Chicken Tikka Masala Naanwiches

Remember when I mentioned I was reviewing a product for CSN Stores? Well, I ended up getting a gift card and look at all the loot I scored!

The two 9-inch cake pans have been on my list for awhile now because I previously only had two 8-inch pans and one 9-inch pan, which means to make a triple layer cake I had to cut one 9-inch cake down to the 8-inch size….yeah, not so fun since cake crumbs would get everywhere so I’m very happy I don’t have to deal with that ever again. I also got a coffee bean grinder that I’ve been exclusively using to grind all my spices. If anyone has ever attempted to mash coriander seeds with a mortar and pestle, you’ll understand why this little gadget has made my life so much easier!

The very first thing I put in my shopping cart though was a Caphalon nonstick grill pan. We can’t grill at our apartment and I’ve been so jealous of all the grilled goodies you’ve all being making around the blogosphere! Since I’m still on a bit of an Indian kick, I decided to use the pan first to grill up some chicken for naanwiches! I marinated a couple chicken breasts in Greek yogurt, garlic, and spices and then grilled it up on my new pan, which worked beautifully. My grill marks weren’t perfect, so I don’t have a picture to share with you, but I’m already looking forward to practicing more!

The sauce for the naanwiches was inspired by the chicken tikka masala I made for our dinner party. It didn’t have a smooth sauce like the version you usually get at restaurants. Instead, finely chopped almonds were added to the sauce, which gave it a bit of texture and inspired me to use almonds and the same flavor profile to make a lovely Indian-spiced pesto. I pureed red onion, garlic, roasted red peppers, golden raisins, tomato paste, and garam masala along with some tomato paste, and served the spread on the naanwiches along with the grilled chicken. So yummy!  Thanks so much CSN Stores for all the fun kitchen goodies!

Disclaimer: CSN Stores sent me a gift card for free so I could try several products of my choosing, but I received no compensation for this post and all opinions are mine.

Chicken Tikka Masala Naanwiches
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

Grilled Chicken:
1/2 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon ground tumeric
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, butterflied in half lengthwise so you have 4 pieces

Masala Spread:
2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 cup chopped red onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup chopped roasted red peppers
1/4 cup toasted whole almonds
1/4 cup golden raisins
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon salt

8 pieces whole wheat naan sized to fit the chicken (I cut mine from 4 pieces), warmed
2 ounces fresh spinach (1 cup packed)

Directions:
Place Greek yogurt, garlic, coriander, cumin, ginger, garam masala, turmeric, cayenne pepper, and salt in a medium bowl and mix until well combined. Spread marinade evenly over chicken pieces in a shallow dish and refrigerate for an hour.

Meanwhile, make the masala spread by heating 1 tablespoon canola oil over medium high heat in a nonstick skillet. Sauté red onion for 5 to 7 minutes or until tender; mix in garlic and sauté for 1 additional minute. Place cooked onions, remaining 1 tablespoon canola oil, red peppers, almonds, raisins, tomato paste, garam masala, and salt in a food processor and pulse until well mixed.

Heat a nonstick grill pan over medium high heat. Spray with nonstick cooking spray and cook chicken for 2 to 3 minutes per side or until cooked through and no longer pink in the center.

To assemble the naanwiches, top one piece of naan with one fourth of the spinach, a piece of chicken, some of the sauce, and another piece of naan. Repeat to make 4 naanwiches.

Nutrition: 612 calories, 22.2g fat, 4.5g fiber, 41.5g protein per naanwich
Cost: $2.22 per naanwich