Green Tikka Masala Chicken With Rice And Tomato & Mint Salad

Before you start cooking, take your chicken out of the fridge, open the packet and let it air

Add your white long grain rice to a pot with a lid with 225ml [300ml] [450ml] cold water and bring to the boil over a high heat, once boiling, reduce the heat to very low and cook, covered, for 12-15 min or until all the water has absorbed and the rice is cooked

Once done, remove from the heat and set aside (lid on) to steam until serving

Heat a large, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick) over a high heat with a drizzle of olive oil

Once hot, add your diced chicken thigh and cook for 3-4 min or until starting to brown

While the chicken is cooking, boil a kettle

Crush your garlic open by squashing it with the side of a knife and discard the skin

Slice half your green chilli[es] finely into rounds and set aside for a garnish

Strip your mint leaves from their stems

Wash your spinach then add to a colander and pour boiled water all over it so that it starts to wilt

Rinse the wilted spinach under cold running water until it's cool

Once cool, squeeze as much water out of the spinach as you can

Reboil half a kettle

Transfer the blanched spinach to a food processor with the peeled garlic, your coriander, half the mint leaves (you'll use the rest later!) and the remaining chilli (can't handle the heat? Go easy?)

Add your curry powder, garam masala and creamed coconut with a generous drizzle of olive oil and a generous pinch of salt and pepper

Blitz until smooth – this is your green tikka paste

Once the chicken is starting to brown, reduce the heat to medium-high

Add the green tikka paste with your tomato paste and cook for 1-2 min or until fragrant

Once fragrant, add 150ml [200ml] [250ml] boiled water with your chicken stock mix and cook for 6-8 min or until the sauce has thickened and the chicken is cooked through (no pink meat!) – this is your green tikka masala chicken

While the sauce thickens, chop your tomato[es] finely

Combine the chopped tomato and a drizzle of olive oil in a bowl and season with salt and pepper

Tear the remaining mint leaves into the bowl and give everything a good mix up – this is your tomato & mint salad