Fragrant Indian Butter Chicken

Tara invited me to join her in going to the Taste of Home Cooking School show in Loveland last month. We had a lot of fun. For the show they demonstrated 10 recipes and it was like watching Food Network EXCEPT you could ask questions about subsitutions etc. and you could SMELL it. mmmm... We came home with lots of new recipes to try. I really needed something like this to pull me out of yet another dinner rut.

This recipe is one of the one's they demonstrated. I went home and tried it and we really liked it. It has a different taste than my usual cooking. Josh kept going on about how it tasted authentic (not that he is an expert in Indian food). The recipe is super easy, fast and yummy.

2 Tbs butter
1 cup chopped onion
2 tsp minced garlic (I used it from the jar)
1 Tbs grated fresh gingerroot (I used ground ginger spice, gingerroot is expensive and I don't use it enough to warrent buying it though supposedly you can freeze it whole)
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ground turmeric (this I bought special for the recipe, it gives it that great yellow/orange color)
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
2 Tbs tomato paste (I didn't have, I subsituted in some tomato sauce)
1 Tbs brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 whole cooked rotisserie chicken, skin removed and cut into chunks (I just put two chicken breasts in a small crock pot with a little water and cooked them all afternoon then shredded them)
1/3 cup half-half cream (I used fat free half and half, also great for soups)
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1 Tbs minced fresh cilantro (I omited this because I didn't have it)

Hot cooked rice for serving

In a large skillet, melt butter ove medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook and stir until onion in tender, about 5 minutes. Add gingerroot, chili powder, turmeric and cinnamon; cook and stir 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, brown sugar, salt and pepper.

Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes; stirring occasionally. Add chicken, cream and sour cream; simmer, uncovered for 5 more minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro. Serve over rice if desired.