Butter Chicken
Butter Chicken
Ingredients
Chicken:
- 2 lbs boneless chicken thighs cut into medium pieces
- 1 tbsp ginger paste
- 1 tbsp garlic paste
- 1 tbsp tandoori paste
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 1 tsp Kashmiri chili powder
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1/4 cup Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup oil
Sauce:
- 4 tbsp butter
- 1 cup cubed onion
- 1 tbsp ginger paste
- 1 tbsp garlic paste
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 1 tsp Kashmiri chili powder
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
- 1/4 cup Greek yogurt
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 cup diced tomatoes fresh or canned
- 1 tbsp almond powder
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1.5 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 tsp kasuri methi dried fenugreek leaves
Instructions
Chicken:
- Marinate chicken with all the ingredients listed under “Chicken” except for the oil.
- Heat oil and sear the chicken pieces on both sides. Work in batches so the pan is not overcrowded. The chicken does not need to cook through, they just need to be lightly browned. Remove from pan and set aside.
Sauce:
- In the same pan, melt butter. Then add onions and sauté until golden.
- Add ginger paste, garlic paste, and all spices (salt, coriander powder, cumin powder, Kashmiri chili powder, garam masala, and turmeric). Sauté covered until the oil separates. You can add a splash of water to prevent burning.
- Add Greek yogurt, tomato paste, diced tomatoes, almond powder, and sugar. Sauté for another 2-3 minutes.
- Transfer to a blender or food processor and purée until you have a smooth paste. Return to pan.
- Add heavy cream to form a creamy sauce.
- Add chicken and simmer covered for about 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through (test a piece). If you want it to be saucier, you can add more heavy cream or milk.
- Sprinkle kasuri methi on top. Enjoy with naan or rice.
What is Butter Chicken?
Butter Chicken is a curry dish from India that is also known as chicken makhni. Its specialty is a buttery, creamy sauce, which is where the name comes from. Tender pieces of chicken are simmered in the sauce and you are left with the most finger-licking delicious curry dish you will ever taste. It’s one of my most favorite things in the world (not even limited to just food!) so of course I had to perfect this recipe. After many trials, this is the version that yields a dish that meets all my needs.
The Steps, in a Nutshell
There are two main components to butter chicken: the chicken and the sauce. Shortcut recipes will tell you to make the sauce and then just add the chicken. But you absolutely need to marinate and sear the chicken first in order to get the best flavor. You can even brown the chicken in the oven or sear on a grill, but I prefer using the same pan that I will finish cooking in. Who needs more things to wash?
The sauce starts off heavy on the butter, then the rest of the ingredients are sautéed together (the ”bhuna” stage). Once you have a thick masala, you have to blend it so it’s nice and smooth. One of the best parts of butter chicken is that silky smooth sauce, and you can only achieve that by blending the masala. Now, I’ve tried using an immersion blender to cut down on things to wash, but the results were nowhere as good as using an actual blender or food processor. This step is annoying, but 100% worth the effort, I promise! When you put the masala paste back in the pan and stir in heavy cream, you’ll be left with the most amazing sauce. By the way, you can make this exact sauce and add paneer, vegetables, or shrimp instead of chicken.
So now that your sauce is ready, it’s time for the chicken to go back in. If there’s any liquid sitting under the chicken pieces, throw that in too. Simmer until the chicken is nice and tender. You want soft chicken in this dish! The finishing touch is that kasuri methi sprinkled on top. This gives it a beautiful aroma and that restaurant quality touch.
And Finally…
If you make this dish, please don’t forget to leave a star rating and comment below. And tag me on Instagram so I can see your recreation!