30 Minute, 1 pot Lightened Chicken Tikka Masala with green chili, cilantro, and garam masala. Flavorful, not too spicy and make ahead friendly. A healthy, real food meal.
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Chicken Tikka Masala!
Spicy. Creamy. Super Healthy.
Happening now. You in?
First things first.. Indian food is So. Delicious.
It comes in cute little bowls with fancy sauces, garlic-y Naan bread, perfectly seasoned rice. It's satisfying and most importantly, no massive food hangover the next day, cause guess what.. it's made from good-for-you-stuff. And guess what x2? It's a meal-prepping dream for busy nights because it's prep-able, make ahead friendly and freezer optional.
When I say week-night friendly, what I actually mean is that you have to do a little prep to get yourself there. Do you hate me for pulling you in like this? I promise.. your faith will be restored... this can work.
In order to make this guy a 30 minute meal - you have to accept the fact that the MASALA paste needs to be prepped ahead and ready to go. You will make this once, it will be done in about 10 minutes, and then it can reside in your freezer until the end of time ready to create super simple (carry-out-esqu) Chicken Tikka Masala.. whenever your heart desires.
Got it?
So the first item on the to do list.. make MASALA PASTE.
Once the paste is ready.. the rest couldn't be simpler. Marinate chicken in plain yogurt and masala paste.
Helpful Hint.. this step can be done ahead of time too!
Once the chicken is marinated and the paste all whipped up, there really isn't much left to this recipe. Pop some of the Masala Paste into a hot skillet, cook chicken and add some coconut milk and tomato puree to give the dish that creamy texture that makes Chicken Tikka Masala all kinds of fabulous. Let all those flavors simmer and meld together.. presto, dinner done.
Time Saving Tips and Tricks
Prep: This recipe is PERFECT for prep. The masala paste can be made once and used again and again to make whipping together a healthy Indian take-out like recipe a cinch. The recipe included for the masala paste will make about 2 cups. That's enough for 5 separate dinners! The chicken can also be marinaded 1-2 days in advance.
Make Ahead: This lightened chicken tikka masala is a fantastic make-ahead meal. I like to double the recipe and serve half for dinner and save the other half for lunches throughout the week.
Freezer: I haven't frozen the completed recipe, but the masala paste is perfect for the freezer. I store mine in a freezer safe mason jar and thaw as needed. Ice cube trays would work as well!
📖 Recipe
Lightened Chicken Tikka Masala
- Yield: 4 Servings 1x
Description
30 Minute, 1 pot Lightened Chicken Tikka Masala with green chili, cilantro, and garam masala. Flavorful, not too spicy and make ahead friendly. A healthy, real food meal.
Ingredients
FOR THE MASALA PASTE:
- 2 onions, roughly chopped
- 6 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- 1 green chili, seeded and roughly chopped
- 2 Tbs fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
- 3 ½ TBS garam masala
- 1 TBS chili powder
- 1 TBS turmeric
- 1 TBS cumin
- 1 tsp ground cloves
- 3 tsp salt
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 TBS cilantro leaves, roughly chopped + more for garnish
- ¼ cup walnuts
- juice of 1 lemon
FOR THE CHICKEN:
- 2 lbs. chicken breast, diced into 1" cubes
- ½ cup plain yogurt
- 2 TBS masala paste
FOR THE MASALA SAUCE:
- 1 ½ cups tomato puree
- 1 13.5 oz can coconut milk
- ½ tsp salt
FOR SERVING:
- Whole Wheat Naan Bread or prepared basmati rice
- Cilantro
Instructions
- Make the masala paste (unless you already have some made and stored). Add onions, garlic, green chili, ginger, garam masala, chili powder, turmeric, cumin, cloves, salt, cayenne pepper, cilantro, walnuts and lemon juice to a food processor. Pulse until smooth. Set aside.
- In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine yogurt and 2 TBS of masala paste. Mix. Add diced chicken to bowl. Mix until all chicken is coated. Cover in plastic wrap and place in fridge. Marinate a minimum of 30 minutes.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add a drizzle of olive oil and ¼ cup of prepared masala paste. Stir until fragrant, about 4 minutes.
- Add yogurt/chicken mixture to the hot skillet. let the chicken simmer, stirring frequently until almost cooked. Add tomato puree and coconut milk; simmer an additional 10-15 minutes or until creamy.
- Serve chicken over basmati rice or with whole wheat Naan bread. Top with cilantro and season with salt and pepper to taste. (NOTE: I am guessing this is inauthentic to Indian cuisine, but Joe loves adding some hot sauce over the top!).
Notes
- Masala Paste can be purchased pre-made but the brands that I found had tons of extra additives. Making your own really is pretty simple, and worth the time IMO.
- Garam Masala is a spice. I didn't have any trouble finding it, but if you don't see it in the regular spice aisle check the ethnic food section.
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