Chicken Tikka Masala

A super easy version of the old Anglo-Indian favorite

Chicken tikka masala is one of the most popular meals in the UK. In fact, some argue that it originated there. There are tons of variations too; per Wikipedia, a survey of 48 recipes found that the only common ingredient was….chicken.

It’s so easy that you only need to pack 4 ingredients, none of them fresh. But it’s soooo good. Fortunately, I made it while stealth camping on my recent section hike, so there were no nearby yogis (even though I would’ve shared. A little.).

INGREDIENTS:

1 packet Kitchens of India Tikka Masala paste (available at Amazon and in finer groceries)

4 oz. freeze-dried chicken, more or less according to taste

1/2 of a 60g packet of Chao Thai coconut milk powder (in small ziploc)

1/2 cup basmati rice

The ingredients look like this (this only weighed 11 oz. total):

DIRECTIONS:

Cook rice, set aside in pot cozy.

Sprinkle some water in the bag containing the chicken.

In a separate pot, heat 1 1/2 cups water (not to boiling though). When water is really warm, add the tikka masala paste, stirring to dissolve it. Once dissolved, add the Chao Thai powder and do the same.

Add the chicken and simmer over low heat for 5-10 minutes.

Serve over rice. This was enough for one hungry hiker. You could stretch it for two average appetites with a little bit more rice.