masala madness

Oh my God. I made this and it was delicious! Gotta love a new and good slow cooker recipe for this time of year.

Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala

Ingredients:

1.5 lbs. skinless chicken thighs

1 large onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 inch piece whole ginger root, peeled and grated

2 tablespoons tomato paste (I used the whole small can by mistake b/c I was rushing. It was fine)

1-2 T. garam masala

2 t. paprika

2 t. kosher salt

1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes

3/4 c. heavy cream or coconut milk (I used coconut milk)

fresh cilantro for topping

Directions:

Cut the chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces and transfer them to a 3-quart or larger slow cooker. Stir in the onion, garlic, ginger, tomato paste, garam masala, paprika, and salt until the chicken is evenly covered with spices. Stir in the diced tomatoes with their juices. 

-If you have time, marinate the chicken in 1/2 c. yogurt for up to 6 hours; shake to remove excess yogurt before transferring to the slow cooker (I took the time and marinated for about 45 min., and didn't really remove all the excess yogurt).

-If you have time, saute the onions and garlic in a little olive oil over medium-high heat in a skillet until softened, then stir in the ginger, tomato paste, and spices until fragrant. Transfer to the slow cooker with the chicken and diced tomatoes. (I took the time to do this, allowing the chicken to marinate for 45 min... this gives the dish more depth of flavor).

Cover the slow cooker and cook for 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low. Fifteen minutes before the end of cooking, stir in the cream or coconut milk. If you prefer a thicker sauce, leave the slow cooker uncovered for the last 15 min. Taste and add more garam masala or salt to taste. Serve over 2 c. cooked rice with fresh cilantro sprinkled over the top of the serving. Basmati rice is most authentic. I only had jasmine rice and it was still great. The tikka masala can be refrigerated for 3-4 days or frozen for up to 3-4 months. 

Serves 4-6

Notes: Can use chicken breasts instead of thighs, but long cooking tends to make white meat shred.

Also, for a little bit of that smoky tandoori flavor, use smoked paprika and roasted tomatoes.