Healthier Chicken Tikka Masala

Main Healthy
  • Prep Time: 10m
  • Cook Time: 35m
  • Total Time: 45m

Servings: 4

Source

Ingredients

  • For the chicken tikka:
  • 600g of chicken breast, diced
  • 130g of fat free natural yoghurt
  • 4 cloves of garlic, crushed
  • 1 tablespoon of ginger root, grated
  • 1.5 teaspoons of ground cumin
  • 1.5 teaspoons of ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon of paprika (not smoked)
  • 1 teaspoon of garam masala
  • 1 teaspoon of salt
  • ½ teaspoon of chilli powder
  • juice of half a lemon
  • few drops of red food colouring (optional)
  • For the masala curry:
  • 1 onion
  • 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
  • ½ tablespoon of ginger root, grated
  • 2 teaspoons of paprika (not smoked)
  • 2 teaspoons of ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons of ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon of turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon of chilli powder
  • 4 tablespoons of tomato paste
  • 320g of passata
  • 350ml of chicken stock
  • 130g of fat free natural yoghurt
  • 1 tablespoon of cornstarch (cornflour)
  • few drops of red food colouring (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon of granulated sweetener of choice
  • 1.5 teaspoons of garam masala
  • to serve: fresh coriander and wedges of lemon

Instructions

  1. In a large dish mix together the yoghurt, spices, lemon juice (and red food colouring if using) for the chicken tikka until combined. Add in the chicken pieces are marinate overnight.
  2. Heat a large frying pan over a medium high heat and spray generously with low calorie spray.
  3. Add half the chicken and fry until charred on the edges, remove and set aside and repeat with the other half of the chicken. Set all the chicken aside. If you prefer you can cook the chicken on a grill pan.
  4. Wipe frying pan clean and spray again generously with more low calorie spray. Add in the onion for the masala curry and fry for about 5 minutes until the onion is softened and lightly browned.
  5. Add in the ginger and garlic and fry for a further minute or so (watch you do not burn the onion, ginger or garlic.
  6. Spray again with low calorie spray and add in all the spices (except the garam masala) for the masala curry. Add in a few tablespoons of water if need (don’t let the spices mixes get too dry or they will burn) and keep added a little water at a time, frying the spices until the mix is paste like.
  7. Add in the tomato paste and stir until combine, then add in the passata, sweetener and stock, bring to a boil and then simmer for about 8 minutes until the sauce thickens.
  8. Mix the yoghurt with the cornstarch until all combined in a bowl and spoon about 8 tablespoons of the sauce one at a time into the yoghurt until all combined (these will help prevent the yoghurt from splitting in the sauce).
  9. Add the yoghurt mix into the sauce in the frying pan slowly stirring as you do, then add in the chicken pieces and let it bubble on a medium heat until the sauce is all creamy and silky in appearance. (approx 5 minutes). Stir in the food colouring if using.
  10. Sprinkle the garam masala on top, add a lid, turn off heat and leave for a couple of minutes.
  11. Then squeeze in some lemon juice and sprinkle with fresh coriander.