Chicken tikka lentil and spinach salad

Including more legumes in the diet has been associated with significantly improving menstrual cyclicity and reducing anovulation in women. This recipe still includes some animal protein (chicken) but is a great way to incorporate more plant based proteins into your diet and a good intro- meal for those less willing to eat legumes.

If you are pregnant then remember to serve the chicken cooked and heated through to atleast 70°C.

Ingredients:

Salad:

• 4 spring onions

• 1 tsp mustard seeds

• ½ tsp cumin seeds

• 1 tin rinsed and drained lentils

• Red wine vinegar

• 1 bunch coriander fresh, and stalks

• 1 Lemon

• 4 tbsp yogurt

• 2 tbsp cashews

• 1 tbsp mango chutney (works well with any chutney actually!)

• 1 tsp turmeric

• 1 bag of baby spinach/ salad greens

• ½ cucumber (if not in season- use 1 cup frozen beans, thawed and drained) grated or cut into ribbons using a peeler

• 2 carrots (grated or cut into ribbons)

• 1 splash of Olive Oil

• 1/2 -1 naan bread to serve per person

Chicken:

• 450 g Chicken breast fillet, skinless

• 2 tbsp Patak’s Tikka Masala Paste

• 4 mushrooms

Method:

1. On a large sheet of baking paper, toss the chicken with salt, pepper and the tikka paste.

2. Place the chicken on a hot griddle pan with the halved mushrooms, turning after 3 or 4 minutes, until nicely charred and cooked through.

3. While the chicken is cooking, trim and finely slice the spring onions and half the chilli.

4. Put the mustard and cumin seeds and 2 tablespoons of oil into a frying pan, followed by the sliced spring onion.

5. Toss occasionally for a couple of minutes, then turn the heat off.

6. Rip the coriander stalks into a food processor (or a bowl to blend with a stick blender) with the juice of 1 lemon, the yogurt, cashews, mango chutney and turmeric, then whiz up until smooth.

7. Remove the cooked chicken and mushrooms from the griddle then add the naan breads to the pan to heat.

8. Tip the baby spinach on to a serving board or platter, scatter over the lentils, red wine vinegar, cucumber or beans and carrot over the top, then sprinkle over the mushrooms.

9. Slice the chicken and naan and arrange on top, then spoon over the dressing.

10. Finish with the coriander leaves and serve with lemon wedges.

Enjoy!