Ayesha’s Creamy Butter Chicken

Ingredients

• 1.5 lb boneless chicken (Cooked before adding to the sauce; cut into bite-size pieces.)
• 4 tbsp butter (Divided between the sauce and finishing.)
• 1 yellow onion (Roughly chopped.)
• 4 tomatoes (Roughly chopped; use ripe medium tomatoes.)
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger (Chopped or grated.)
• 4 cloves garlic (Peeled.)
• 0.25 cup raw cashews (Unsalted.)
• 2 tbsp ground spices (The transcript refers to spices in the caption, but the caption supplied here does not specify which spices or their individual amounts. A typical blend may include Kashmiri chili powder, ground cumin, and ground coriander.)
• salt (To taste.)
• 1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi) (Crush between your fingers before adding.)
• 1 tsp garam masala (Adjust to taste.)
• 0.5 cup heavy cream (Fresh cream, added at the end.)

Steps

1. 1

   Prepare the ingredients: chop the onion and tomatoes, grate or chop the ginger, peel the garlic, and cut the already-cooked chicken into bite-size pieces. Set the chicken aside while making the sauce.

2. 2

   Melt about half of the butter in a large, heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, tomatoes, ginger, garlic, cashews, ground spices, and salt. Stir to coat everything in the butter.

3. 3

   Cook the mixture over medium heat until the onions and tomatoes are very soft and the cashews have softened, about 15–20 minutes. Stir occasionally so the mixture does not scorch; it should smell fragrant and look jammy.

4. 4

   Remove the pan from the heat and let the mixture cool briefly. Transfer it to a blender and blend until completely smooth, adding a small splash of water only if needed to help the blades move. Take care when blending hot ingredients.

5. 5

   Pour the blended sauce back into the pan. Return it to medium-low heat and cook, stirring frequently, until the color deepens slightly and the sauce becomes glossy. This roasting step develops the flavor, so do not rush it; cook for about 8–10 minutes.

6. 6

   Add the cooked chicken to the roasted sauce and stir until every piece is coated. Add the crushed dried fenugreek leaves and garam masala.

7. 7

   Lower the heat and simmer gently for about 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is hot throughout and the sauce has thickened. Look for a glossy layer of butter or oil separating at the surface.

8. 8

   Add the fresh cream and the remaining butter. Stir gently until the butter melts and the sauce becomes smooth, creamy, and rich. Avoid boiling vigorously after adding the cream.

9. 9

   Taste and adjust the salt and spices. Serve hot, ideally with naan, roti, or basmati rice.

Notes

The supplied caption does not contain the promised full ingredient list or measurements, so quantities are estimated from a typical four-serving butter chicken. The transcript specifically emphasizes cooking the vegetable mixture until soft, blending it smooth, roasting the blended sauce until its color deepens, simmering with chicken until oil separates, and finishing with cream and butter.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• South Asian
• Indian-inspired
• chicken
• creamy
• stovetop
• comfort food
• gluten-free