Chicken Tikka Masala With Spinach And Basmati
A comforting, creamy Indian classic packed with anti-inflammatory spices. Tender chicken, wilted spinach, and fluffy basmati rice make for a deeply satisfying, brain-boosting meal.
The perimenopause lens
A cautious perimenopause lens
These tags explain why the recipe may appear in Lila. They are prompts for noticing your own patterns—not evidence that this meal treats a symptom.
Perimenopause symptoms and relief · Office on Women’s HealthLow energy
Check how the whole meal lands
Food is one part of energy. Notice meal timing, sleep and symptoms together rather than assigning the result to one nutrient.
Track: energy 1–3 hours later
Joint discomfort
Bring patterns, not guesses
Record timing, severity and movement alongside meals or supplements. New, persistent or worsening pain needs clinical attention.
Track: stiffness + movement
Brain fog
Add the missing context
Sleep, stress, meals and symptoms overlap. Seeing them together is more useful than crediting one ingredient.
Track: focus + previous night
Fatigue
Separate a pattern from one day
Notice energy alongside sleep, meals and symptoms across several days. Ongoing fatigue deserves a clinical conversation.
Track: energy + previous night
Before you start
Your 40-minute game plan
Gather everything first, then tap ingredients and steps as you go.
Equipment
Large skillet · Colander
Time saver
This is a perfect batch-prep meal. The anti-inflammatory spices actually deepen in flavor as they sit overnight, making tomorrow's lunch even better.
Do these three things first
- 1Prep cup dry basmati rice (rinsed), cloves fresh garlic (minced)
- 2Set out all ingredients before cooking
- 3Measure the pantry ingredients before heating the pan
Ingredients
Gather as you go
Ingredients
From Your Pantry
Cook along
One clear step at a time
0 of 7 steps complete
Next: Cook the rice
- 01
Cook the rice
Cook the rice: Place the rinsed basmati rice in a small pot with the water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until tender (about 15 minutes).
Tap card to mark done - 02
Marinate the chicken
Marinate the chicken: In a medium bowl, toss the cubed chicken breast with the Greek yogurt, half of the minced garlic, half of the grated ginger, turmeric, garam masala, and a pinch of salt.
Tap card to mark done - 03
Brown the chicken
Brown the chicken: Heat half of the olive oil or ghee in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken breast and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until browned on the edges. It doesn't need to be fully cooked yet. Remove the chicken to a plate.
Tap card to mark done - 04
Build the sauce
Build the sauce: In the same skillet, reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining olive oil or ghee, the remaining garlic and ginger, cumin, and paprika or mild chili powder. Stir constantly for 1 minute until fragrant.
Tap card to mark done - 05
Simmer
Simmer: Pour in the crushed tomatoes and let the sauce simmer for 10 minutes to thicken and develop flavor.
Tap card to mark done - 06
Finish the dish
Finish the dish: Return the browned chicken to the skillet. Stir in the heavy cream and the fresh baby spinach. Simmer for 3 to 5 minutes until the chicken is completely cooked through and the spinach has wilted beautifully into the sauce.
Tap card to mark done - 07
Serve the creamy chicken and spinach tikka…
Serve the creamy chicken and spinach tikka masala over the cooked basmati rice.
Tap card to mark done
The nutrition underneath
Why this bowl holds together
Always rinse basmati rice in a…
Always rinse basmati rice in a fine-mesh strainer until the water runs clear. This removes excess surface starch, which keeps the grains fluffy and softens the immediate glycemic impact.
This is a perfect batch-prep meal
This is a perfect batch-prep meal. The anti-inflammatory spices actually deepen in flavor as they sit overnight, making tomorrow's lunch even better.
To save prep time
To save prep time, you can swap the fresh garlic and ginger for equal amounts of high-quality garlic and ginger paste from a jar.
Your symptoms change. Your plan should too.
One good meal is a start. Your whole week is better.
Tell Lila what you like, what you avoid and which symptoms are loud today. She’ll turn that context into meals, targets and small adjustments that fit real life.