This easy Jamie Oliver Chicken Balti is a creamy, flavorful dish that’s perfect for a quick weeknight meal. Packed with tender chicken, spices, and yogurt, it’s a comforting, nutritious option. You can easily customize it with common ingredients and serve it with naan or rice for a complete meal!
Ingredients Needed
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1-2 fresh red chillies
- 5cm (2 inches) piece of ginger
- 2 onions
- Groundnut or vegetable oil
- 1 stick of cinnamon
- 2 fresh bay leaves
- 12 green cardamom pods
- 6 chicken thighs, skin off, bone out (500g / 1 lb)
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 pinch of ground cloves
- 1 heaped teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 heaped teaspoon ground coriander
- 4 ripe tomatoes
- 100g (3.5 oz) low-fat natural yoghurt, plus extra to serve
- ½ a bunch of fresh coriander (15g / 0.5 oz)
How To Make Chicken Balti
- Prepare the Paste: Peel the garlic and deseed the chillies, then roughly chop and place them into a pestle and mortar. Bash to a rough paste with a good pinch of sea salt and black pepper. Peel, finely chop, and add the ginger, then bash again to break it down.
- Cook the Spices: Peel and finely chop the onions. Drizzle a lug of oil into a large non-stick pan over medium heat, then add the cinnamon, bay leaves, and cardamom. Stir for 1 minute before adding the onions. Reduce the heat slightly and fry for 15 minutes, or until softened but not coloured.
- Add the Chicken and Spice Paste: Chop the chicken into 2.5cm (1 inch) chunks and add them to the pan. Turn the heat up to medium and fry for a few minutes. Stir in the chilli paste and cook for 2 minutes. Add the remaining spices and mix well.
- Add Tomatoes: Halve and roughly chop the tomatoes, then stir them into the pan. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium, and simmer for around 15 minutes, or until the tomatoes have softened and broken down.
- Finish the Dish: Stir in the yogurt and cook for a further 10-15 minutes, or until the chicken is tender and the sauce has thickened and reduced. Pick and finely chop most of the coriander leaves, then stir them into the dish. Season to taste.
- Serve: Serve with homemade naan or brown rice, a dollop of yogurt, and the remaining coriander leaves scattered on top.
Recipe Tips
- Cook the onions gently: Fry the onions slowly over medium heat to bring out their sweetness and avoid burning them. This will make your dish more delicious.
- Don’t skip the ginger: Fresh ginger adds an essential depth of flavor. If you don’t have fresh ginger, use ginger paste as a substitute, but fresh is always best!
- Simmer the sauce properly: Allow the sauce to simmer until the tomatoes break down and the sauce thickens. This ensures a rich, creamy texture.
- Add yogurt at the end: Stir in the yogurt after cooking the chicken to keep it creamy without curdling. Don’t add it too early!
How To Store And Reheat Leftovers?
- Refrigerate: Let the leftover Chicken Balti cool to room temperature before placing it in an airtight container. Store it in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: After cooling, transfer the Chicken Balti to a freezer-safe container. It will last for up to 3 months in the freezer. Thaw overnight in the fridge before serving.
- Reheat: Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Place the Chicken Balti in an oven-safe dish, cover with foil, and heat for 15-20 minutes, or until hot.
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 serving (368g)
- Calories: 643
- Total Fat: 34g
- Saturated Fat: 25g
- Cholesterol: 65mg
- Sodium: 343mg
- Potassium: 479mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 64g
- Dietary Fiber: 3g
- Sugars: 4g
- Protein: 20g
Try More Jamie Oliver Recipes:
- Jamie Oliver Southern Fried Chicken
- Jamie Oliver Chicken And Chorizo Pasta
- Jamie Oliver Tagine Chicken
- Jamie Oliver Chicken And Leek Pie With Puff Pastry
Jamie Oliver Chicken Balti
Description
This easy Jamie Oliver Chicken Balti is a creamy, flavorful dish that’s perfect for a quick weeknight meal. Packed with tender chicken, spices, and yogurt, it’s a comforting, nutritious option. You can easily customize it with common ingredients and serve it with naan or rice for a complete meal!
Ingredients
Instructions
- Prepare the Paste: Peel the garlic and deseed the chillies, then roughly chop and place them into a pestle and mortar. Bash to a rough paste with a good pinch of sea salt and black pepper. Peel, finely chop, and add the ginger, then bash again to break it down.
- Cook the Spices: Peel and finely chop the onions. Drizzle a lug of oil into a large non-stick pan over medium heat, then add the cinnamon, bay leaves, and cardamom. Stir for 1 minute before adding the onions. Reduce the heat slightly and fry for 15 minutes, or until softened but not coloured.
- Add the Chicken and Spice Paste: Chop the chicken into 2.5cm (1 inch) chunks and add them to the pan. Turn the heat up to medium and fry for a few minutes. Stir in the chilli paste and cook for 2 minutes. Add the remaining spices and mix well.
- Add Tomatoes: Halve and roughly chop the tomatoes, then stir them into the pan. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium, and simmer for around 15 minutes, or until the tomatoes have softened and broken down.
- Finish the Dish: Stir in the yogurt and cook for a further 10-15 minutes, or until the chicken is tender and the sauce has thickened and reduced. Pick and finely chop most of the coriander leaves, then stir them into the dish. Season to taste.
- Serve: Serve with homemade naan or brown rice, a dollop of yogurt, and the remaining coriander leaves scattered on top.
Notes
- Cook the onions gently: Fry the onions slowly over medium heat to bring out their sweetness and avoid burning them. This will make your dish more delicious.
- Don’t skip the ginger: Fresh ginger adds an essential depth of flavor. If you don’t have fresh ginger, use ginger paste as a substitute, but fresh is always best!
- Simmer the sauce properly: Allow the sauce to simmer until the tomatoes break down and the sauce thickens. This ensures a rich, creamy texture.
- Add yogurt at the end: Stir in the yogurt after cooking the chicken to keep it creamy without curdling. Don’t add it too early!
Jamie Oliver Chicken Balti