Low calorie Chicken Tikka Masala - minus the cream and oodles of flavor
Author: 
Recipe type: Entree
Serves: 4
 
An alternative to the heavy cream method, this chicken tikka masala recipe cuts saturated fat and cholesterol into half or less. If you want to keep original flavors, sub evaporated milk with 1 c of heavy cream
Ingredients
For Chicken tikka:
  • 2 lbs boneless chicken pieces
  • ½ cup lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
  • ½ tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tbsp. Tandoori chicken masala powder (I use Shaan)
  • 1 tbsp. Chicken Tikka Masala powder (Shaan or any other)
  • 1 cup hung yogurt
For Gravy
  • 1 cup onion grated (water drained)
  • 2/1/2 cups chopped tomatoes skinned, deseeded and chopped
  • 1 tsp garlic paste
  • 1 tbsp ginger paste
  • 1 tsp Cayenne pepper
  • 2 tbsp cashew paste with milk
  • 2 pods black cardamom
  • 10 black peppercorns
  • 2 Bay leaveshttp://www.thelady8home.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/DSC05740-1024x768.jpg
  • 1 tsp garam masala powder
  • ½ cup oil
  • 1 cup Evaporated Milk
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 2 Green chilies slit
  • Coriander leaves for garnish
Instructions
For Chicken Tikka:
  1. First, slit the chicken with knife/fork. Rub lemon juice, turmeric, red chilli powder, ginger and garlic paste . Refrigerate at least 4 hours to overnight.
  2. Hang the yogurt in a muslin cloth so that the water drains out (about 4 hours to overnight). Then rub this curd well onto the chicken pieces. Keep the chicken for another 2 hours or till you are ready to grill.
  3. Wrap the chicken pieces in aluminum foil and then grill on slow flame in an over till well done. Save the excess marinade. You can also skewer the pieces and grill them. It cooks quickly - about 5 minutes each side, so keep a close watch and don't let it burn.
Masala:
  1. Soak the cashews in a little milk for 10 minutes and grind them into a paste.
  2. Heat oil, and fry the onions.
  3. Add bay leaves, peppercorns and black cardamom
  4. Next put the ginger and garlic paste and saute for a few seconds.
  5. Now add tomatoes and cook till they are soft.
  6. Stir in cashew paste, stirring continuously. The gravy will thicken at this point.
  7. Add the left over marinade and cook for a minute till the gravy looks well blended in.
  8. Mix in the evaporated milk and keep stirring.
  9. Once the gravy reaches creamy consistency, drop the chicken pieces.
  10. Add green chilies.
  11. Cover and cook on slow flame for 2 minutes.
  12. Sprinkle garam masala powder.
  13. Garnish with coriander leaves.
  14. Serve hot with naan or rice.
Recipe by The Lady 8 Home at https://www.thelady8home.com/low-calorie-chicken-tikka-masala-minus-the-cream-and-oodles-of-flavor/