REVIEW OF RECIPE: Weight Watcher's Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala

So, I'd never had tikka masala before, but I had been DYING to try it. What can I say? I love to try new foods. Having the same stuff for dinner every week can get a bit boring. So, since we had nothing planned for dinner one night, and we were just happening to go to the grocery store that same day, I saw my chance to make my very own tikka masala from the comfort of home. I wanted a recipe that was healthy, however, and I thought Weight Watcher's slow cooker rendition sounded perfect! The recipe is at the link here.

Okay, so, I followed MOST of the recipe, save for a few slight variations: (1) I bought chicken BREASTS instead of chicken THIGHS, (2) I smashed up stewed tomatoes in place of crushed tomatoes, since we were all out of the latter, (3) I used non-fat yogurt as opposed to low-fat, and (4) I used light brown sugar instead of dark.

Here I go, cutting up the chickie! And it looks like someone wants some..

Aww, how can you say "no" to that face?! I sure didn't, haha.

One problem I had when making this recipe was the ground coriander. We HAD coriander at home, but it wasn't ground. It was in it's natural, pod-like form. Thankfully, we had a coffee grinder, and that worked fine for grinding up the spice I needed. I remembered to clean out the grinder before and after I used it too. We don't want coffee-flavored tikka masala, and we CERTAINLY don't want tikka masala-flavored coffee!
Since I started cooking this dish later in the day, I decided to cook it on high for three to four hours instead of on low for six to eight. Thankfully, the recipe says either option will work out fine.

As the house began to fill with the aromatic scent of spices like cinnamon and cumin, I cooked up a side of rice for my dad and my brother, and got out a couple of slices of light bread for me so I could mop up the leftover sauce on my plate once we sat down to eat. After the curry was finished cooking, I added in the yogurt and cilantro.

Really, I couldn't believe how delicious this dish tasted! It was so full of flavor, and the chicken was so tender and delicious! I loved the combination of all the spices, and the dish had just the right amount of creaminess. The brown sugar and cinnamon in the garam masala added just the right amount of sweetness. The onions and tomatoes were nice and tender as well. Overall, a very, VERY flavorful and tasty dinner!!!
My dad absolutely fell in LOVE with this dish. He just couldn't BELIEVE how full of flavor it was either. He even went up for seconds!!! (Well, I shouldn't sound so surprised- I did too). When I asked him what he would rate the masala on a scale of 1-10, he said "12. 12/10!" That really is saying a lot, since my Dad can be a bit picky when it comes to new dishes. He didn't seem completely fond of the idea of tikka masala at first, but now he says its DEFINITELY a dish I can make for him again! So yay!!!
So, with Dad's high rating and my own opinions, I think I'll award this recipe a 10/10! Not only is it tasty like all get out, it's also fairly healthy, at about 180 calories per cup. It probably came out to be even less in my rendition, since I used chicken breasts and non-fat yogurt. Either way, you also get plenty of protein from the chicken.
If it isn't already obvious, I have no qualms about making this recipe again! Way to go Weight Watchers!

Have you tried any Weight Watchers' recipes? Which are your favorites? I'd love to know!

Till' then, this has been RiRi ri-porting!