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How To Make Butter Chicken

Butter chicken, known in Hindi as Murgh Makhani, is perhaps the most popular Indian dish in the world. It is one of those dishes that will stop you in your tracks the moment they arrive at the table. Whether you’re scooping it up with a soft piece of naan or letting it soak into a mound of fluffy basmati rice, every mouthful delivers pure comfort.
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Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lbs Boneless Chicken breast or chicken thigh

For Marinating

  • 1.5 tbsp Ginger garlic paste
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • 3 tbsp yogurt
  • 3 tbsp Tandoori Masala spice
  • 2 tbsp neutral oil
  • 0.5 tsp Kashmiri Chilli powder

For the gravy

  • 1 Medium Onion
  • 400 g Red tomatoes
  • 14 Cashew nuts
  • 0.5 inch Knob of Ginger
  • 8 Garlic cloves
  • 1.5 tbsp Oil
  • 3 Green cardamoms
  • 1 Small piece of Cinnamon
  • 3 Cloves
  • 1 Black cardamom
  • 1 Bay leaf
  • 1 tbsp Kashmiri Chilli powder
  • Salt to taste
  • 3 tbsp Butter
  • 1 tsp fenugreek powder
  • 200 ml water
  • 3 tbsp heavy cream

Method
 

  1. Cut the chicken breast or thighs into generous 2-inch chunks
  2. Marinate it by adding ginger-garlic paste, salt, lemon juice, tandoori masala spice, yogurt, oil, Kashmiri Chilli powder,
  3. Stir everything together to coat the chicken pieces well.
  4. Cover the bowl and marinate for at least 2 hours or overnight
  5. Heat a skillet over medium heat with tablespoons of oil.
  6.  Add the spices to the warm oil to bloom ( cloves, cinnamon stick, green cardamoms, black cardamom, and bay leaf)
  7. Sauté the spices over low heat for 1 minut
  8. Add the sliced onions and fry them
  9. Add chopped ginger and garlic cloves
  10. Add the cashew nuts. Stir to combine and cook everything for about 6 minutes
  11. Once the onions have softened, add the chopped tomatoes
  12. Season with salt and Kashmiri chili powder. Mix well
  13. Add the butter and stir
  14. Pour in water, stir, cover with a lid, and simmer over gentle heat for 15 minutes
  15. Once timer is up and tomatoes have cooked and fully softened,  remove the black cardamom and bay leaf
  16.  Let the sauce cool uncovered for 15 minutes
  17. Once cool, transfer the mixture to a blender and blend until smooth
  18. Remove the sauce from the blender and strain it through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl and set it aside.
  19. Over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of neutral oil to a skillet
  20. Transfer the marinated chicken pieces to the skillet in batches. Cook each side for about 3 to 4 minutes.
  21. Flip the chicken to ensure both sides are cooked through
  22. Once done, turn off the heat and transfer the chicken to a plate.
  23. In the same skillet over low heat, add about 2 tablespoons of butter
  24. Once the butter is melted, add the sieved sauce
  25. Stir and let it cook for about 3 minutes over low heat while stirring
  26. Add 1/2 tablespoon of powdered fenugreek leaves. Stir and cook on low heat for about 1 minute.
  27. Add the cooked chicken pieces into the sauce.
  28. Gently stir to combine, cover, and simmer on low heat for about 8 to 10 minutes
  29. Add in 3 tablespoons of heavy cream and stir
  30. Simmer on low heat for 2 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning accordingly
  31.  If sauce feels too sharp, add a teaspoon of sugar 
  32. Your butter chicken is ready; turn off the heat
  33.  Let it rest for 5 minutes before serving
  34. Serve it over rice with some naan and enjoy!