Tandoori Chicken Burger

Burger and a bhaji, what’s not to like? Tandoori Chicken Burger from Two Chubby Cubs feels really naughty, but even with a full bun it’s just under 500 calories, so treat yourself and don’t feel guilty.

The list of ingredients might seem a lot initially, but most of them are spices which won’t go to waste if you’re a regular follower of this blog (use the search option on the right hand side of this page to find other recipes). My photo above doesn’t do this justice, primarily because I overcooked the bhajis which I’d be more mindful of avoiding second time round. The Cubs recommend putting the onion bhaji mixture in a muffin tray to make them easier to cook. As novel as the concept is, I’d be happy just to scoff the tandoori chicken burger on its own – you’ll save time and calories and it still tastes fabbbuuuuuulllllloooouuuuussss, to quote John Barrowman.

Love a burger? Then you’ll bloody love these: chipotle pork burger, the gorgeous satay burger (also from Two Chubby Cubs), mediterranean beef burgers and turkey burgers and chips.

Recipe: Tandoori Chicken Burger  

Calories: 498 per serving

Serves: 1

Book: Two Chubby Cubs – The Cookbook

Prep time: Approx 15 mins plus marinating time (minimum of 1 hour or ideally overnight)

Cooking time: Approx 45 mins

Ingredients:

• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• 4 tbsp fat-free yoghurt
• 4 x 57g burger buns
• 4 tbsp mango chutney
• ½ a cucumber (sliced)

For the tandoori marinade:

• 1 tbsp ground coriander
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp hot chilli powder
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp mint sauce
• 2 tsp curry powder
• 2 tsp ground fenugreek
• 2 tbsp tandoori paste
• 4 cloves of garlic (crushed)
• 2.5cm ginger (peeled and very finely chopped)

For the onion bhajis:

• 3 brown onions (thinly sliced)
• 3 tbsp chickpea flour
• 2 tsp tomato puree
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp ground coriander

Cost per portion: Approx £2.04

Method:

Put all the marinade ingredients into a bowl along with 75ml of water and mix really well. Pop the chicken breasts into the bowl and mix well so all the chicken breasts are covered. Cover with cling film and leave to marinate in the fridge for at least an hour, or ideally overnight.

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees fan / gas mark 7 and line a baking sheet with greaseproof paper.

To make the bhajis, heat a large frying pan over a medium heat and spray with a little oil. Add the onions and spray well, then keep stirring occasionally until they start to soften and go translucent. Remove from the heat, add the rest of the bhaji ingredients to the pan along with 1 tbsp of water, and stir well.

Spoon the onion mixture onto the lined baking sheet, using 2 tablespoons per dollop, and flatten each dollop into a small burger shape. Spray with a bit of oil and bake in the oven for 45 minutes.

While the bhajis are baking, preheat the grill to medium-high and cook the chicken breasts until done.

Mix together the yoghurt and mint sauce, and slice the buns in half horizontally. Spread the mango chutney over each bottom half, then spoon some of the yoghurt sauce on top. Place the cucumber on top of the yoghurt. Top each one with a cooked chicken breast and an onion bhaji. Finish with some more sauce, if desired, and the top halves of the buns.