Chicken tikka Skewers

Chicken tikka is such a delicious dish. I really love chicken tikka masala smothered in the lovely creamy sauce from the takeaway as a treat but I don’t love the high calorie content so much. I decided to make my own healthy, low fat version which is still truly delicious and saves on the calories massively.

I make a cucumber, lettuce, onion and chickpea salad to go with it along with a minty yoghurt dip and serve with basmati rice with chickpeas and vermicelli. If you’re a tikka lover, give it a go as it’s quick, easy and full of aromatic spice flavour.

Serves 4

Ingredients

4 chicken breasts

2 garlic cloves – minced

1/2 tablespoon fresh ginger – grated

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon garam masala

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup natural yoghurt

3 heaped teaspoons tandoori curry powder

Method

Chop your chicken into cubes, coat in the red tandoori powder and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl mix together your minced garlic grated ginger, tomato paste, lemon juice, garam masala and salt and mix together.

Now add the chicken and coat it in all the lovely aromatic marinade. Lastly add the yoghurt to the bowl and give a good mix again to ensure the chicken is coated in it.

Thread the chicken onto skewers ( remember to soak them in water for 10 mins or so as you don’t want them burning. I soak them in a baking tray).

Grill under a hot grill, turning often until the chicken is fully cooked and looks lightly charred. It will smell wonderful and everyone will be excited for dinner! Serve with basmati rice with chickpeas and vermicelli, my salad suggestion and my lovely yoghurt mint dip below.

Tip: A bbq would give a better result but let’s be honest it’s not always convenient to traipse out in the garden to do this.

Mint Yoghurt Dip

Ingredients

200g of natural yoghurt

pinch of salt

1/4 cucumber cubed

1 teaspoon dried mint

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Method

This is so easy. Literally dice up your cucumber into small cubes, add to the yoghurt along with your salt, mint and juice of 1/2 a lemon and mix together.