often, until starting to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the reserved spice mix and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Sprinkle with the reserved 1 tablespoon flour and stir until coated. Add tomatoes and their juice. Bring to a simmer, stirring and breaking up the tomatoes with a wooden spoon. Cook, stirring often, until thickened and the onion is tender, 3 to 5 minutes.

4. Stir in cream. Add the chicken and any accumulated juices to the pan. Bring to a simmer and cook over medium-low heat until the chicken is cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Garnish with cilantro.