Chicken tikka masala (lighter)Illustration

Illustration – not a dish we made, so it may look a little different. Photo: Lance Vanlewen, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.

Chicken tikka masala (lighter)

Britain's favourite ‘Indian’ – with yoghurt instead of cream. Spicy, creamy, filling.

⏱ 40 min · serves 4 · Asian · Medium

486kcal
36 gprotein
61 gcarbs
9 gfat
3 gfibre

Per serving, out of 4. Worked out from the grams of each ingredient using a food database – so it's approximate.

Allergens: Milk

Ingredients (serves 4)

  • Chicken breast (raw)500 g
  • Natural yoghurt200 g
  • Tinned tomatoes400 g
  • Onion150 g
  • Rapeseed / sunflower oil15 g
  • Rice (dry)250 g

Also: Garlic, ginger, garam masala, cumin, turmeric, sweet paprika, chilli, coriander, salt

Method

  1. Get ready: cut the chicken into 3 cm pieces and mix with half the yoghurt (100 g), garam masala, cumin, turmeric, sweet paprika, chilli and salt. Leave to marinate.
  2. Chop the onion (150 g) and garlic and grate the ginger. Cover the rice (250 g) with 500 ml water, bring to the boil and cook covered over low heat for 15 min.
  3. Heat 15 g oil (1.5 tbsp) in a frying pan over medium heat. Fry the onion, garlic and ginger for 4–5 min, until soft.
  4. Add the chicken with its marinade and cook over medium heat for 6 min, stirring now and then.
  5. Pour in 400 g tomatoes, bring to the boil and simmer over low heat for 15 min, until the sauce thickens.
  6. Check the chicken: a piece cut open must not be pink inside and the juices must run clear (or a thermometer reads 75 °C).
  7. Take it off the heat and stir in the rest of the yoghurt (100 g). Sprinkle with coriander and serve with the rice.

Tips

  • Marinate the chicken in yoghurt for at least 30 min (or overnight) – it'll be tender.
  • Add the yoghurt to the sauce off the heat – it won't split.
  • Want it hotter? More chilli or a fresh chilli pepper.
  • Want it milder? Leave out the chilli; just a teaspoon of garam masala. Serve with a spoonful of yoghurt.
  • Want it lighter? A third less rice, more peas.

How much should you actually eat?

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We haven't tested this recipe in our own kitchen yet – if you spot something off, let us know. Dumpli is a dumpling, not a doctor: for health questions, talk to your doctor.