There are lots of lovely curry pastes on the market, and when you combine them with a few additional spices and herbs the results can be really amazing. You don’t have to stick to just one cut of chicken for this curry: try a mixture of thighs and breasts. If you have time, marinate the chicken for even longer than stated for a more succulent treat.
Serves 4
4 skinless chicken breasts
3 tbsp medium-hot curry paste
4 rounded tbsp natural yoghurt
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, sliced
1 red pepper, seeded and sliced
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 x 400g (14oz) tin chopped tomatoes
100ml (3½fl oz) chicken stock
1 tsp sugar
2 tbsp roughly chopped fresh coriander
salt and freshly ground black pepper
steamed rice, chutney and naan breads, to serve
Step one Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and place in a shallow bowl. Add the curry paste and yoghurt and mix well. Cover and leave to marinate for as long as you like: 20 minutes is fine, but a couple of hours is perfect.
Step two Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/gas 5. Grind the coriander and cumin seeds in a pestle and mortar. Heat the olive oil in a large, ovenproof sauté pan, add the seeds and cook for a minute until aromatic, then add the onion, pepper and garlic. Cook over a medium heat for about 4 minutes until starting to soften. Mix in the chicken and its marinade, plus the tomatoes and chicken stock. Add the sugar, season well and bring to the boil. Transfer to the oven and cook for 20–25 minutes.
Step three Scatter over the coriander and serve with steamed basmati rice, mango chutney and warm naan breads.