Chicken Tikka Masala

Many believe this recipe originated by a chef who grilled yogurt-marinated chicken in a tandoori oven and then made a buttery-yogurt-tomato sauce to pour over the chicken. I haven't tried that approach, but might, and will report on it if I do. Many others take an approach like this one, for a buttery, smooth and not-too-hot Indian curry. This preparation is often called Butter Chicken.

6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, or equivalent breast meat, sliced into bite-sized chucks
1 large onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1-inch fresh ginger, minced
1 Serrano or jalapeno pepper, finely diced
1 stick cinnamon
1 Tbsp cumin powder
1 Tbsp favorite curry powder
1 Tbsp garam masala
1 tsp Turmeric
1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes
4 Tbsp butter
1 cup Greek yogurt
1 Tbsp gram flour (Besan), or wheat flour

In a stew pot, brown the chicken lightly in a bit of canola oil. Remove chicken to a bowl. In same pot, brown the onions for about 10 minutes, until they soften and begin to caramelize. Add the garlic, ginger, pepper, and spices to the onions and cook another 2 minutes or so, until very fragrant. Add the tomatoes and butter, and mix well. Cook another 20 minutes to develop the flavors well. Add the chicken and cook another 10 minutes, until the chicken is completely cooked through. Mix the flour and the yogurt, and stir gently into the chicken mixture. Gently warm through, but do not bring to a boil as the yogurt may curdle.