Butter Chicken Recipe

Similar to Chicken Tikka Masala, Butter Chicken is one of the most popular curries at any Indian restaurant around the world. Aromatic golden chicken pieces in an incredible creamy curry sauce, this Butter Chicken recipe is one of the best you will try! You will love how easy it is to make in the comfort of your own home, especially with garlic butter rice and fresh homemade Naan bread.

What Is Butter Chicken?

Butter chicken is prepared with marinated chicken that’s first grilled and then served in a rich gravy (a.k.a. curry) made with tomato, butter, and a special spice blend as a base.

Unlike most Indian curries where the preparation of the base starts with a blend of onion and a ginger garlic paste cooked in oil, butter chicken uses tomato as a base and is cooked in butter, giving it a slightly sweet flavor. Cashews and almonds add to the sweetness and richness of the dish.

Also Read: Authentic Saag Paneer Recipe

The Spices for Butter Chicken

Kashmiri Lal Mirch: Butter chicken gets its bright color and its name from Kashmiri Lal Mirch, a variety of red chile from the northern region of Kashmir. I usually buy mine from our local Indian store but online retailers carry great varieties, too. (To cheat, though, if you can’t find this spice, add a couple drops of red food coloring to brighten up the dish.)

Ginger Garlic Paste: Traditionally, freshly grated ginger and garlic are used for the paste but if you’d like to speed up the process you can also buy a jar of ginger garlic paste from a local specialty food store or order one online, such as Rani Ginger Garlic paste.

Kasuri Methi: The real unsung hero in this symphony of spices is kasuri methi, a variety of fenugreek leaves. It’s added to the dish in a very small amount, but its earthy flavor balances the richness of cream and the depth of spices used in the dish. Takes the dish to up to a whole different level.

Also Read: Bruschetta Recipe

Butter chicken Recipe

Recipe by RecipeWikkiCourse: Main Course ChickenCuisine: IndianDifficulty: Medium

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

40

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

Calories

580

kcal

The roots of butter chicken are only as recent as the 1950s, when it was developed accidentally by the chef of famous restaurant Moti Mahal in Delhi, the capital of India. For chef Kundan Lal Gujral, it was a common practice to throw in butter, tomatoes, and leftover tandoori chicken into a pot to make use of the leftovers.

Little did he know that this dish would become their best seller and put them on the map. Now the recipe is adapted by restaurants across the world, though it’s really a “special occasion” dish in Indian homes.

Ingredients

• For the chicken marinade:

• 28 oz (800g) boneless and skinless chicken thighs or breasts cut into bite-sized pieces

• 1/2 cup plain yogurt

• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic

• 1 tablespoon minced ginger (or finely grated)

• 2 teaspoons garam masala

• 1 teaspoon turmeric

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1 teaspoon red chili powder

• 1 teaspoon of salt
  

• For the sauce:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 tablespoons ghee (or 1 tbs butter + 1 tbs oil)

• 1 large onion, sliced or chopped

• 1 1/2 tablespoons garlic, minced

• 1 tablespoon ginger, minced or finely grated

• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

• 1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala

• 14 oz (400 g) crushed tomatoes

• 1 teaspoon red chili powder (adjust to your taste preference)

• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt (or to taste)

• 1 cup of heavy or thickened cream (or evaporated milk to save calories)

• 1 tablespoon sugar

• 1/2 teaspoon kasoori methi (or dried fenugreek leaves)
  

Directions

• In a bowl, combine chicken with all of the ingredients for the chicken marinade; let marinate for 30 minutes to an hour (or overnight if time allows).
• Heat oil in a large skillet or pot over medium-high heat. When sizzling, add chicken pieces in batches of two or three, making sure not to crowd the pan. Fry until browned for only 3 minutes on each side. Set aside and keep warm. (You will finish cooking the chicken in the sauce.)
• Heat butter or ghee in the same pan. Fry the onions until they start to sweat (about 6 minutes) while scraping up any browned bits stuck on the bottom of the pan.
• Add garlic and ginger and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant, then add ground coriander, cumin and garam masala. Let cook for about 20 seconds until fragrant, while stirring occasionally.
• Add crushed tomatoes, chili powder and salt. Let simmer for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally until sauce thickens and becomes a deep brown red colour.
• Remove from heat, scoop mixture into a blender and blend until smooth. You may need to add a couple tablespoons of water to help it blend (up to 1/4 cup). Work in batches depending on the size of your blender.
• Pour the puréed sauce back into the pan. Stir the cream, sugar and crushed kasoori methi (or fenugreek leaves) through the sauce. Add the chicken with juices back into the pan and cook for an additional 8-10 minutes until chicken is cooked through and the sauce is thick and bubbling.
• Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve with fresh, hot garlic butter rice and fresh homemade Naan bread!

Notes

• OPTIONAL: To thin out the sauce, add a couple tablespoons of ghee or butter at the end of cooking, and gently simmer it through. Alternatively, add a small amount of water.
• If you have trouble finding the spices, you can substitute paprika for the Kashmiri Lal Mirch and skip the Kasuri Methi.