Chicken Tikka Masala

Combine the cumin, coriander, cayenne, and salt in a small prep bowl. Sprinkle both sides of the chicken with the spice mixture. Cover and refrigerate 30-60 minutes.

In a medium bowl mix: yogurt, oil, garlic, and ginger. Set aside.

In a large cast iron pan or Dutch oven pan, heat oil for sauce. When shimmering, add the chopped onion. Cook, stirring until onions soften and start to brown. Add garlic, ginger, jalapeno, tomato paste, and garam masala. Cook, stirring about 3 minutes. Don’t let the garlic burn! Add crushed tomatoes, sugar, and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer, loosely covered, for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add cream, stir, and return to simmer. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm.

While sauce simmers, put oven rack in middle-top position, (6 inches from heating element), and heat the broiler. Place your chicken either on a cooking rack fitted in a baking sheet, or on a foil-lined baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray. With a silicon pastry brush, or spoon, brush both sides of the chicken with a good coating of the yogurt mixture. Discard leftover yogurt mixture. Broil chicken until and instant-read thermometer reads 160ºF. This takes 10-18 minutes if you are using breasts, less time if you are using tenders. Flip halfway through.

Let chicken rest 5 minutes, then cut into bite-sized pieces and stir into the warm masala sauce. Stir in cilantro and adjust seasonings. Serve over basmati rice.