lINGREDIENTS

For the chicken:

• 1 1/4 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, thighs, or a mix
• 6 tablespoons plain whole milk yogurt
• 1/2 tablespoon grated ginger
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt

For the tikka masala sauce:

• 2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
• 1 small onion, thinly sliced (about 5 ounces, or 1 1/2 cups sliced)
• 2 teaspoons grated ginger
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 14-ounce can crushed fire-roasted tomatoes (regular crushed tomatoes work, too)
• 6 tablespoons plain whole milk yogurt
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Cooked rice, to serve
• Cilantro, to garnish

1 Prepare the chicken: Trim chicken thighs of any extra fat. Chop into bite-sized pieces about 1/2 to 1 inch wide. Place the chicken thigh pieces to a medium bowl.

Add the yogurt, ginger, garlic, cumin, paprika and salt. Using your hands, combine the chicken with the spices until the chicken is evenly coated.

2 Marinate the chicken: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the chicken marinate in the fridge for at least 45 minutes or as long as overnight. (Marinating for 4 to 6 hours is perfect.)

3 Cook the chicken: In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of canola oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken thigh pieces and cook for about 6 to 7 minutes, until they’re cooked through. Transfer to a plate and set aside 

4 Toast the spices: Wipe down the pan you used to cook the chicken. Heat remaining canola oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for 5 minutes, until softened, stirring often.

Add the grated ginger, minced garlic, coriander, paprika, garam masala, turmeric, black pepper, salt and cayenne. Let the spices cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds to a minute.

5 Make the sauce: Add the crushed tomatoes to the pan with the spices and let everything cook for 4 minutes, stirring often. Add the yogurt and stir to combine.

6 Simmer the sauce: Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the sauce simmer for another 4 minutes. Add the chicken pieces to the pan and coat with sauce.

7 Serve: Serve over cooked basmati rice and garnish with cilantro.