I'm Still Alive!! 21 Day Fix Recipe: Indian Chicken Tikka Masala

Hey All,

Just wanted to let you all know I'm still alive and kickin'!

It's been 20 days since I posted on here so I thought I'd give you a recap of how my 21 Day Fix is going.

Awesome!

I'm eating pretty much the same things I was eating before the Fix, and then some. Vegetables, fruits, proteins, carbs, healthy fats, oils and seeds... Everything is acceptable! I really wish they'd showed us how to cook this way in high school or even middle school. It's always been hard for me to cook for one (unless it's toast). Coming from a big family always meant cooking with the intention of having leftovers. I don't do that anymore and it's amazing how much food I'm not wasting!

Here's a brief rundown of the things I've eaten over the past 20 days:

• Cauliflower Mac 'n' Cheese
• Turkey Chili
• Pineapple Stuffed Meatballs
• Pizza (I tried both Cauliflower and Pita crusts)
• Taco Salad
• Sweet Pepper Poppers (I didn't have any Jalapenos but I really, really wanted poppers)
• Chicken Tikka Masala
• Fridge Pickles
• Cinnamon Oatmeal with Blueberries and Peanut Butter; Turkey Bacon
• Spaghetti Squash Pad Thai
• Sushi and Miso Soup (ate out with friends at Blue C Sushi)
• Veggies and Tzatziki Dip (made with Greek Yogurt)
• Chicken and Vegetable Coconut Curry

My favorite so far was the Chicken Tikka Masala (I'm such a sucker for Indian food!). I'm definitely going to make it again and again and again!

(I took the picture; I adapted the below recipe from this website)

Indian Chicken Tikka Masala

Yield: 2 servings (each: 1 1/2 Red, 1 Purple, 1/8 Green; optionally served with 1 1/2 Yellow [1 yellow brown rice; 1/2 a whole-wheat pita])

Marinade

• 1 c Greek Yogurt
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp cayenne pepper (I used ground chili pepper because that's what I had on hand)
• 2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
• 2 raw boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed

1. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl; cover. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour (over night is preferred).

Sauce

• 2 tsp olive oil (or coconut oil)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 onion, minced 
• 1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp paprika (I used smoked paprika because that's what I had on hand)
• 2 small cans of plain tomato sauce (1 can = just under 1 Purple container)
• 2 tablespoon scoops Greek Yogurt
• 1/4 c chopped fresh cilantro

1. Heat the oven to 350F. 
2. Line a 9x13 casserole dish with foil; dish the marinaded chicken onto the foil (discard the leftover marinade). Space so the chicken pieces aren't touching. Bake until juices run clear, about 10 minutes. The chicken doesn't need to be flipped.
3. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a medium sauce pan. Saute the onion, garlic and jalapeno for about 1 minute. Remove from heat. Add your dry spices (cumin and paprika). Stir in tomato sauce and Greek Yogurt. Return to heat and bring to a simmer for about 20 minutes.
4. Add chicken. Simmer for 10 minutes more.
5. Transfer to serving dish and garnish with cilantro. Serve with brown rice and 1/2 a piece of pita. 

Don't be intimidated! It's mostly just spices. It cooks up super easy, I promise. And the smells in your kitchen! My stomach is rumbling while my mouth floods with saliva just thinking about it . . . NOM NOM NOM!

I'm gearing up for my second round of my 21 Day Fix (I'll share my before and after pictures for round 1 in a few days). I'll not tell you how many pounds I've lost but you're sure to be surprised, what with all the yummy foods I've eaten in the past three weeks!

For round 2, I'm hoping to expand my pallet further. I've found amazing recipes on Pinterest, which I'm super excited to share. (Follow me!) I'm hoping to try saag paneer, aloo gobi, eggplant pizza, eggs Benedict with turkey bacon and avocado-hollandaise sauce, pulled pork sandwiches, seafood (I've been sorely lacking in this department for my entire first round), pancakes, and sushi.

I'll be going back and re-posting successful recipes (and pictures, of course!) of my favorite 21 Day Fix dinners.

Cheers!

LC

P.S., I ran a 10K on 5/18. No biggie. ;)

(me with my awesome medal after crossing the finish line)