Packed with flavour, this lighter slimming-friendly, slow-cooked, spicy Chicken Rogan Josh really hits the spot. Just the thing when you’re trying to eat lighter !
Are you on a bit of a January health kick like me?
Ha ha I like the way that sounds like I’m going to be all about the fitness and good eating for a month. In reality January is so far, more of a comfortable warm-up.
A few workouts and some healthy meals, interspersed with the odd G&T and bar of chocolate.
That probably means I’ll be looking at a gradual weight loss from the pounds I put on over Xmas (and most of last year if I’m honest). But I want those pounds to disappear faster!!! because:
a. I’m lazy. As much as I like the idea of running and lifting weights, and early-morning workout sessions, I just want the results without having to do all that stuff.
b. I’m greedy. I like big portions, snacking and basically planning my day around food.
I’m pretty sure I’m not alone on this.
Fortunately meals like this richly spiced chicken rogan josh mean I can look forward to a delicious dinner, and it’s actually pretty bloomin healthy!
So how to we make it?
First we marinate the chicken in a mixture of fat free yogurt, ginger, garlic, turmeric, cumin and black pepper. It needs a good mixture together and then to be covered and refrigerated for around 30 minutes.
- Then, if your slow cooker has a searing function like my crockpot (<– affiliate link) we brown the chicken in a few sprays of frylite (or other low cal spray). If your slow cooker hasn’t got a searing function, you can do this part in a frying pan/skillet. Then remove the chicken and place in a bowl.
- Add chopped onions, red peppers, chopped chillies, the stalks from a small bunch of coriander (cilantro), cloves, cinnamon, cumin, coriander, paprika, salt, pepper and tomato puree to the pan. Cook for 5 mins, then add a good splash of stock and carefully (cover if needed) whizz into a puree with a hand blender (or transfer to a food processor if you prefer).
- Add the cooked chicken to the pan with the curry sauce you’ve just whizzed up. Add stock, tinned chopped tomatoes and cardamom. Stir and bring to a simmer, then slow cook on high for 3 hours or low for 5-6 hours.
Whilst the Rogan Josh is cooking, I like to make an onion, mint and tomato salad by mixing all of the salad ingredients together in a small bowl with a pinch of salt and pepper.
Serve the Rogan Josh with a dollop of plain yogurt and the tomato and onion salad. If you’re affording yourself a few extra calories then I’d recommend serving up some homemade chapatis too.
I’m using Frylite instead of regular oil for this syn free curry, and I’m flavouring with tomatoes, garlic and lots of spices. No creamy coconut milk or double cream in this rogan josh! It really does taste rich, delicious and satisfying.
If you’re on slimming world – this rogan josh recipe is a great free dinner option – so long as you use the fat-free yogurt.
More Lighter Recipes:
If you like this lighter curry then why not try my:
- Healthier Slow Cooked Spicy Beef Curry
- Skinny Thai Green Curry (includes my homemade green curry paste!)
- Winter Noodle Salad with my favourite miso dressing
- Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps
- Healthier Thai Red Curry – without the shop bought sauce
- Chicken and Red Pepper Pasta
- Lots more to choose from in my skinny recipe section too
Chicken thighs or breast?
I’ve used breast for this recipe, but you can use boneless, skinless chicken thighs if you prefer. I often swap between the two. I find chicken breast is easier to slice and prepare, but chicken thighs are juicier.
Can I make it ahead?
Yes, you can make the rogan josh ahead, then cool, cover and refrigerate for up to two days. Reheat in a pan over a medium heat until the chicken is hot throughout.
Can I freeze this chicken rogan josh?
Yes, you can. Freeze in freezer-proof container with lid as soon as the rogan josh is cool. Defrost overnight in the fridge, then reheat the curry in a pan – as per above.
Gluten free curry:
Yes, use gluten free stock and ensure your tomato puree/paste is gluten free too, and you’re good to go.
Can I cook it in the oven or on the hob instead?
Yes. If you want to cook this in the oven, preheat it to 150C/300F. Place a lid on the pan at the end of step 4, and cook in the oven for 1 1/2 – 2 hours – check and stir once or twice during cooking.
Alternatively, you can cover and cook on the hob for 1 1/2 – 2 hours on a low heat, stirring regularly.
More Curry Recipes for you to try
- Chicken Madras <One of Chris’s favourites
- Slow Cooked Beef Massaman Curry
- Chinese Style Curry with Juicy Meatballs
- Persian Style Chicken Curry With Walnuts and Pomegranate
- Easy From Scratch Thai Yellow Curry With Fish
- Healthier Slow Cooked Spicy Beef Curry
- Chicken Jalfrezi with homemade Pilau rice
Watch How To Make It
Healthier Slow Cooked Spicy Chicken Rogan Josh
Ingredients
Marinade:
- 2 tsp minced ginger
- 4 cloves of garlic peeled and minced
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 4 tbsp natural yogurt (use fat-free to make it syn free on slimming world)
- 4 chicken breasts chopped into bite-size chunks
Rogan Josh:
- 10 squirts Frylight spray (or other 1 cal-per-spray oil)
- 2 onions peeled and finely chopped
- 2 red peppers deseeded and chopped
- 3 fresh red chillies finely chopped
- ½ a bunch of fresh coriander (cilantro) chopped (chop the stalks too and keep those separate)
- 3 whole cloves
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp cumin
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 2 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp tomato puree (or paste)
- 240 ml (1 cup) chicken stock water plus a stock cube is fine, use bouillon for gluten-free
- 400 g (14 oz) tin chopped tomatoes
- 4 cardamom pods thread them onto a piece of cotton so you can fish them out easier later
Onion, mint and tomato salad
- ½ bunch of fresh mint finely chopped
- 10 cherry tomatoes quartered
- ¼ onion peeled and finely diced
- pinch salt
- pinch ground black pepper
Serve with:
- natural yogurt (use fat-free to make it syn free on slimming world)
- small bunch fresh mint roughly torn
- boiled rice (or cauliflower rice)
Instructions
- Place the ginger and garlic in a bowl, along with the turmeric, cumin, pepper and yoghurt. Mix together, then add in the chicken pieces and mix again. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.2 tsp minced ginger, 4 cloves of garlic, 1 tsp ground turmeric, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper, 4 tbsp natural yogurt, 4 chicken breasts
- Spray 10 squirts of frylight in a large frying pan (or the insert to your slow cooker if you can use it on the hob, like mine). I use this https://geni.us/KScrockpot <–affiliate link), turn the heat to high and add the marinaded chicken. Lightly brown all over (should take about 8-10 minutes) Remove the chicken and place in a bowl.10 squirts Frylight spray
- Add the onions, red peppers, chopped chillies, the stalks from the coriander (cilantro), cloves, cinnamon, cumin, coriander, paprika, salt, pepper and tomato puree to the pan. Cook for 5 mins on a medium heat, stirring regularly, until the onion starts to soften. Turn off the heat, add 4 tbsp of the stock and carefully (cover if needed) whizz into a puree with a hand blender (or transfer to a food processor if you prefer).2 onions, 2 red peppers, 3 fresh red chillies, ½ a bunch of fresh coriander (cilantro), 3 whole cloves, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp cumin, 2 tsp ground coriander, 2 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, 2 tbsp tomato puree (or paste), 240 ml (1 cup) chicken stock
- Add the puree back into the pan, then add the chicken, remaining stock, chopped tomatoes and cardamom. Stir and bring to a simmer, then transfer to your slow cooker.400 g (14 oz) tin chopped tomatoes, 4 cardamom pods
- Cook on high for 3 hours or low for 5-6 hours. Alternatively, you can cover and cook on the hob for 1 1/2-2 hours on a low heat, stirring regularly.
- Whilst the Rogan Josh is cooking, make the onion, mint and tomato salad by mixing all of the salad ingredients together in a small bowl.½ bunch of fresh mint, 10 cherry tomatoes, 1/4 onion, pinch salt, pinch ground black pepper
- Once cooked, serve the Rogan Josh topped with a spoonful of natural yogurt, some torn/chopped fresh mint and the coriander leaves from earlier (the ones you removed the stalks from).natural yogurt, small bunch fresh mint
- Serve with the onion, mint and tomato salad, plus some boiled rice or even pilau rice if you like.boiled rice (or cauliflower rice)
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This post was first published in February 2018. Updated in January 2020 with video, tips and step-by-step photos.
Even MORE Delicious Curries:
Equipment:
In order to make this slow-cooker Rogan Josh you will need:
- Slow Cooker. We love our crockpot!
- A good Kitchen knife. In the video I use my Leiths knife however I have recently bought this Dalstrong one and love it.
- Chopping Board
- Garlic Press
- Measuring Spoons
- Frying Pan/Skillet
- Wooden or Silicon Coated Spoons.
Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links – which means if you buy the product I get a small commission (at no extra cost to you). If you do buy, then thank you! That’s what helps us to keep Kitchen Sanctuary running. The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors. For more information please see our Terms & Conditions.te
This looks so lovely – and syn free! Can’t wait to try it
2 tbsp sugar + 2 tbsp of Tandoori Masala and a squirt of Tabasco sauce brings this to a new level.
Vern good clear instructions & great results !
This was amazing…really lovely flavour, will definitely make again, although would reduce amount of chillies as was too spicy for me & 1 son. Hubby & other son found it ok.
I loved it, I normally have lamb Rogan Josh and that bit of spice great just right.
Hey, I don’t have thread so am wondering could I grind up the cardamom seeds and use that instead of threading the pods? Thanks!
Yes, you could grind them, but just use a pinch, as the flavour will be stronger.
Good recipe but there are too many ads, makes this site almost unusable
Extremelly tasty & worth all the preparation. We hadn’t got any fresh chillies so used a teaspoon of crushed chillies instead, the heat was just right. Lots of flavour and we enjoyed every mouthful. The chicken just fell apart as it had been done in the slow cooker on low for 7 hours. Can’t wait to try more meals.
Yay thanks Karen
So glad you enjoyed the curry 🙂
Thanks
Chris & Nicky
Instead of 4 cloves of garlic how much minced garlic is equivalent
moose_sutton@ hotmail. com
Hi William,
I would substitute 1.5 – 2 tsp of minced garlic.
Thanks
Chris