Whole Chicken Tikka Masala

Such a clever idea this - a simple marinade you might use on chicken pieces for an easy and unsurprising meal, which smothered all over a whole chicken gives you real impact and flavour plus juiciness! Good enough to impress at a party with minimal effort. It is good cold too in a roll or as another meal with pickle and salad.

I pinched this from a magazine of course. The curry accompaniment is optional but good and just as easy as the chicken. 

Tikka Masala Chicken

One free range chicken
One third of a jar of Patak's Tikka Masala paste
150g thick plain yogurt
2 onions

1. Mix the yogurt and paste. Put a few sharp cuts into the breast and wings and then smother the mixture all over the chicken. Leave for at least 3 hours but all day if you can - or overnight for a lunch.
2. Cut up two onions into thick slices. Put the chicken on top of these in a roasting dish.
3. Roast at No 5 for 1 hour 20 mins approximately. The coating will go dark, black even but don't worry.
4. Check by slicing into the wing that it is cooked at the bone.Rest a short while and serve with lemon quarters, a salad, rice, and/or the Sag Aloo below.

Sag Aloo - potato and spinach curry

4/5 large potatoes

1 bag spinach

1 onion

3 cloves garlic

1 chilli

Garam masala

1. Peel the potatoes and cut into fairly small cubes. Cover with cold salted water and boil 6-7 minutes till just soft. Drain.
2. Cook the chopped onion in a little oil till softening, add the chopped garlic, chopped chilli and a teaspoon of garam masala or your favourite spice mix.
3. Add the potatoes, turnover till coated, add a splash of water and cook until really soft. Now add in the spinach and let it wilt down. Add another splash of water if it needs it.
4. Season with lemon juice and salt at the end.