Bombay chicken

Ingredients

• 1 small whole chicken .
• 5 tbsp tikka masala paste .
• 1 tbsp sunflower oil .
• 1 large red onion, halved and sliced.
• 2 large tomatoes, halved and chopped.
• 1 tbsp fenugreek seeds.
• 1 thumb-sized piece ginger
  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  , grated.
• 2 x 400g cans full-fat coconut milk.
• 500g new potatoes
  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  , halved.
• 100g baby spinach.
• 25g pack coriander, torn, to serve.
• poppadums and chutney, to serve (optional).

Method

1. Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 6. Put the chicken on a chopping board and, using your hands, rub the skin generously with half the spice paste. Season well, tie the legs together and set aside.
2. Heat the oil in a large flameproof casserole dish over a medium heat. Add the onion and a good pinch of salt and cook for 5 mins or until beginning to soften. Add the tomatoes, fenugreek seeds, ginger and remaining spice paste, and cook for 3 mins more. Stir through the coconut milk and bring to a simmer. Add the chicken and the potatoes to the dish, and cook in the oven for 20 mins, uncovered.
3. Lower the heat to 180C/160C fan/ gas 4 and cook for 55 mins more. Check that the meat is cooked by cutting through one of its legs – the flesh shouldn’t be pink.
4. Remove the chicken and place on a chopping board. Stir the spinach through the sauce and leave to rest for 5 mins. Put the chicken back in the dish, top with the coriander and carve at the table. Serve with poppadums and chutney, if you like.