Butter Chicken (Low fat – Really) ( 44 pro points)

OK, so this is no longer a family secret - because so many people have asked for the recipe!

Because it is so often requested, I create a jar of the spices mixed together, so I always have the makings on hand.
SPICE MIX: I buy packets of cinnamon, ginger, chilli and turmeric, tip them into a jar, and then fill one of the empty spice packets with salt and toss that in too. Shake to mix them together. Then I use 1 1/2 teaspoons of mix per breast. 


Serves 4

¾ cup basmati rice ( 15 pro points)
1 red onion – thinly sliced
3 tablespoons canola or rice bran oil ( 9 pro points)
Spice mix: 

• ½ teaspoon turmeric
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon ground chili
• ½ teaspoon salt

2 chicken breasts (boned, skinless) – diced (or the equal amount of chicken thigh) ( 14 pro points)
2 tablespoon tomato paste
1 cup low fat evaporated milk ( 6 pro points)


Rinse the rice then put in a saucepan and cover with cold water about 2cm above rice. Add salt (about ½ teaspoon) and bring to the boil. Once it’s simmering, just keep an eye on it, and when the water level is just below the top if the rice, switch the heat off and put a lid on and leave it alone. By the time you’ve finished cooking the butter chicken, the rice will be ready.  Just take the lid off and fluff it up with a fork.

Heat oil, and sauté onion until soft. Add the spices and salt and stir over the heat until fragrant. Increase heat and add chicken meat. Cook, stirring, until the meat is cooked through, then add the tomato paste and give it a good mix up. Add the evaporated milk and heat gently, but do not boil or the milk will curdle. That’s it, finished.

Serve over rice with a dob of plain yogurt on top, a side of green beans and some sliced tomato.

• You can make it using ghee (clarified butter) and cream instead of oil and evaporated milk– it will taste amazing, but it’s a very high fat meal. 
• I sometimes use sour cream instead of cream or evaporated milk; makes it nice and thick.
• Side dishes could include fruit chutney, peanuts, cashews, diced apple in plain yogurt, sliced banana sprinkled with lemon juice, popadoms, naan bread or roti.