One-pot Chicken Tikka with Turmeric Pilau Rice

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Warmly spiced, melt in the mouth, chunks of chicken tikka, flavoured with cumin, coriander, cardamom, chilli, garam masala and lemon, are cooked on a bed of vibrant and aromatic turmeric rice. All cooked in one-pot, you start cooking this dish on the hob and let it finish cooking in the oven whilst, you prepare your chosen sides.

I like to serve it with a squeeze of lemon juice, raita or yoghurt, tomato and cucumber salad with sliced red onions, shredded iceberg lettuce, mango chutney and some naan bread. Simple, healthy, delicious, stunning. Even better, any leftovers and wonderful served in a wrap for lunch for the following day.

How to make One-pot Chicken Tikka with Turmeric Pilau Rice

Collect all your ingredients together:

Chicken Tikka –

• skinless chicken breast or thigh meat, in large chunks
• lemon juice
• fine salt

Marinade –

• natural yoghurt
• red onion, peeled and chopped
• garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
• fresh peeled ginger, roughly chopped
• garam masala
• paprika powder
• chilli flakes
• cumin powder
• coriander powder
• cardamom powder
• chilli powder

Turmeric Pilau Rice –

• vegetable oil
• onion, peeled and finely chopped
• garlic, peeled and crushed
• white basmati rice
• cinnamon stick
• green cardamom pods, crushed
• cloves
• bay leaves
• turmeric powder
• water
• fine salt
• freshly ground black pepper

To serve –

• chopped coriander
• lemon wedges

Suggested side dishes –

• raita
• naan bread – (or this quick version) homemade or shop bought
• mango Chutney
• aubergine Chutney – try my Spicy Aubergine and Red Pepper Chutney with Chilli and Tamarind
• cucumber and tomato salad with red onion
• lemon wedges
• green or mixed salad

How to make this fabulous one pot Indian inspired dish:

Prepare the Chicken Tikka –

1. Chicken: cut the chicken into large chunks. Mix the salt with the lemon juice in a glass bowl and add the chicken. Mix well and leave on one side to marinate for 30 minutes.
2. Make marinade: meanwhile, put all the marinade ingredients in the food processor and blitz until thoroughly blended. When the chicken has been marinating in the lemon juice and salt for 30 minutes, add the marinade and mix thoroughly. I find it is easiest to use your hands. Cover and leave to marinate again for a minimum of 30 minutes, or up to 24 hours, covered and in the fridge.

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Cook Chicken Tikka and Turmeric Pilau Rice –

1. If your chicken is in the fridge, remember to take it out of the fridge 30 – 45 minutes before you want to cook it to give it time to come to room temperature.
2. Heat an oven-proof frying pan or skillet over a very high temperature, add 1 tablespoon oil and brown the chicken on all sides until lightly charred. (As if they had been cooked over charcoal.) Remove the chicken pieces from the pan as they cook – you are only sealing them; the chicken will finish cooking in the oven with the rice. When the chicken is browned and set aside, clean the pan to remove any burnt marinade.
3. Meanwhile, finely chop the onion and crush the garlic. I blitz the onion in a mini food processor until finely chopped, but you can also do this by hand. Crush the cardamom pods.
4. Lower the heat to medium and add another tablespoon of oil to the pan. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes until soft and lightly caramelised. Stir from time to time. Add the crushed garlic and cook for a further minute, or until aromatic.
5. Now add the rice, cinnamon stick, cardamon pods, cloves, bay leaves and turmeric powder. Stir well to ensure everything is thoroughly mixed. Add the water, salt and pepper, and stir well. Bring to a gentle simmer.
6. Sit the chicken on top of the rice in the pan, with any juices, cover with a lid or double thickness foil and pop in a preheated oven for 30 minutes.
7. Take out of the oven, check the rice and chicken to see if they are cooked. If not cooked, continue to cook in the oven, with the lid on, for a further 5 minutes or until cooked. Remove the chicken, taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary, and stir well. Return the chicken back to the pan and pop in the oven, uncovered, for a further 5 – 10 minutes, or until all the liquid has been absorbed to your liking.
8. Serve: sprinkle with chopped coriander and, if desired, some lemon wedges. Serve with your choice of side dishes.

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