Chicken Tikka Masala

Ingredients:

For the Chicken Tikka


1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon salt
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
1 cup plain whole milk yogurt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger





For the Masala Sauce


3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 onion, minced (about 1 cup)
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1 serrano chile, ribs and seeds removed, chile minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon garam masala
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 teaspoons sugar
Salt
2/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

For the chicken:

Combine the cumin, coriander, cayenne, and salt in a small bowl. Sprinkle both sides of the chicken with the spice mixture, pressing gently so that the mixture adheres. Place the chicken on a plate, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 30-60 minutes. In a large bowl, whisk together the yogurt, oil and ginger. Set aside.

For the sauce:


Heat the oil in a large dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until light golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, chile, tomato paste, and garam masala; cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes, sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt, bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the cream and return to a simmer. Remove the pan from the heat and cover to keep warm.

While the sauce simmers, adjust an oven rack to the upper-middle position (about 6 inches from the heating element) and heat the broiler. Using tongs, dip the chicken into the yogurt mixture (the chicken should be coated with a thick layer of yogurt) and arrange on a wire rack set in a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet or broiler pan.  Discard the excess yogurt mixture. Broil the chicken until the thickest parts register 160 degrees on an instant-read thermometer and the exterior is lightly charred in spots, 10-18 minutes, flipping the chicken halfway through cooking.

Let the chicken rest 5 minutes, then cut into 1 inch chunks and stir into the warm sauce (do not simmer the chicken in the sauce). Stir in the cilantro, season with salt to taste, and serve.

Recipe from: America's Test Kitchen: Best-Ever Recipes