Skinny Chicken Tikka Masala

Ingredients

• 750 g chicken tenders (cubed)
• 0.5 cup Greek yoghurt
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 3 garlic (cloves)
• 1 tbsp ginger paste
• 1 tsp Kashmiri chili powder
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 0.5 tsp turmeric
• 0.5 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp avocado oil (plus extra for searing)
• 2 onions (small, finely diced)
• 2 bell peppers (diced (one red, one green))
• 2 tbsp ginger paste (for curry base)
• 5 garlic (cloves, minced)
• 1 tbsp garam masala (for curry base)
• 2 tsp ground coriander (for curry base)
• 2 tsp Kashmiri chili powder (for curry base)
• 1.5 tsp ground cumin (for curry base)
• 1 tsp turmeric (for curry base)
• 1 tsp salt (for curry base)
• 1.5 cup tomato passata
• 1.75 cup chicken stock
• 0.333 cup light cream (plus extra for garnish)
• 2 tsp coconut sugar
• 1 tbsp light butter
• fresh coriander (for garnish)

Steps

1. 1

   In a large bowl, combine the cubed chicken tenders, Greek yoghurt, lemon juice, 3 cloves of garlic, 1 tbsp ginger paste, 1 tsp Kashmiri chili, 1 tsp garam masala, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp coriander, 1/2 tsp turmeric, and 1/2 tsp salt.

2. 2

   Mix the marinade and chicken well, then cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, ideally overnight for best flavor.

3. 3

   Heat a large, deep pan over high heat with a drizzle of avocado oil.

4. 4

   Sear the marinated chicken in batches for 3–4 minutes until lightly charred. The chicken does not need to be cooked through at this stage. Remove from the pan and set aside.

5. 5

   In the same pan, reduce the heat to medium and add 1 tbsp of avocado oil (or a little more if needed).

6. 6

   Add the finely diced onions and a pinch of salt. Sauté for about 8 minutes until the onions are golden brown.

7. 7

   Stir in the 5 cloves of minced garlic, 2 tbsp ginger paste, and the remaining spices (1 tbsp garam masala, 2 tsp coriander, 2 tsp Kashmiri chili, 1.5 tsp cumin, 1 tsp turmeric, and 1 tsp salt).

8. 8

   Cook the aromatics and spices for 2 minutes until very fragrant.

9. 9

   Transfer the onion and spice mixture to a blender along with the tomato passata.

10. 10

    Blend until silky smooth, which should take about 2 minutes.

11. 11

    Pour the blended sauce back into the pan and stir in the chicken stock.

12. 12

    Simmer the sauce on low-medium heat, covered, for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

13. 13

    Add the diced bell peppers, the seared chicken, coconut sugar, and light cream to the pan.

14. 14

    Simmer gently, covered, for 8–10 minutes until the peppers have softened and the chicken is fully cooked through.

15. 15

    Turn off the heat and stir through the light butter. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

16. 16

    Garnish with fresh coriander and a drizzle of cream. Serve hot with basmati rice or warm garlic naan.

Notes

For best results, marinate the chicken overnight. The nutritional macros provided (315 kcal, 35g protein, 12g carbs, 13g fat) are per serving and exclude rice or naan.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• chicken
• curry
• high-protein
• low-calorie
• indian
• dinner