Chicken Tikka Masala with Pilau Rice

This recipe for Chicken Tikka Masala was inspired by the one featured in this month's SW magazine, but with a few tweaks!

Serves 2

Extra Easy - 0 syns

Ingredients (Chicken Tikka Masala)
2 Chicken Breasts, sliced into chunks
125g Fat Free Natural Yoghurt
2 Garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tsp Very Lazy Ginger, finely chopped
2 tbsps Tikka Curry Powder
1 Red Onion, finely diced
250g Passata
2 tbsps Tomato Puree
2 tsps Chilli Flakes (or to taste)
1 tsp Ground Cumin
1 tsp Ground Tumeric
2 tsps Granulated Sweetener
100g Fat Free Fromage Frais or 0% Greek Yoghurt
Frylight

Method
1. Mix the chicken, natural yoghurt, ginger, 1 of the garlic cloves and 1 tbsp of curry powder in a bowl and stir. Cover with clingfilm and put in the fridge for 4 hours or overnight.
2. Spray a deep frying pan with frylight and fry the onions until soft. Add the garlic, tumeric, cumin, chilli flakes and remaining curry powder and fry for 1 minute.
3. Add the passata, sweetener and tomato puree to the frying pan and then add the marinaded chicken (the magazine recommends discarding the marinade but I added it along with the chicken).
4. Simmer for 30-40 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened and the chicken has completely cooked through.
5. Stir in the fromage frais (or greek yoghurt) and serve.


Ingredients (Pilau Rice)
150ml Basmati Rice (measured in a measuring jug)
1/2 Cinnamon Stick, split lengthways
1/2 tsp Ground Cumin
2 Cardamon Pods
3 Cloves
1 tsp Ground Tumeric
1/2 tsp Dried Thyme
1 Bay Leaf
1 tsp Onion Powder (alternatively use 1 small red onion, finely diced)
Frylight

Method
1. Spray a saucepan with frylight and add all of the spices and herbs. Fry on a low heat for 1 minute.
2. Add the rice to the pan and stir until the rice is coated in the spice mixture.
3. Add 300ml boiling water to the pan and bring to the boil. Place a lid on the saucepan and leave to simmer for 10 minutes or until the rice is cooked through and the water has been absorbed.
4. Remove the cinnamon stick, cloves, cardamon pods and bay leaf from the rice and fluff with a fork. Serve with the Chicken Tikka Masala.

Chicken Dhansak with Cinnamon Rice

These dishes are inspired by the recipes in the Takeaway Faves recipe book that came with the latest Slimming World magazine. I messed around with the recipes to suit what I had in my cupboards and added some extra spices to make it my own and suit my tastes.

Serves 2 

Extra Easy - 0 syns

Ingredients (Chicken Dhansak)
2 Chicken breasts, cut into chunks
1 Onion, sliced
1 Red Pepper, sliced
1 Garlic clove, finely chopped
1 tsp Very Lazy Ginger, finely chopped
2 tbsp Curry Powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground tumeric
1 tsp ground coriander
1 can of chopped tomatoes
1 can of green Lentils, drained
1 Chicken Stock cube
Frylight
Salt & Black Pepper

Method
1. Cook the onion and pepper in a frying pan until softened.
2. Add the garlic and ginger and fry for a further minute.
3. Transfer to a saucepan and stir in the raw chicken, tomatoes, lentils, stock cube and spices. Season and bring to the boil.
4. Leave to simmer until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has reduced and thickened.

Ingredients (Cinnamon Rice)
150ml dried Rice measured in a measuring jug
300ml boiling water
1/2 Onion, finely chopped
1/2 tsp ground Tumeric
1/2 tsp ground Cinnamon
Frylight

Method
1. Fry the onion until soft and add the tumeric and cinnamon.
2. Add the dried rice to the onion and add the 300ml boiling water and bring to the boil.
3. Cover and simmer until the rice is cooked and the water has been absorbed. Stir and serve.

N.B. Serve with 1 tbsp of Mango Chutney and add 2 syns