Slow cooker chicken tikka masala recipe

This tempting chicken curry makes a little bit of morning cooking worthwhile. Photo / Fresh Media

There’s nothing quite like arriving home on a chilly evening to the aroma of a cooked meal.

This classic chicken curry only takes 10 minutes to prepare in the morning. The little bit of extra morning effort is worth it when you get home and know you just have to organise some rice or naan bread, and a salad.

Slow cooker chicken tikka masala

Serves 4

Ingredients

500g chicken thighs cut into large pieces

2 Tbsp oil

1 onion chopped

2 garlic cloves crushed

Thumb-sized piece of ginger, finely grated or chopped

3 Tbsp tikka curry paste

500ml passata

1 Tbsp tomato purée

2 Tbsp malt vinegar

1 Tbsp light brown sugar

1 cinnamon stick

5 cardamom pods

100ml cream

handful fresh coriander

Method

1. Preheat the slow cooker.
2. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet and sear the chicken until it is golden brown on both sides. Transfer the chicken to the slow cooker.
3. In the same pan, cook the onion, garlic and ginger until soft. Add 1 Tbsp of malt vinegar to deglaze, then pour everything in the pan into the slow cooker.
4. Add all the remaining ingredients to the slow cooker except the cream and fresh coriander. Stir well. Then cover with the lid and let it cook for 5 to 7 hours.
5. At the end of the cooking time, stir in the cream and chopped coriander. Season to taste.
6. Serve with rice or naan bread (or both!).

-fresh.co.nz