Butter Chicken
by Elissa Jewell on October 3, 2020
I’ve given the much loved, Indian butter chicken recipe a bit of a revamp to make it much lower in carbs, calories and fats and higher in protein. I’ve switched full fat yoghurt to mustard to give a similar creamy texture, and reduced the amount of ghee and butter but without sacrificing taste. Those of you who need less carbs can use the cauliflower mash as described, but obviously pair it with rice if you need more energy.
If you want something much faster you can, of course, use a butter chicken sauce, however, note this will completely change the nutritional information, depending upon the brand and it’s nutrient profile.
This recipe is perfect for bulk cooking and also slow cooking, as the longer you leave it the better the flavour and texture.
Ingredients (Curry paste):
3-4 whole cardamom pods
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
2 teaspoons of whole coriander, mustard and cumin seeds
1 teaspoon each of turmeric, garam masala and cinnamon powder
Crushed fresh garlic and ginger to taste
1 tablespoon of tomato paste
1/4 cup lemon juice
Pinch of cayenne pepper or chilli to taste
500g raw chicken thigh, diced
1 large onion, diced
1 can diced tomatoes
3 tablespoons of any mild, smooth, unsweetened mustard (ie Dijon)
4 cups raw spinach
1 tablespoon of ghee or free range salted butter
1 whole head of cauliflower, roughly chopped
Method:
Add all ingredients to a mortar and pestle or a small food processor and process until you get a thick paste. To enhance the flavour of the final dish, coat your chicken in this paste and leave in the fridge overnight.
Add the ghee to a hot, non stick pan and then add the onion. Once the onion has begun to soften, add the chicken and paste mix and cook until the chicken has slightly browned on the outside.
Then add the tomatoes, mustard and half a cup of water and simmer over a low heat until the chicken is cooked and the sauce has thickened.
While the sauce is reducing, boil the cauliflower until tender and then once cooked, remove from the heat and process until you have a thick mash. Season to taste and then serve the chicken on top of the cauliflower mash.
Recipe serves 4 and can be frozen.
Nutritional info:
Nutrient density:
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