Naan Topped Chicken Tikka Pie

Naan Topped Chicken Tikka Pie served in a white baking dish
  • 4 servings
  • 50 minutes to prepare
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Ingredients

  • For The Topping
  • 3 readymade naan breads
  • OR For The Homemade Naan
  • 1/4 tsp dried yeast
  • 1/2 tsp sugar
  • 175g strong white bread flour plus extra for dusting
  • 50g natural yoghurt
  • 30g unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 tsp nigella seeds
  • For The Tikka Filling
  • 6-8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs, diced
  • 4tbsp tikka paste
  • 1tbsp neutral oil, like sunflower
  • 1/2 cauliflower, chopped into florets
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 2 / 400g sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
  • 1 x 400g tin green lentils, drained and rinsed
  • 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
  • 120g natural yoghurt
  • 2tbsp mango chutney
  • 250ml chicken stock
  • For the yoghurt mint dressing
  • 8 sprigs fresh mint
  • 2tsp lemon juice
  • 1 clove crushed garlic
  • 220g natural yoghurt
  • Sea salt and cracked black pepper
  • To Garnish
  • 15g coriander, roughly chopped

Instructions

A hearty, family friendly meal, this chicken tikka ‘pie’ is the perfect fakeaway!

To Make the Homemade Naan

  1. Mix the yeast, sugar and 75ml lukewarm water in a small bowl and set aside for 5 minutes until starting to bubble. In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and 1/2 tsp fine salt. Add the yeast mixture, yoghurt and 1 tbsp of the melted butter to the flour and mix with a fork until soft and sticky. Knead for 10 minutes, until very elastic – this is easiest in a stand mixer on low speed, but you can knead by hand on the work surface for 10 minutes or in a food processor for 5 minutes.
  2. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface. Fold each corner of the dough into the middle, then turn the ball over and tuck in all the edges to make a smooth ball. Clean the mixing bowl and lightly oil the inside, then place the dough inside, folded sides down. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.
  3. Punch down the dough to remove the air and reshape into a tight ball (if using a round dish) or a rough rectangle/square (depending on the shape of your baking dish). Leave to rise again until doubled in size, about 1 hour. When the dough begins its second rise, start preparing the filling.

For The Chicken Tikka Masala Filling

  1. Mix the chicken thighs with the tikka paste until you have an even coating and set aside.
  2. Boil a large pan of water and blanch the cauliflower for 2 minutes. Remove the cauliflower with a slotted spoon and place to one side, keeping the water in the pan. Add the sweet potato to the water and cook for 5 minutes, then drain.
  3. Add the diced onion to a deep frying pan on a medium heat. Gently cook until softened.
  4. Add the coated chicken thighs to the pan and seal on a high heat. Once the chicken thighs are sealed, reduce the heat back down to medium heat.
  5. Add the chopped tomatoes, mango chutney, green lentils, cauliflower and sweet potato to the pan of chicken.
  6. Now add the chicken stock and bring to a gentle simmer for a few minutes. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the yoghurt.
  7. Transfer the contents of the pan to a medium sized oven proof dish.
  8. If using homemade naan: When the dough has finished its second rise, lightly flour the work surface, place the dough in the centre and lightly flour the dough. Press down in the centre of the dough, then work your way out, pressing and stretching the dough from the centre outwards, making a rough circle (or baking dish shape) the same size as your dish. Try not to press out all the air (a rolling pin also presses out the air), as it will make the naan tough. Carefully lift the dough onto the pie to completely cover the filling – it’s okay if the dough overlaps the dish.
    Brush the dough with 1/2 tbsp of the remaining melted butter, sprinkle over the nigella seeds and a good pinch of sea salt. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove from the oven and brush the naan with the last 1/2 tbsp butter.
  9. If using readymade naan: Alternatively, cover the baking dish with tin foil or an oven-proof lid and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, take off the tin foil and arrange torn naan breads evenly over the filling. Sprinkle the naan breads with 2 tbsp water, return to the oven and bake for a further 3-4 minutes, until the naan topping is hot, but still soft.
  10. For the yoghurt dressing: place all the ingredients into a blender and pulse until smooth.

Storage

The naan bread topping is best eaten straight after cooking. Store leftover chicken curry in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost thoroughly in the fridge before reheating. Reheat in the oven at 170℃/150℃ fan/gas mark 3 1/2 for 15 minutes, or in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, until piping hot all the way through

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