Indian Chicken Tikka Masala

Indian Chicken Tikka Masala

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I’ll be honest with you. I’ve really been struggling with motivation lately. For months, I was dedicated to going to the gym at least 5 days a week. I was eating clean, about 80/20 Paleo and I hadn’t touched any form of processed food or fast food for at least 6 months. That’s not been the case since probably the beginning of December. I went on vacation, then the holidays, then vacation again 5 weeks later. It’s been going seriously down hill for about 12 weeks now. And I’ve felt it. My headaches have returned, I’ve gained 8-9 lbs, and I’m just sluggish. It’s not been fun and I’ve been kicking myself over it. I’d worked really hard the last 6 months to transform my health. I lost about 65 lbs and was feeling so much better! I need to get back to that. 

So, starting tomorrow, I’m joining March’s 21 day sugar detox. It’s always a great reset for me. I tried to do it the beginning of January but lost motivation about 10 days into it. I need some accountability! I’ll be blogging about it and you can follow my progress on social media as well. There are buttons to the right of this post for all of my social media accounts! That’s why I started this blog, to keep myself accountable and hopefully, help others who might be having similar struggles. 1 in 10 women have PCOS. I know I’m not alone in my journey. If you’d like to join me in this month’s sugar detox challenge, you can find more information about it HERE or follow @21daysugardetox on Instagram or Facebook. It’s Paleo based so they focus on grain and dairy free. There are 3 levels to choose from so if you’re like me and just CAN’T give up your cream in your morning coffee or giving up all cheese might actually kill you, there’s a level that allows some dairy. Check it out! I’ve found it to be an incredible tool for resetting my body and feeling so much better! The first week is killer, you might feel like you’re dying. I was literally flat on my back the first time through for about 3 days. But there’s support available! And I promise, you’ll be glad you did it. 

I made a 21-day sugar detox approved Indian butter chicken yesterday and made enough to a couple of lunches next week as well. I’m going to make some cauliflower rice to go with it for next week. Last night, I was bad and had regular rice. Shame on me, I know. I also had tacos for lunch today. And yes, I do feel guilty! ? 

This recipe is dairy free and grain free. I used Fourth and Heart’s Garlic Ghee in place of butter as ghee is Paleo approved but I have been informed that while ghee is lactose free, it is not casein free. Casein is the protein in milk while lactose is the sugar. If you’re needing casein-free, I would substitute for a vegan butter product. Earth Balance is good. That’s the only one I’ve personally tried. Or feel free to keep it out altogether! It’s completely fine without it. The coconut milk gives it the creaminess it needs. 

Dairy Free Indian Butter Chicken
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Prep Time
45 min
Cook Time
45 min
Prep Time
45 min
Cook Time
45 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 1/2 lbs chicken breasts, diced into 1 inch pieces
  2. 1 large onion, minced
  3. 3 cloves garlic, minced
  4. 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  5. 1/4 cup almond meal
  6. 1 tsp ground ginger
  7. 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
  8. 2 tsp mild chili powder
  9. 1 tsp cumin
  10. 2 T ghee or butter substitute
  11. 2 T olive oil
  12. 3 T tomato paste
  13. 1/4 cup coconut cream
Instructions
  1. In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat.
  2. Fry onions in oil until transparent.
  3. Add cinnamon and let fry 2-3 minutes.
  4. Add ginger and garlic along with a little water to make a paste.
  5. Stir continuously 2-3 minutes until fragrant.
  6. Add turmeric, chili powder, and cumin with salt and mix well.
  7. Add tomato paste, almond meal to pan, mix well with 1/2 cup of water. A thick paste should form.
  8. When it starts to boil, add chicken. Top with sufficient water for the chicken to boil, about 1 cup. Simmer over medium-low heat for 30 minutes until chicken is thoroughly cooked through.
  9. The gravy should get thick as it cooks. Add a bit of tapioca or cassava flour if not as thick as you’d like it. Once desired consistency, shut off.
  10. Last thing, add butter and coconut milk to pot. Stir to combine. Don’t do this until you’ve shut the stove off. If it boils, it might curdle the coconut milk.
Notes
  1. I’ve also made this with plain yogurt instead of coconut milk. You could do this too if desired. Or substitute COYO’s plain coconut yogurt or Kite Hill’s plain almond yogurt for dairy free.
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