HEALTHY CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA RECIPES

Steps:

• Combine yogurt, 2 teaspoons garam masala, paprika, black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon salt, cayenne pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon coriander in a large bowl. Add chicken strips and toss to coat. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Grease a baking sheet.
• Place chicken strips on the prepared baking sheet, leaving space between each piece, and bake in the preheated oven until browned and no longer pink inside, about 10 minutes. Remove and set aside.
• Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir cumin seeds until lightly toasted and aromatic, about 3 minutes. Add onion; cook and stir until onion begins to soften, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, ginger, and green chiles and continue to cook until onion is browned, 15 to 20 minutes. Cook and stir tomatoes, tomato paste, and water into onion mixture until tomatoes begin to break down and incorporate into the onion mixture, about 10 minutes.
• Cook and stir 1 teaspoon garam masala, 1/2 teaspoon coriander, and turmeric into the tomato mixture. Mix in the cooked chicken, add cream, and stir to coat. Cover and let simmer for 10 minutes. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and garnish with cilantro.

Steps:

• Start by making the low-calorie base curry sauce. Heat the oil in a large pan and fry the onions for 5 minutes or until soft and fragrant, stirring well until evenly coated in the oil. Add all the ingredients up to and including the chopped tomatoes. Cover and simmer over a medium heat for 1 hour, stirring regularly. The vegetables will become soft and the stock should reduce by about half but this can vary. Add the spices and simmer for a further 5 minutes. Using a stick blender or worktop blender, blend until very smooth. Add in enough water to make the consistency of single cream. This will make more than you’ll need, and will keep in the fridge for three days – or portion and freeze for up to six months.
• To make the tandoori masala, heat a frying pan over a medium-high heat and add the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, black mustard seeds, cinnamon and mace. Toast, moving the spices around, until they are fragrant and warm to the touch, but not smoking.
• Cool slightly, then, using a spice grinder or pestle and mortar, grind to a fine powder. Add the remaining ingredients and blend well. This spice blend will keep for up to two months in an airtight container.
• Heat the rapeseed or coconut oil in a balti pan or frying pan over a medium-high heat. When hot, add the garlic and ginger paste, and sizzle for 30 seconds. Add the ground almonds and coconut flour, and fry for a further 20 seconds while stirring constantly. The pan will look quite dry as the almonds and coconut flour soak up the oil. Stir in the remaining spices, then add the tomato purée and the required amount of base sauce and tandoori masala.
• Increase the heat to high and allow the sauce to come to a rolling simmer. Stir in the chicken and simmer for 15 minutes or until cooked through. Reduce the heat to medium-high and stir in the sugar (if using). Now add the yogurt, 1 tbsp at a time. If using food colouring, stir it in now, then squeeze in the lemon juice and add the coriander. To finish, add the dried fenugreek leaves, rubbing the leaves between your fingers to help bring the flavour out. Top with the garam masala, season and garnish with coriander.