Indian Butter Chicken

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup butter, divided 1 onion, minced 1 tablespoon minced garlic 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce 3 cups heavy cream (or half and half) 1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 teaspoon garam masala 1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized chunks 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 2 tablespoons tandoori masala (see recipe below)

DIRECTIONS:

1.	Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2.	Melt a few tablespoons of butter in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in onion and garlic, and cook slowly until the onion caramelizes to a dark brown, about 15 minutes.
3.	Meanwhile melt the remaining butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat along with the tomato sauce, heavy cream, salt, cayenne pepper, and garam masala. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low; cover, and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then stir in caramelized onions.
4.	While the sauce is simmering, toss cubed chicken breast with vegetable oil until coated, then season with tandoori masala and spread out onto a baking sheet.
5.	Bake chicken in preheated oven until no longer pink in the center, about 12 minutes. Once done, add the chicken to the sauce and simmer for 5 minutes before serving. Tandoori Masala (this makes more than needed for this recipe) 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon ground ginger 1 teaspoon ground cloves 1⁄2 teaspoon grated nutmeg 1 1⁄2 Tablespoons ground cumin 2 Tablespoons ground coriander 1 teaspoon ground fenugreek (I've left this out and it still tastes great) 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper 1 teaspoon ground brown cardamom Serve over basmati rice and with naan

Chicken Tikka Masala

INGREDIENTS

1 cup yogurt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons garam masala
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
4 long skewers

1 tablespoon butter or olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 - 1/2 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped (remove seeds)
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons garam masala
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoons salt, or to taste
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce (you can also use a combo of diced tomatoes & tomato paste)
1 cup heavy cream (fat free half & half also works if you want to reduce the fat!)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, combine yogurt, lemon juice, 2 teaspoons cumin, cinnamon, garam masala, black pepper, and ginger. Stir in chicken, cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Preheat a grill for high heat.
Lightly oil the grill grate. Thread chicken onto skewers, and discard marinade. Grill until juices run clear, about 5 minutes on each side. You can also broil the chicken on a cookie sheet covered in foil.

Melt butter/heat olive oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Saute garlic and jalapeno for 1 minute. Season with 2 teaspoons cumin, garam masala, paprika, and salt. Stir in tomato sauce and cream. Simmer on low heat until sauce thickens, about 20 minutes. Add grilled chicken, and simmer for 10 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter, and garnish with fresh cilantro.

NOTES: Delicious over rice (basmati is the best) and with Naan (Indian bread), which you can find in the deli department of most grocery stores. I found the garam masala at World Market.