Healthy Chicken Curry Recipe
Quick, Easy, Healthy
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons rapeseed oil
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- 1 teaspoon chilli flakes (optional)
- 1 large onion
- 1-2 garlic cloves (optional)
- 2 chicken breasts
- 300g or 10oz tomato passata (half to three quarters of a 500g packet).
- A small amount chicken stock or water
- 2 generous tablespoons low-fat natural yogurt
- rice to serve and salad or parsley garnish
Equipment
You will need:
- A good, heavy sauté pan
- Measuring spoons
- Knife for cutting the onions and one for cutting the chicken. I use culinary scissors.
- Chopping board
- Preferred equipment for cooking rice if using
Cook Time
Easy Ingredients
Preparing the Curry
- Add the oil to the pan. Stir in the curry powder and chili if using until well mixed. Gently warm the spices. Whilst this is warming, chop the onions into ½” or 1cm pieces Add to the pan and stir in well. If using garlic, crush by hand and finely chop or crush with a device. Add to the pan and stir in. Sweat out over a low heat for a few minutes, usually about 6-8.
- Cut the chicken breasts into chunks and add to the pan. Mix well to coat with the onion/curry mixture. Sweat out to colour the chicken, so that it turns almost white all over 10-12 minutes.
- Take a look at the pan, the chicken should be fat-free. If there is more liquid in the pan now then there was water added to the chicken. Don’t worry, just add less (on no) stock. for a stronger flavor curry, drain off the liquid at this stage. Add the passata and stir well, turn up the heat a little, bring to bubbling point and add the stock or water if needed. Stir in well. Turn the heat right down and simmer gently with the lid on for around 5 minutes.
- If using rice, cook by your usual method, I use a supermarket brand of basmati with wild rice and cook for about the same time as I cook the chicken.
- Remove the curry from the heat and remove the lid. Allow to cool for a few moments. Gently and carefully, add the yogurt once the curry has cooled. Add it too soon and it will curdle. It will still be edible, but will not look so good. Stir the yogurt in well and leave in the pan whilst dishing up the rice and/or salad. Spoon out onto individual plates, garnish with salad or parsley. As you can see from the photo, I added some chopped green pepper to garnish and add texture.
- Enjoy.....
Curry Powder
Onion and Garlic
Chicken
Mix in
Passata
Stir in the Yogurt
Healthy Choices
Curry is served
Values for the Chicken Curry Only
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Serving size: 1 | |
| Calories | 585 |
| Calories from Fat | 135 |
| % Daily Value * | |
| Fat 15 g | 23% |
| Saturated fat 3 g | 15% |
| Unsaturated fat 12 g | |
| Carbohydrates 22 g | 7% |
| Sugar 12 g | |
| Fiber 7 g | 28% |
| Protein 63 g | 126% |
| Sodium 3 mg | |
| * The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA. | |
On a Diet?
NB: to be healthy, do not now add popadoms and chutney if you usually do, wean yourself off, if you want something more you could use some yogurt to mix with some mint to make a dip and serve with carrot and celery sticks.
The ingredients in this curry, have been chosen for optimum health benefits.
Basmati & Wild Rice Nutrition
Values of 50g of the rice shown in the photos:
Grams:
Energy 57
Fat 1.5
Carbohydrates 12
Fiber 1
Protein 1.5
Healthy Choices
Rapeseed Oil contains less saturated fat than all other commonly used cooking oils and fats, indeed Rapeseed has 50% less saturated fat than olive oil.
Rapeseed Oil is a rich source of vitamin E and is a natural antioxidant. It also contains plant sterols, which according to WebMD have powerful cholesterol-lowering properties.
Chilli is often used in weight loss and is good for circulation.
Onions are more than just a tasty vegetable, according to bbcgoodfood.com the humble onion that we take for granted contains vitamins A, B6, C and E and natural sugar, onions are also a good source of folic acid contain minerals such as sodium, potassium and iron as well as dietary fiber.
bbcgoodfood.com also confirm that garlic is very good source of manganese, selenium and vitamin C, is an excellent source of vitamin B6. As well as a good source of other minerals, including phosphorous, calcium, potassium, iron and copper.
Chicken breasts are the leanest part of the chicken, which is already a lean meat, by not using the skin, we are ensuring a low fat, good source of protein which is essential for healthy muscles. Chicken also contains plenty of vitamins and minerals.
Chicken breast is a great source of nutrition. A 4-ounce chicken breast is high in protein, low in fat and packed with nutrients such as B vitamins, amino acids, potassium, selenium, niacin, etc. that are critical for building and maintaining a healthy body.
— md-health.com/Chicken-Breast-Nutrition.htmlPassata is uncooked, strained tomatoes, pure and simple, make sure you choose one with nothing added. Tomatoes are a superfood that contains Lycopene, which is the pigment that gives the tomato its distinctive color. Lycopene is a powerful antioxidant which, is known to help guard against a variety of cancers. Lycopene is also a healthy energy booster and has anti-aging properties. Tomato s are also a good source of Vitamin A, potassium and iron.
We all know that low fat yogurt is good for us right? However, according to fitness magazine, natural low fat yogurt has at least 10 great benefits. It is used here because it adds the creaminess without the calories and cholesterol of cream and it has many healthy attributes including that yogurt helps with weight loss.
Inspiration
I gain inspiration from the great chef's and continually tweak and twiddle recipes. The above is all my own recipe but was originally inspired by a Gorden Ramsay recipe that uses butter for frying and cream to finish. Gordon also blends his own herbs and spices and my version uses a good bought blend for a quick easy option for mid-week meals.
Bibliography
Sources of health information:
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/ingredient-focus-onions
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/ingredient-focus-garlic
https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/animal-product/health-benefits-of-chicken.html
http://www.md-health.com/Chicken-Breast-Nutrition.html
http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/recipes/healthy-eating/nutrition/health-benefits-of-yogurt/
© 2017 Lyn
Comments
I must say this does look delectable. I will try this someday. Thank you for sharing.
- Author
Chitrangada, thank you so much for your kind comment, it means a lot, especially as you are from India, the home of curry.
Nice chicken recipe and the combination of ingredients is unique and interesting, a little different from what I usually combine.
I would love to follow your instructions and prepare as you have suggested.
Thanks for sharing this!