CHICKEN RECIPE EASY RECIPES

Steps:

• 1. Peel and slice the onion. Peel the ginger and garlic, then finely chop or grate them on a microplane.
  2. Heat a lug of oil in a large pan over a medium heat, add the onions and cook for around 8 minutes, or until softened and slightly golden, stirring regularly. Add the ginger and garlic cook for a further 2 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, mix the tikka masala paste, yoghurt and tomato purée together in a bowl. Halve and add the chicken thighs to the bowl. Stir everything together and get all the chicken covered in the paste mixture.
  4. Scrape everything into the pan, making sure you get all the paste mixture in there. Cook the chicken for 5 minutes or so, or until you see it start to colour.
  5. Add the tinned tomatoes, drained lentils and coconut milk. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Add splashes of water to loosen, if needed.
  6. When the time’s up, stir in the spinach (if using) and allow it to wilt. Next add the mango chutney and taste for seasoning.
  7. Pull the chicken apart with forks and stir it through. Serve with wholemeal basmati rice and yoghurt on the side, if you like.

Steps:

• 1. To make the curry paste, halve, deseed and roughly chop the chilli(es), then peel the garlic and ginger.
  2. Place a frying pan over a medium-high heat and scatter in the cumin and coriander seeds. Lightly toast for a few minutes, or until golden brown and smelling delicious, then remove from the heat.
  3. Add the toasted spices to a pestle and mortar and grind until fine, or whiz to a powder in a food processor.
  4. Once ground, add the toasted spices to a food processor along with the remaining paste ingredient and ½ teaspoon of sea salt, then whiz to a smooth paste. Put aside.
  5. Slice the chicken lengthways into 2cm strips.
  6. On a clean chopping board, peel, halve and finely slice the onions. Peel and finely slice the ginger, then pick the coriander leaves and put to one side, finely chopping the stalks along with the chilli.
  7. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large casserole pan over a medium-high heat, add the onions, chilli, ginger and coriander stalks, then cook for around 10 minutes, or until softened and lightly golden.
  8. Add the chicken and 140g of the tikka masala paste, stirring well so everything is nicely coated. Season with salt and black pepper, add the tomatoes, breaking them up with the back of a spoon, and the coconut milk, then bring to the boil.
  9. Turn the heat down to medium-low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes, then remove the lid and cook for a further 5 minutes, or until the meat is tender and the sauce has reduced, stirring occasionally.
  10. Divide the curry between bowls, sprinkle over the almonds and coriander leaves. Add a dollop of yoghurt and a wedge of lemon to each bowl. Delicious served with fluffy rice.