Chicken tikka masala without the nightshades: warm, rich, and built for the elimination phase

Most tikka masala recipes reach for tomatoes. This one doesn't need them. The warmth you expect from this dish - the deep, rounded, almost velvety quality - comes from the spice blend: turmeric, cinnamon, mace, and cloves. Coconut milk carries them into something that tastes genuinely complex, and you will not miss what isn't there.

The elimination phase asks a lot of you. You are paying attention to your body in a way most people never do, and you are making choices that feel counterintuitive when so much of the food culture around you is running in the other direction. That takes real effort, and it is worth naming that honestly. A dish like this one - familiar, satisfying, built around real spices - helps you stay the course without feeling like you are living on deprivation.

Turmeric contains curcumin, which is linked in the research to reduced inflammatory activity. Ginger, used here in the spice paste, has a similar profile. Neither is a treatment, and both are worth including regularly when you are working to support your immune system. Chicken thighs - darker meat, more fat, more collagen - give your body more to work with than a breast would.

Before you sit down to eat, take a breath. A piece of chicken from a farm, spices from plants that have been used in medicine for centuries, a pot you cooked with your own hands - that is worth a moment of acknowledgment. Food made with intention lands differently.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lbs boneless chicken thighs
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 piece fresh ginger, about 2 inches by 1 inch
• 1 small shallot (or half of a small red onion)
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• juice of 1 fresh lemon
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons coconut oil, divided (1 tbsp for baking, 2 tbsp for the curry sauce)
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground mace
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 can (13.5 oz) full-fat coconut milk
• 1/4 teaspoon additional sea salt, or to taste
• fresh cilantro and thinly sliced red onion to serve (optional)

Note on ghee: the source uses coconut oil throughout, which is fully AIP-compliant. If you are past the elimination phase and have reintroduced ghee successfully, it can be used in place of coconut oil.

Method

Preheat your oven to 400°F. Pat the chicken thighs dry and set them aside.

In a blender or small food processor, combine the garlic, ginger, shallot, turmeric, sea salt, lemon juice, olive oil, and 1 tablespoon of the coconut oil. Blend to a smooth paste. Coat the chicken thighs on all sides with this paste.

Arrange the coated chicken in a single layer on a baking sheet or in a baking dish. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until cooked through and the edges have some color. Remove from the oven and let the chicken rest for a few minutes, then cut or tear it into bite-sized pieces.

While the chicken bakes, warm the remaining 2 tablespoons of coconut oil in a large skillet or wide saucepan over medium heat. Add the cinnamon, mace, and cloves and stir for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Pour in the coconut milk and stir to combine with the spices. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 5 minutes, letting the sauce thicken slightly.

Add the baked chicken pieces to the sauce. Stir to coat, and simmer together for another 5 minutes so the flavors come together. Taste and adjust salt.

Serve warm over cauliflower rice or roasted sweet potato, topped with fresh cilantro and a few slices of red onion if you like.

*Adapted from cook2nourish.com*

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*Provenance: method rebuilt in ARM's own words from source file aip-source-archives/cook2nourish/aip-chicken-tikka-masala.md (cook2nourish.com). Ingredient list used as factual reference. No third-party text reproduced. Health claims flagged in verify_flags.*