This Low FODMAP Chicken Tikka Masala recipe is the reason I’m vowing to cook more Indian food going forward. Y’all know me by now (don’t ya?!) I ain’t scared of getting my hands a little dirty in the kitchen. New recipes and new ingredients are my jam. Buuuut, I’m not gonna lie… somewhere along the way, I lost touch with cooking Indian food! It’s not that I don’t love it. Cause I do. It just never happens to make it’s way into my meal plan. After one bite of this delicious Chicken Tikka Masala, Bae made me promise to cook more Indian inspired dishes. The quick and easy homemade naan that soaks up allllll the sauce is just a bonus. But trruuuust me when I say that it’ll take this Low FODMAP dish to the next level!
MEAL PLANNING 101
As you already know, or could likely assume, I’m the sole meal planner up in this house. I sit down with a nonnegotiable glass of wine (duh). A pen and piece of paper (old school, huh?). And whatever else I can pull inspiration from for the week. Normally that comes in the form of magazines, cookbooks, Pinterest, something I saw on a menu that week. You get the idea. Usually I do this on a Friday so I have the weekend to hit up the Farmer’s Market/grocery store. For a gal that seriously does not plan any other aspect of her life, I’d say Meal Planning has become second nature to me. Stepping into a grocery store these days without a list is like showing up to the movie theatre without a purse full of smuggled in snacks…just something you simply do not do, Am I right?!
I must admit, I have it pretty easy. All I’m cookin’ for (most of the time) is myself and the Boyfriend (aka Bae). No kids. No large number of mouths to feed. And the best and most important? Definitely no picky eaters to worry about. As a matter of fact, Bae hardly ever even knows what we’re having for dinner until it’s ready and I plop it down in front of him. Sure, he does the shopping with me most of the time (and sometimes, even for me) but the guy does not ask any questions.
I guess that’s the perks of having the meal plan thing down to a science. He just knnnnows that it’ll likely be something we’ve never had before (yeah, I’m crazy like that). Or something out of our “so-good-we-have-to-have-it-again” vault. But, no matter what meals I have planned for the week, he just knnnnnows that variety and variation is just what I do. Vegan. Vegetarian. Seafood. Meat. We’re havin’ it. Along with that, I reeeeally try my best to incorporate all kinds of different sh*t – whether that be ingredients or cuisines.
But, I’m here to tell you, friends, that sometimes, without even noticing it, I’ll go months (or shamefully longer) without diving into a particular culture’s food. Indian is that food for me. I just don’t cook enough of it! And when I do, just like this Low FODMAP Chicken Tikka Masala has done to both Bae and I, I always ask myself why that is.
LOW FODMAP CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA
So, again, like the Low FODMAP Steak Niçoise Salad, it took watching FODMAPs for me to kind of dive into cuisines that normally don’t find their way into my kitchen. I’ve cooked Indian food before but for some reason, when that pen and paper is in my hand on meal plan Friday, my mind hardly ever drifts there.
This is a pretty easy recipe to follow. Although this is a Low FODMAP Version, it can easily be made regular. For example, you don’t have to use lactose free yogurt or gluten free flour for the naan. The homemade paste is really where it’s at here…the smell, taste and flavours are just the reminders I needed that I simply need to cook more Indian food!
PERFECT INSTANT POT RICE
Ah, rice in the instant pot. Aka my go-to way of making rice. Since discovering it’s perfection, I have not (and likely will never, lol) go back to stove top rice. No lie. It’s so damn easy. So damn quick. Seriously fool-proof. Comes out perfect every damn time. And the best part? It can do it’s thang, no supervision needed, in the background while you focus on everything else. In this case, I love starting the rice first, before anything else. That way, when the meal is done, the rice is waiting. I love this method so much that I honestly say getting an Instant Pot just to cook rice is so worth it (but hello….Have you seen what else they can do?!!! They’re MAGIC!!!)
GLUTEN FREE NAAN
I’ve always loved two-ingredient naan (normally just greek yogurt + self rising flour) so I was thrilled when swapping those out for FODMAP friendly versions (lactose free yogurt + gluten free flour) did the trick just fine. I do have to say, though, that the gluten free version definitely does not puff up as much as the regular, which to me is a good indicator of when to flip it. So, just be aware, that the GF version may not “tell” you when to flip, just do so after a few minutes and some brown spots have appeared.
PRO TIP: If using GF flour here, though, keep in mind that it’s necessary to add Baking Powder and Xanthan Gum to the flour in order to keep it all together. Without the presence of gluten, we need that lil extra somethin’ somethin’ to act as a binding agent for the flour and give our baked goods some structure. Without it, failure is on the horizon.
Nonetheless, if you’re not Gluten Free or Low FODMAP, feel free to sub out the gluten free flour for regular and omit the Baking Powder and Xanthan Gum. Either way, brushing your naan with ghee/butter and freshly chopped parsley is a must in my books.
THE COME TOGETHER
You’re gonna want all three of these components directly on your plate but exactly how you wanna do that is up to you. I like putting some saucy chicken down on one side of the plate first. Then adding the plain rice to the other side, some cut up naan slices above that and of course, an extra spoonful or two of that delicious Tikka Masala sauce. When I eat it, I’ll make sure to get the chicken and rice in every spoonful, leaving the naan to clean up the mess… it really doesn’t get any better than that for this saucy-loving gal.
LOW FODMAP CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA & GLUTEN FREE NAAN BREAD
Course: Lunch, DinnerCuisine: IndianDifficulty: Medium2
servings30
minutes30
minutes1
hour1
hourThis FODMAP friendly Indian Inspired Chicken Tikka Masala will have the house smelling amazing in no time! Perfectly tender chunks of chicken and homemade Gluten Free Naan Bread ensures no amount of mouth-watering sauce gets left behind!
What You’ll Need
- For the Chicken Tikka Masala
2 large Chicken Breasts, cut into cubes
3/4 cup Coconut Milk
2/3 cup Strained Tomatoes
1 bunch of Green Onion, green parts only, chopped
1 large Lemon, juiced
1/4 cup Lactose Free Yogurt
4 Tbsp Fresh Parsley, chopped and divided
2 Tbsp Garam Masala
2 Tbsp Fresh Ginger, chopped
1/2 Tbsp Turmeric
1/2 Tbsp Chilli Powder
2 tsp Sea Salt
1 tsp Ground Cloves
1 tsp Paprika
1 pinch Cayenne
1/4 tsp Cumin
- For the Gluten Free Naan Bread
260g Lactose Free Yogurt
250g Gluten Free Flour
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Sea Salt
1/4 tsp Xanthan Gum
2 Tbsp Ghee, melted, for brushing
Fresh Parsley, chopped, for garnish
- For the Insant Pot Rice
1 cup Rice of choice*
1 cup Cold Water
1/4 tsp Sea Salt
Directions
- For the Rice
- Put rice in a fine mesh stainless steel strainer and rinse under cold water, using your fingers to gently “scrub” within the palms of your hands. The water will be milky/cloudy at first but eventually become clear after a few minutes.
- Add the rice, water and salt into the instant pot, ensuring rice is submerged under water.
- Put the lid on and turn the knob to the sealing position.
- Pressure cook, on high, for 3 minutes then naturally release for 10.
- After 10 min, carefully turn the knob to the venting position to release the remaining pressure.
- For the Chicken
- Add all the spices and ginger, parsely, green onion and lemon juice into the body of a food processor. Pulse until it becomes a paste.
- Put the cubed chicken into a large bowl or ziploc bag.
- Add the yogurt. Then the paste. Combine well, until chicken is evenly coated, and place in the fridge to marinate for at least an hour (up to 24).
- Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat.
- Add the chicken pieces and cook a few minutes per side, until browned.
- Add the tomatoes and coconut milk, bring to a boil then reduce and simmer for 15 minutes, until the sauce has thickened slightly.
- For the Naan
- Add all the ingredients into a large bowl and mix/knead, using your hands, until well combined, forming it into a large ball.
- Cut into 5 even pieces.
- Using a rolling pin, on a lightly floured surface, roll each individual piece out to form little circles. I normally aim for 0.5cm thickness each.
- Place a skillet over medium heat (no oil necessary). Once hot, add one naan piece at a time.
- Generally, they take a few mins per side (the second side slightly less time than the first). You’ll know when to flip it when it starts puffing up, however, keep in mind that since they are Gluten Free, they may not puff up as much – check after a few minutes – there should be light brown spots but no burning.
- Brush with garlic infused olive oil, sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley and a little sea salt.
- To Assemble
- Add a few spoonfuls of the saucy chicken into a bowl next to a few scoops of plain rice. Cut the naan into triangles and serve alongside the dish for dipping. Top with more sauce and fresh chopped parsley, if desired.
Notes
- *I used Jasmine Rice
NOT GLUTEN FREE OR LOW FODMAP? TRY THIS RECIPE WITH MY 2 INGREDIENT NAAN BREAD INSTEAD!
LOVE INDIAN FOOD? TRY MY RECIPE FOR BUTTER CHICKEN NEXT!
WANT MORE CHICKEN RECIPES? THESE ONES ARE FINGER LICKIN’ GOOD:
