Crockpot Chicken Tikka Masala

I love crockpot cooking.  Prep it, set it, and when you come home it's ready for go-time and makes your house smell like you cooked all day.  I also love Indian food, so this crockpot Indian chicken tikka masala recipe, adapted from Cooking Classy, was something I looked forward to making all week.

This recipe calls for canned tomato sauce.  I'm not a huge fan of canned foods, mainly because most of them have BPA (bisphenol-A) in the lining that can seep into food.  BPA is a known endocrine disruptor that is "linked to male infertility, diabetes, heart disease, aggressive behavior in children," etc. according to Rodale News, so I try to avoid it if possible.  However, sometimes it's inconvenient to make your own tomato sauce or tomato paste, so choosing BPA-free cans is a better option.  

Two brands that I regularly buy because they make BPA-free cans are Muir Glen and Eden Organics.  You can find them at Whole Foods, Sprouts, and potentially stores.

This recipe contains a decent amount of cream.  I bought organic pasture cream, which is made from milk from grass-fed cows, but that doesn't take away the heaviness of it.  You can use less cream than indicated or try adding more yogurt at the end, which is what I did.  However, since my husband isn't a huge yogurt fan, he didn't like the tanginess it added.  If I made this again, I would just use a little less cream than indicated (1/2-3/4 cup).

Ingredients:
5 boneless, skinless organic chicken breast halves or chicken thighs, cut into 1 inch pieces (about 3 lbs)
1/2 large yellow onion, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp freshly, finely grated ginger
1 jalapeno, stemmed, sliced in  half and seeds removed - I omitted but used extra cayenne
1 (29 oz) can tomato puree (BPA-free brand)
1 1/2 cups plain yogurt 
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp Garam Masala
1 Tbsp cumin
1/2 Tbsp paprika
2 tsp salt, or to taste
3/4 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1-3 tsp cayenne pepper - tailor to your spicy preference
2 bay leaves
1 cup organic heavy cream
1/2 tbsp organic cornstarch
Prepared long grain brown rice or Basmati rice
Chopped cilantro, for serving

1 bag of organic frozen peas, optional

Directions:

Assemble ingredients:

In a large mixing bowl combine chopped onions, minced garlic, grated ginger, sliced jalapeno, tomato puree, plain yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, Garam Masala, cumin, paprika, salt, cinnamon, pepper and cayenne pepper.  Stir until combine.  

 

Pour half of sauce mixture into a large slow cooker then add in diced chicken followed then cover chicken with remaining sauce.  Add in 2 bay leaves.  Cover slow cooker with lid and cook on low heat for 8 hours (or high for 4 hours).  

I added a bag of organic frozen peas about an hour before serving so they would heat through.  Bonus veggies - and color.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together heavy cream and cornstarch, pour mixture into slow cooker and gently stir.  Allow mixture to cook 20 minutes while you prepare the rice. 

 

Remove bay leaves and sliced jalapeno and serve warm over rice and sprinkle with chopped cilantro.

 

I forgot to get cilantro so sprinkled with peanuts for some visual interest.

 

This dish is saucy and creamy, so it's best to serve with a crunchy, fresh salad.

YUM!  This was even better the next day when reheated over the stove.

Enjoy!

*M*