Indian Butter Chicken

I thought this recipe sounded really good when I first saw it on Mel's Kitchen Cafe, but I just now got around to finally giving it a try. It was definitely a hit! One of our favorites of the new meals we have tried lately. I really loved the flavor of the sauce, in fact, all I really wanted was the sauce on rice...more and more and more of it! :-)

Ingredients:
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and diced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, finely chopped (I forgot to get this, so I used 1 1/2 t ground ginger)
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 jalapeño, seeded, and finely chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons garam masala
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cardamom
1/2 teaspoon coriander (I left this out-I didn't have it and it was $11 at the store, so I skipped it)
1 can (6 oz.) tomato paste
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup fat free half-and-half
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 3/4-inch chunks (I used 1 large breast)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter
Hot cooked rice for serving (I used Basmati)
Chopped fresh cilantro for extra garnish

Directions:
In a large 12-inch skillet, heat the oil over medium heat until hot. Add the onion, ginger and jalapeno. Stir often while cooking until the onion is translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Stir in garlic, garam masala, chili powder, cardamom, and coriander. Cook stirring, constantly for another minute.

Scrape the mixture into a blender or food processor and add tomato paste and chicken broth. Blend until the mixture is smooth. Pour the sauce back into the skillet and add the half and half. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat and add the chicken pieces and the salt and pepper. Stir. Keep the sauce at a simmer, stirring occasionally, and cook for 10-15 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has slightly thickened.

Cut remaining 3 tablespoons butter into chunks and stir into the sauce until melted. Serve the chicken and sauce over hot rice. Garnish with fresh, chopped cilantro, if desired.