Royal Roasted Stuffed Chicken Breast (Murg Ka Mokul)

A simply stunning dish, this takes a bit of effort - but I tell you, it sure is worth it. I've used our Tikka Masala paste here, which combines enough spices to give this a real panache; however I've bolstered up the flavours with extra ginger, cloves and chilli. The pistachios and cashews also add a luxurious crunch to the stuffing. We call this Royal Stuffed Chicken as it uses the royal spice saffron- revered around the world for being the most expensive spice per gram. But don't let this put you off, a little saffron goes a long way, and this dish will surely impress all comers.

Serves: 4 people
Preparation time: 20 mins
Cooking Time: 1 hour
Difficulty: Advanced

Spiciness

If you like this recipe try these

Roast Spiced Chicken with Indian Style Gravy

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This recipe features

Ingredients

4 tbsp vegetable oil
100g red onion, chopped
150g onions, sliced
1 tsp fresh root ginger, chopped
6 garlic cloves, crushed
1½ tsp green chilli, chopped
4 tbsp Patak's Tikka Masala Curry Paste
700g chopped tomatoes
50g unsalted butter
5 saffron strands
100g cashew nuts, roasted and finely crushed
4 chicken breasts
75g pistachio nuts, coarsely ground
300g paneer, grated
100g baby spinach leaves, washed
¼ tsp black pepper
2 tbsp honey
60ml single cream
salt, to taste

Methods

Firstly prepare the sauce. Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a pan and add the 150g sliced onions, ½ tsp ginger, all the garlic and 1 tsp chopped green chilli. Sauté for 5 minutes and then add 2 tbsp Patak's Tikka Masala Curry Paste. Cook for a further few minutes, adding a little water if the mixture begins to stick.
Add the tomatoes and butter and allow to cook on a medium heat for 10 minutes. Add the saffron strands and roasted crushed cashew nuts and let the sauce simmer for half an hour then allow to cool a little.
Holding the chicken breast flat on the cutting board, slit it horizontally half way through, open out and flatten with a meat hammer. Keep to one side.
Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a clean pan and add the red onions. Cook for 3 - 4 minutes before stirring in the remaining 2 tbsp Patak's Tikka Masala Curry Paste. Cook for 3 more minutes then remove from the heat. Allow to cool slightly before mixing in the remaining ginger and green chilli, pistachio nuts, paneer, spinach and black pepper.
Stuff the inside of the chicken breast by placing some filling mixture in the middle of one half of the breast, then wrap over the other half of the breast, ensuring the filling is enclosed.
Sear the stuffed chicken breasts in a hot pan with 1 tbsp oil, ensuring all sides of the breast have started to brown. Place on a baking sheet and roast in a pre-heated oven at 180°C / 350°F / gas mark 4 for 15 - 20 minutes.
Once the sauce has cooked throuigh strain through a sieve and blend to a smooth consistency. Place back on the heat for 10 minutes before pouring in the honey and cream. Check the seasoning and add salt if required.
Check the chicken is cooked through and serve drizzled with the sauce.