Another family favourite, this time chicken tikka masala. I used to make my own spice mix but then I discovered the Pataks range of pastes and I’ve never looked back. They are fresh, perfectly balanced and delicious. Using dried, ground spices will never give you that fresh flavour or depth of flavours that using fresh ground spices or a curry paste will provide. A paste is a perfectly selected blend of freshly ground spices which are immediately preserved in vegetable oil so that the air does not get to them and alter their flavour profile.
For this recipe I’m using their tikka masala paste. It is just the right level of spice for my kids.
Pataks also make sauces but I prefer the control that using a paste gives you. You are able to control the amount of spices you add and thus the flavour and heat. You can store the opened jar in your fridge for at least a month.
You will need to fry the spices in a pan to release their aromatics as they have been stored in “raw” form in the jar. You then add some liquid before sealing your chicken in the paste. Tinned tomatoes and cream round out the sauce.
It is delicious served with basmati rice.
My sons love to have a leftover curry wrap for lunch the day after we have this curry for dinner.
This curry freezes well and is a great dinner to pull out of the freezer on a cold night.
Chicken Tikka Masala
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts
- 2-3 tbsp Pataks Tikka Masala paste
- 1 tsp freshly grated ginger
- 1 tsp freshly grated garlic
- ½ tin tomatoes
- 50-100 ml cream
Instructions
- Cut chicken breasts into cubes and set aside
- Heat a little oil in a pan and add 2-3 tablespoons of curry paste and the freshly grated ginger and garlic.
- Cook for 1-2 minutes. You do this to release the aromatics in the spices as they are stored in "raw" form in the jar
- Add 50ml of water and cook until thickened.
- Add chicken breasts and fry until sealed
- Add ½ tin of tomatoes and 100ml of water, bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes
- Add the cream, stir and cook for a further 5 minutes
- Serve with some lovely basmati rice
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