Chicken Tikka Masala

Preparation:

• Combine yogurt and all the rest of the marinade ingredients and mix thoroughly. Add chicken pieces and stir some more until they are all well coated. (If you find the marinade to be too thick, you can add a splash each of lemon juice and olive oil.) Let chicken marinate for at least 15 minutes, or up to overnight.
• Heat oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. When sizzling, add chicken pieces in small batches, making sure not to crowd the pan. Fry until browned, about three minutes per side. Set aside and keep warm. Alternatively, you can use a grill pan over a hot charcoal grill, stirring until most of the chicken is browned or even slightly charred.
• Melt the butter in the same pan. Sauté the onion until soft (about 3 minutes) while scraping up any browned bits stuck on the bottom of the pan. 
 Add garlic and ginger and sauté for one minute until fragrant, then add garam masala, cumin, turmeric and coriander. Fry for about 20 seconds until fragrant, while stirring occasionally.
 Pour in the tomato sauce, chili powder and salt. Let simmer for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally until sauce thickens and becomes a deep brownish-red color.
 Stir the cream through the sauce.
• Add the chicken and its juices back into the pan and cook on medium-low heat for an additional 10 minutes or so until the chicken is cooked through (if it isn’t already) and the sauce is thick. If the sauce is too thick for your liking, stir in a splash of water.
 Serve over basmati rice and garnish with a generous pinch of fresh cilantro. For a low-carb rice alternative, try riced cauliflower cooked in a skillet with butter, salt, and a pinch of saffron stirred in.