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blog, blogging, chicken, chicken tikka, chicken tikka masala, crock pot, crockpot, food, indian, poultry, recipes, slow-cooker
Chicken Tikka Masala has a long and complicated history that has undefined origins and vague specifications for “traditional recipe.” You know what? If you really want to read about it click here. Unfortunately for Weight Watchers members, Indian food isn’t the healthiest thing that ever roamed the planet, so generally, I avoid it. Until…I discovered Coconut Creamer by So Delicious. So Delicious is a brand of all natural, dairy free coconut milk based out of Eugene, OR. Woo-hoo! LOCAL- I love it.
Did you know So Delicious Coconut Cream is an amazing substitute for heavy cream in any and all recipes? It doesn’t taste much like coconut (at all), but provides the same creamy texture. As an added bonus, So Delicious Coconut Cream has no fat and only one carbohydrate per serving. In a 1/4 cup (as in, the amount of milk you’d put in your morning Cafe con Leche), there are ZERO points. That’s right, morning coffee is ZERO points. Double woo-hoo! Right, chicken tikka.
Slow-cooker Chicken Tikka Masala
Instructions taken from Tasty Kitchen, ingredients vary
Ingredients (this recipe serves 8 people at 10 oz per serving):
- 7 all-natural boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut in 1″ cubes
- 6 oz. cup of nonfat, plain ZOI Greek Yogurt
- 28 oz. can Organic crushed tomatoes
- 1 1/2 cups So Delicious Coconut Cream
- 1 large white onion, diced
- 4 cloves of garlic, chopped
- 2 Tbsp. margarine or butter*
- 1 Tbsp. cumin, ground
- 1 Tbsp, coriander, ground
- 3 Tbsp. garam masala
- 2 tsp. corn starch
- 1 Tbsp. fresh ginger, ground
- cilantro
Instructions:
Cut the boneless, skinless chicken thighs into 1- 1 1/2 inch pieces. Sprinkle the coriander, cumin and salt over the chicken, then stir in the yogurt until all the pieces are evenly coated. Cover lightly and let sit for 20 minutes before proceeding (overnight if you can).
Melt the half the margarine in a large saute pan over medium heat. Raise the heat to medium high and brown about the chicken. Transfer browned chicken to the slow cooker. (The image above is the chicken barely hitting the pan, still raw.)
Prepare the sauce. Return the pan to the heat and melt the other half of the butter over medium high heat. Add the onions, garlic, and kosher salt, then stir. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions begin to lightly brown around the edges.
Stir in the garam masala and ginger and cook until fragrant (about 1 minute) before raising the heat to high and adding the crushed tomatoes. Stir well, scraping the caramelized bits from the bottom of the pan, and bring to a boil. Pour over the chicken in the slow-cooker.
Cover and cook on HIGH for 2 hours, or until the chicken is very tender.
Use a fork or whisk to stir the cornstarch into the coconut cream until smooth. Pour into the slow-cooker and stir gently until the colour is even. Replace the lid and let cook for 2 more hours or until bubbly around the edges.
When you’re ready to serve, heat up some brown or white rice. Chop your cilantro and garnish with the fresh cilantro. Enjoy!
Weight Watchers points (10 oz serving) = 4 points per serving (does not include rice)
