Indian Take Out At Home

The weather was a little chilly last night and I was wanting something warm and comforting. This was perfect! Protein packed chicken simmered in the combination of Indian spices, coconut almond milk and tomatoes made a rich, creamy sauce. You'll seriously want to slurp every last drop of it. For lovers of Indian take-out this recipe is sort of a modified Chicken Tikka Masala but without the typical high fat and high calorie additions of cream, ghee or butter often found in Indian cuisine. Instead the richness comes from the natural creaminess of almond and coconut. I used Unsweetened Almond Breeze Almondmilk Coconutmilk Blend which added only 45 calories to the whole recipe. A much healthier choice. This was delicious and will be on regular rotation at my house.

Shelly's Curry Chicken Masala

1/2 Large Yellow Onion, sliced thin
3/4 - 1 lb. Chicken Breast Tenders
2 Tablespoons Spelt Flour
1 Tablespoon Garam Masala
1 1/2 teaspoons Curry Powder, divided use
dash Salt
a few twists of Black Pepper
1 (15 oz.) can Chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup Diced Tomatoes
1 cup Unsweetened Almond Breeze Almondmilk Coconutmilk Blend
1 Tablespoon Fresh Cilantro Leaves, Chopped
Olive Oil

Saute onion in a teaspoon of olive oil till slightly golden. Remove from pan and set aside. In a gallon Ziploc bag place spelt flour (any flour will do), garam masala, 1 teaspoon of the curry powder, salt and pepper. Shake to combine.

Place chicken tenders in bag and shake till pieces are completely coated. Saute the chicken in about a Tablespoon of olive oil. Cook about 5 minutes on each side.

Add cooked onions, chickpeas, tomatoes, coconut almond milk, cilantro and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon curry powder. Simmer on low heat, stirring occasionally, till liquid has reduced by half and thickened about 8 minutes. I served it with a sprinkle more of fresh cilantro.

Cook's Notes: Garam Masala and Curry (curry heat levels vary, I used mild yellow) are Indian spices and should be both easily found at most supermarkets in the spice aisle or online. Both are essential defining flavors, do not omit.

The Unsweetened Breeze Almondmilk Coconutmilk Blend I used in the dish is a no sugar added blend of Almondmilk & Coconutmilk that's FYI: Lactose, Soy and Gluten Free, Vegan and Kosher and Bonus: it has 50% more calcium than milk. It's great a great option for post- weight loss surgery pals that have lactose intolerance issues.

Great in coffee, tea, to drink on it's own and it makes a great shake too. Keeping with the Indian theme. Here's my version of a Mango Lassi, another typical Indian takeout menu staple...

Shelly's Mango Lassi Protein Shake

1 cup Unsweetened Almond Breeze Almondmilk Coconutmilk Blend
1/4 cup Frozen Mango Chunks
1 scoop (around 1/4 cup) Vanilla Protein Powder
1/4 cup Greek Yogurt, plain
1/8 teaspoon Ground Cardamom
a few ice cubes

Whiz in blender on high till well blended. Serve with a dash of cardamom on top.

This post is sponsored by Almond Breeze. For the purposes of this post and recipe development Almond Breeze provided me with products used. Thanks for the yummy Almondmilk Coconutmilk Blend. Want to learn more about Blue Diamond Almond Breeze LIKE their Facebook page, Twitter and Instagram and tell them The World According to Eggface told you to stop by. Hope you give these recipes a try.