Marinated chicken thighs browned in ghee, then simmered in a smooth, gently spiced tomato sauce with coconut cream and a spoonful of cashew butter. It keeps the buttery, tangy, faintly sweet character of the takeout favourite and is mild enough for the whole family, over a big pile of cauliflower rice.
- Time
- 65 min (30 prep + 35 cook)
- Servings
- 4
- Per serving
- 558 kcal
- Protein
- 40 g
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lb chicken thigh, cut in 2.5 cm (1-inch) pieces
Marinade
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp garam masala, divided
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 2 tsp paprika, divided
- 1 tsp salt, divided
- 2 tbsp ghee, divided
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp ginger, grated
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground fenugreek, or dried fenugreek leaves
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 can (14 oz) tomato puree
- 1/2 cup coconut cream
- 2 tbsp cashew butter
To serve
- 6 cups cauliflower rice, fresh or frozen
- a pinch salt
- a handful fresh cilantro, chopped
Steps
- Toss the chicken with the lemon juice, half the garam masala, all the turmeric, half the paprika and half the salt. Leave for 15 minutes while you chop.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the ghee in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken in two batches for about 4 minutes each, until golden on the outside but not yet cooked through. Lift onto a plate.
- Add the second tablespoon of ghee, turn the heat to medium, and cook the onion for 6–8 minutes until soft and golden. Add the garlic and ginger for 1 minute, then the cumin, fenugreek, chili flakes if using, and the remaining garam masala and paprika. Stir for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Pour in the tomato purée and the remaining salt. Simmer for 10 minutes, then blend until smooth with a stick blender, right in the pan.
- Stir in the coconut cream and cashew butter until smooth. Return the chicken and its juices, and simmer gently for 10 minutes, until the chicken is 165°F inside and the sauce is thick.
- Meanwhile, cook the cauliflower rice with the pinch of salt in a large dry skillet over medium-high heat, stirring, for 5–6 minutes, uncovered, until hot and the steam has gone. Spoon the curry over it and scatter with cilantro. It keeps 4 days in the fridge and freezes 3 months without the cauliflower rice; reheat gently.
Good to know
Does it taste of butter without butter?
Ghee is butter with the milk solids removed, so yes: the taste is right there. Ghee is allowed on paleo, and it is the reason this one keeps its name.
Can I use chicken breast?
Yes, at about 57 instead of 50. Simmer it only until it reaches 165°F, as breast dries out sooner than thigh.
Alternative
Per
- Calories
- 124
- Protein
- (28%)
- 9 g
- Fat
- (55%)
- 8 g
- Carbohydrates
- (17%)
- 6 g
- of which sugar
- 3 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sodium
- 240 mg
More meals
Computed from the ingredients with our published formula, not yet kitchen-tested. How
As written, 2232 kcal goes into the pot and 2164 g of ingredients comes out as about 1804 g of food: 124 kcal per 100 g. Cooking moves water and energy density is the score's biggest lever, so the dish is scored as cooked, not as an average of its parts. Every ingredient links to its food page, with the same data and score. The label's percentages are each macronutrient's share of the calories. The full formula.