Masala chicken pie

Masala chicken pie

A Bombay potato-topped coconut curry bake that's healthy and low-fat. Snuggle up with some guilt-free comfort food

Difficulty and servings

Easy

Serves 6

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 15 - 20 mins

Cook time

Cook 1 hr 30 mins

Freezable

Low-fat, Super healthy

Method

  1. Heat a deep frying pan or flameproof casserole dish and add 2 tsp of the oil. Brown the chicken breasts quickly but well on both sides, then remove to a plate. Turn down the heat and add the remaining oil, the onions, ginger and garlic. Fry gently until soft. Add the spices and cook for a few mins, stirring.
  2. Stir in the vinegar, sugar, tomatoes and coconut milk. Bring to a simmer and bubble for 10 mins. Roughly chop the chicken breasts and stir into the pan with any chicken juices and the peppers. Simmer for another 20 mins until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce reduced a little. Take off the heat, stir in the coriander leaves and season to taste - it will need a good seasoning.
  3. To make the topping, put the potatoes in a big pan of water, bring to the boil, then boil until cooked - 10-15 mins depending on how big your chunks are. Drain really well, then tip back into the pan and steam-dry for a few mins.
  4. Add the coconut milk and turmeric to the pan, and mash really well. Season with the lemon juice and some salt, then stir through the spring onions and coriander stalks.
  5. Spoon the chicken masala into a baking dish. Dollop on spoonfuls of mash to cover, then sprinkle over the kalonji seeds. Can be covered and chilled for up to 2 days (or frozen for up to a month).
  6. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and bake for 25-30 mins (or 45 mins from chilled) until hot through and crisping on top. Serve with naan bread, if you like.

PER SERVING

414 kcalories, protein 30g, carbohydrate 53g, fat 10 g, saturated fat 1g, fibre 9g, sugar 12g, salt 1.2 g

Recipe from Good Food magazine, February 2013.

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Latest comments and suggestions

  • Binder photo vintageabbie

    09 February 2013

    vintageabbie rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    this dish is absolutely delicious, it was the first thing I tried in last months magazine, and it was just perfect - really interesting use of potatoes, and there was so much flavour with just the right amount of heat. A must try!

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  • Binder photo Margaret

    09 February 2013

    Margaret rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    I made this for a dinner party as I could prepare it in advance. Everyone loved it and wanted the recipe. Will definitely make it again.

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  • Binder photo SyWookes

    09 February 2013

    SyWookes rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    A brilliant dinner party dish as all the effort is done before guests arrive. It's really yummy and looks rather impressive when you pull it out from the oven.

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  • Binder photo Annie

    09 February 2013

    Annie rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Really yummy and popular by all - only 11 points if your on weight watchers

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  • Binder photo pips

    09 February 2013

    pips rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Heaven on a plate, definately do it again and again

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  • Binder photo CJ

    10 February 2013

    CJ rated this recipe

    5 stars

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  • Binder photo Lynsey

    19 February 2013

    Lynsey rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    Really tasty dish. Have even done just the masala with rice which was nice too.

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  • Binder photo Raquel

    26 February 2013

    Raquel rated and commented on this recipe

    3 stars

    Excellent! Especially loved the coriander stalks in the potato topping!

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  • Binder photo Pettle

    02 March 2013

    Pettle commented on this recipe

    Yum yum yum yum - no more said!

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  • Binder photo JoW

    06 March 2013

    JoW rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Delicious & wasn't too spicy for the kids.

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  • Binder photo Paul Winsor

    09 March 2013

    Paul Winsor commented on this recipe

    This an amazing recipe and a fabulous pie! We made the ingredients as per the recipe but split this into two pie dishes. Four generous portions, which could comfortably feed six. This recipe also gives an amazing base for other curry dishes, adapted for individual tastes.

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  • Binder photo Melanie

    14 March 2013

    Melanie rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    I cooked this a couple of weeks ago and I was quite impressed by how good this was..and so healthy too! I only used 2 chicken breasts (because that is all I had in the freezer), but added more veg, mainly broccoli. A big hit in my household...will definitely do again and will use same ratio of chicken and veg.

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  • Binder photo emma4

    17 March 2013

    emma4 rated and commented on this recipe

    2 stars

    I'm a little baffled as to why everyone else thinks this is an amazing dish - it was really quite bland, even after adding what seemed like a ton of salt. The curry base was ok, I would possibly make that again to serve with rice/naan bread but I wouldn't make the pie again.

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  • Binder photo AllieB

    02 April 2013

    AllieB rated and commented on this recipe

    3 stars

    This is a tale of two halves. I have to agree in the main with emma4 above. Despite having seasoned both the curry and the mash separately very well, the finished meal was disappointingly bland. I know that the masala tasted lovely on it's own so I can only suggest that the mash somehow suppressed the flavours coming through. Maybe this is why you never see curry and mash on any pub menu? On the other hand the texture and the presentation of the pie was spot on and my husband actually loved it! Unfortunately I won't be making this again. Give me curry and rice or half and half anytime!

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  • Binder photo Pj

    08 April 2013

    Pj rated and commented on this recipe

    3 stars

    Have to say I agree with the comments about this dish being bland, despite adding all the spices etc and seasoning as directed. Its lacking something. Its nice, just not great. If I had the time again, I would much rather make the Chicken Biryani Bake (from this GoodFood website)which I find far tastier.

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  • Binder photo Anita

    20 April 2013

    Anita rated this recipe

    2 stars

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  • Binder photo bernard

    25 April 2013

    bernard commented on this recipe

    Scrummy.

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  • Binder photo Kathryn

    17 May 2013

    Kathryn rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    I certainly didn't find the dish bland, I used a hot Madras curry mix and the chicken base was lovely and would be good with just rice or naan. The potato topping was good too but there was something about it that didn't work as a whole. Great component parts but crossing a curry with shepherds pie didn't really do it for me. That said, it all went.

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Difficulty and servings

Easy

Serves 6

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 15 - 20 mins

Cook time

Cook 1 hr 30 mins

Freezable

Low-fat, Super healthy

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 4 skinless chicken breasts
  • 2 onions , chopped
  • finger-length piece ginger , grated
  • 3 garlic cloves , crushed
  • 2 tbsp medium curry powder
  • 2 tsp ground coriander
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 2 tsp black or brown mustard seeds
  • 2 tsp white or red wine vinegar
  • 2 tsp sugar (white or brown)
  • 2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes
  • 150ml light coconut milk (buy a 400ml can- you'll need more for the topping)
  • 1 large red pepper , deseeded and cut into large chunks
  • 1 large green pepper , deseeded and cut into large chunks
  • ½ a small bunch coriander , leaves roughly chopped, stalks reserved (see below)

FOR THE TOPPING

  • 1½kg floury potatoes , cut into very large chunks
  • 150ml light coconut milk
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • juice 1 lemon
  • 1 bunch spring onions , finely chopped
  • stalks from ½ a small bunch coriander , finely chopped
  • 1 tsp kalonji seeds (also known as nigella or onion seeds )
  • naan bread , to serve (optional)
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PER SERVING

414 kcalories, protein 30g, carbohydrate 53g, fat 10 g, saturated fat 1g, fibre 9g, sugar 12g, salt 1.2 g

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