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Chicken Vegetable Tikka Masala Closeup

Chicken and Vegetable Tikka Masala

I make a healthier version of this classic Indian comfort food dish, mostly with ingredients that are easily found.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
InstantPot Cooking Time 30 minutes
Course Dinner, Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine Indian
Servings 8
Calories 300 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • 1 tsp curry powder
  • 2 tbsp Butter
  • 1 med onion, diced
  • 1 med head of cauliflower, broken into smaller florets
  • 1 med sweet potato, ½-inch diced
  • 2 med carrots, ½-inch diced
  • 4-8 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp ground cumin
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp ground ginger Or 2 tbsp fresh grated ginger
  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper You can bump this up to 2 tsp if you like it hotter
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground turmeric
  • 2 tbsp ground paprika
  • 2 14oz cans tomato sauce
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 2 cups half and half or heavy cream I used half and half because that's what I had around the house.
  • 4 med Serrano peppers, diced for garnish Forget the cilantro, go for something with a kick!
  • 2 cups Cooked white or brown rice

Instructions
 

  • In a large stock pot over medium high heat or in your InstantPot (set on saute), dust the chicken with curry powder and saute in butter until chicken has browned on a couple of side.
  • Add onions to chicken and stir frequently until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.
  • Add all spices except sugar to onions and cook, stirring constantly until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes.
  • Add tomato sauce and prepped veggies and bring to a simmer. Add half and half or cream and bring back to a simmer, turn heat to low and cook, stirring often, for about an hour, until veggies are tender. Watch for splatters. If you are doing this in an InstantPot, set it to pressure cook for about 12-14 minutes and let rest another 10.
  • Add sugar and salt to taste.
  • Serve over rice and garnish with serranos or with other hot peppers. Use cilantro if you want something mild.
Keyword butter chicken curry, carrots, cauliflower, indian, sweet potato, tikka masala, vegetables