Chicken Tikka Masala

This is a tasty home-made version of one of the nation’s favourite Indian take-away dishes. Its creamy texture goes perfectly with our Pilau Rice and Naan Bread recipes. This dish makes a fantastic ‘home make-away’ which is perfect for a weekend night in.

Ingredients

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
3 x 5ml spoons sunflower oil
1 red chilli OR 1 x 5ml spoon chilli powder
1 red pepper
1 medium onion
1 clove garlic
3cm piece root ginger OR 1 x 5ml spoon ginger paste
1 quantity (80g) Let’s Get Cooking Tikka Masala Paste 
2 x 5ml spoons plain flour
1 x 400g can chopped tomatoes
200ml low-fat natural yoghurt
200ml boiling water (as required)
Small bunch (10g) fresh coriander (optional)

Equipment

Measuring spoons
Large saucepan with lid
Large spoon
Bowl
Teaspoon
Colander
Fork
Grater
Stirring spoon
Can opener
Measuring jug
Ladle
Blender
Tea towel
Large jug
Pan stand

Instructions

1. Chop the chicken into 2cm bite-sized pieces. Wash your hands after touching the raw meat.
2. Heat 2 x 5ml spoons oil in the saucepan over a medium heat. Add the chicken and cook for approximately 5–8 minutes until the meat turns from pink to white, stirring occasionally. Allow to brown a little on the outside as this gives flavour. Remove the chicken from the pan using a large spoon and set aside in a bowl.
3. Wash the chilli and red pepper.
4. Peel and finely chop the onion and garlic. Deseed the pepper and chop into 2cm-sized pieces. Deseed the chilli and slice finely (wash your hands afterwards).
5. Peel the ginger and grate using the coarse side of the grater.
6. Heat the last 1 x 5ml spoon of oil in the saucepan over a medium heat. Add the chopped onion, garlic, chilli and ginger and stir.
7. Add the red pepper and sauté for 5 minutes, and then add 1 quantity of tikka masala paste to the saucepan. Stir the paste into the vegetables.
8. Add the plain flour to the saucepan and stir. Cook for 2 minutes on a low heat.
9. Open the can of chopped tomatoes, and add to the saucepan along with the natural yoghurt. Cover and simmer over a low heat for 10 minutes.
10. Remove from the heat and ladle half the sauce into a blender, secure the lid and cover with a tea towel. Blend until smooth then pour the blended mixture into a large jug. Repeat for the rest of the sauce then pour the sauce back into the saucepan.
11. Add the chicken to the saucepan and place over a medium heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Add a little boiling water if you need to.
12. Wash the coriander (if using) and roughly chop, removing any tough stems. Sprinkle on the curry before serving.

Skills used include:
Washing, measuring, peeling, chopping, grating, blending, boiling/simmering and frying.

Top Tips

• Blending the sauce makes the texture really creamy.
• Use reduced-fat coconut milk instead of natural yoghurt.
• For a chunky curry, don’t blend at step 10.

Something to try next time

• Cauliflower instead of chicken. Chop the beans in half widthways and split the cauliflower into small florets and add at step 11.
• Skinless, boneless chicken thighs also work well in this recipe.

Prepare now, eat later

• Try to prepare the vegetables as close tocooking them as possible so that they retain their nutrients.
• To freeze, cool the curry as quickly as possible then transfer to a plastic airtight container and freeze for up to 1 month. Make a double batch of the sauce and freeze for next time. Defrost thoroughly before reheating until piping hot.