Chicken Tikka Masala

Apparently Chicken Tikka Masala is very popular in British restaurants {thanks Wikipedia}. Never would have guessed that. I guess no one really knows where it came from. And there are lots of different recipes with no ingredients the same.
Okay. Now that I've gotten the history out of my system, we can talk about how delicious this stuff is. It's curry-like. I would have guessed Indian. A little kick to it. Awe.Some.

Photo Credit to Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Chicken Tikka Masala
Marinade:
1 cup plain yogurt
1 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon salt
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips or chunks

For the masala:
1 tablespoon butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 ounces tomato sauce
1 cup cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

For the marinade, combine all ingredients except chicken. Pour sauce over chicken and refrigerate for one hour or up to 8 hours. Grill or cook chicken in frying pan. Discard marinade.

For the masala, melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Saute garlic and jalapeno for one minute. Season with cumin, paprika and salt. Stir in tomato sauce and cream. Simmer on low heat until sauce thickens, about 20 minutes. Add grilled chicken and simmer for 10 minutes. Garnish with fresh cilantro. Serve over hot rice.

Recipe Source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe