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Clean recipe · 40aprons.com

Chicken Tikka Masala Chili

This chicken tikka masala chili is the stuff your dreams are made of. This Whole30 chili has a rich and creamy tomato sauce, with beautiful caramelized onions, garlic, and chiles, loaded with tender ground chicken and veggies. Inspired by my beloved chicken tikka masala recipe, this chicken tikka masala chili is a must make for fall! It'll surely become your favorite Whole30 chili, too.

Original recipe: 40aprons.com

Yield:
6 servings
Prep:
10 min
Cook:
70 min
Total:
80 min
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Chicken Tikka Masala Chili

Ingredients

  1. 2 pounds chicken (ground)
  2. 5 tablespoons refined coconut oil or ghee
  3. 2 medium white onion (diced)
  4. 3 serrano chiles (stemmed and minced, seeds removed if you prefer a milder chili)
  5. 7 garlic cloves (minced)
  6. 2 tablespoons ginger (minced)
  7. 2 tablespoons Garam Masala (Simply Organic)
  8. 2 tablespoons ancho chili powder (Simply Organic)
  9. 1 cinnamon (stick)
  10. 1 teaspoon paprika (Simply Organic)
  11. 2 (15-ounce) cans tomato sauce
  12. 1 green bell pepper (stemmed, deseeded, halved width-wise and sliced into strips)
  13. 1 red bell pepper ( stemmed, deseeded, halved width-wise and sliced into strips)
  14. 16 ounces mushrooms ( sliced)
  15. 4 dried fenugreek leaves (optional but recommended)
  16. 1 lemon (juiced)
  17. plenty of sea salt (to taste)
  18. 2 (14-ounce) cans coconut cream
  19. basmati or cauliflower rice (for serving, optional)
  20. naan (for serving, optional)
  21. fresh chopped cilantro leaves (for garnish, optional)

Instructions

  1. Heat 1 tablespoon ghee in a large pot over medium heat, then add ground chicken. Brown ground chicken, breaking up with a wooden spoon or spatula, until completely cooked through. Transfer ground chicken to a bowl and set aside.
  2. Return pot to stove and heat remaining 4 tablespoons ghee. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add serrano chiles, garlic, ginger, and reduce heat to medium or medium-low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture turns a nice toffee color, about 20 minutes, adding a few drops of water here and there if mixture is drying out and sticking to the pot. This step is extremely important, so don’t skip it! It should look like the photo before you move on to the next step.
  3. Add garam masala, paprika, ancho chili powder, and stir well. Cook until fragrant, a few minutes, adding a couple tablespoons of water if necessary to reduce sticking.
  4. Add tomato sauce to pot then transfer mixture to blender or food processor, and process until smooth. Return sauce to pot, then add sliced bell peppers, mushrooms, fenugreek leaves, cinnamon stick, and plenty of sea salt.
  5. Simmer gently for 30 minutes on medium-low heat or until thick and more like a paste than sauce. The mixture will start like paste then become more sauce-like and liquid as the veggies cook down. It's ready when the texture becomes like paste again. Add the cans of coconut cream and stir until very smooth, then add lemon juice and cooked ground chicken. Taste and add more salt to taste. Serve over basmati or cauliflower rice and naan, if desired, and garnish with plenty of fresh chopped cilantro leaves.