Butter Chicken (Chicken Makhani)

Ingredients

• 0.5 kg boneless chicken (Cut into 1-inch pieces)
• 0.5 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder (Use up to ¾ teaspoon; or substitute paprika and adjust to taste)
• 0.25 tsp salt (For the initial marinade; adjust to taste)
• 0.75 tbsp lemon juice (Use up to 1 tablespoon)
• 0.333 cup Greek yogurt (Hung curd or thick curd)
• 0.75 tbsp ginger-garlic paste (Alternatively, use ½ tablespoon finely grated ginger plus ½ tablespoon finely grated garlic)
• 0.125 tsp turmeric (Optional)
• 0.75 tsp garam masala (Use up to 1 teaspoon in the marinade)
• 0.5 tsp cumin powder (Optional)
• 1 tsp coriander powder (Optional)
• 1 tsp kasuri methi (Optional dried fenugreek leaves)
• 0.75 tbsp oil (For sautéing and roasting; use up to 1 tablespoon)
• 2 tbsp butter or ghee (Divided; an additional tablespoon may be added at the end)
• 2 inch cinnamon (Optional whole piece)
• 2 green cardamoms (Use 2 to 4 pods; optional)
• 2 cloves (Use 2 to 4; optional)
• 1.5 cups onions (Sliced; optional, approximately 1 medium yellow onion)
• 600 g fresh tomatoes (Alternatively, use 1 cup passata or canned tomato purée, or ⅓ cup double-concentrated tomato paste)
• 0.75 tbsp ginger-garlic paste (For the sauce; alternatively use ½ tablespoon each finely grated ginger and garlic)
• 1 green chilies (Use 1 to 2; optional, deseeded and slit or chopped)
• 28 whole raw cashews (About ⅓ cup; soak in hot water. Substitute ¼ to ⅓ cup heavy cream for a nut-free version)
• 0.5 cup water (For blending; add more if required)
• 1 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder (For the sauce; use up to 2 teaspoons and reduce for children)
• 1 tsp garam masala (For the sauce; use up to 1½ teaspoons, divided)
• 1 tsp coriander powder (Optional; use up to 1½ teaspoons)
• 0.5 tsp cumin powder (Optional)
• 0.5 tsp salt (For the sauce; use up to ¾ teaspoon and adjust to taste)
• 1 tsp sugar (To balance the flavors)
• 0.5 tbsp kasuri methi (Crushed dried fenugreek leaves)
• 1.5 cups hot water (For making the gravy; use 1 cup if omitting cashews)
• 0.333 cup heavy cream (Use ⅓ cup, or up to ½ cup; whipping cream, divided)
• 2 tbsp coriander leaves (Finely chopped, for garnish)

Steps

1. 1

   Combine the chicken with the lemon juice, initial chili powder, and initial salt. Cover and rest for 20 minutes.

2. 2

   Add the yogurt, kasuri methi, oil, turmeric, ginger-garlic paste, coriander powder, cumin powder, and garam masala to the chicken. Mix thoroughly, cover, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight for the best flavor.

3. 3

   If using onion, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and sauté for about 7 minutes, until lightly golden but not deeply browned. Cool slightly.

4. 4

   Blend the tomatoes, sautéed onion, soaked cashews, and blending water until completely smooth. If preferred, blend the cashews separately with water into a smooth cream. Strain the purée if it is not smooth.

5. 5

   Bring the marinated chicken out of the refrigerator so it can come closer to room temperature while you prepare the sauce.

6. 6

   Melt the butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add the cinnamon, cardamoms, and cloves. Cook until the whole spices begin to sizzle.

7. 7

   Add the sauce ginger-garlic paste and green chilies. Fry over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes, until fragrant, taking care not to burn the aromatics.

8. 8

   Turn off the heat. Stir in the sauce chili powder, garam masala, cumin powder, and coriander powder so the spices do not scorch.

9. 9

   Add the tomato-cashew purée and mix well. Partially cover the pan and bring the sauce to a boil over medium-high heat.

10. 10

    Reduce the heat to low or medium and cook the purée, stirring occasionally, until it becomes thick and traces of fat appear on the surface.

11. 11

    Pour in the hot water for the gravy. Simmer for 10 minutes, until the sauce thickens again and visible traces of fat appear on top. Remove and discard the whole spices if desired.

12. 12

    Heat a griddle or skillet over medium heat and spread about 1 tablespoon of the divided butter or ghee over its surface.

13. 13

    Place the marinated chicken pieces on the hot pan, leaving a little space between them. Cook for about 2 minutes, then turn the pieces.

14. 14

    Continue roasting until the marinade has dried and the chicken is just cooked. Do not burn or overcook it, since it will finish cooking in the gravy. Work in 2 to 3 batches as needed.

15. 15

    Add the roasted chicken to the butter chicken gravy. If the sauce is too thick, add up to about ½ cup additional hot water.

16. 16

    Cover and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes, until the chicken is tender and the flavors have developed.

17. 17

    Stir in the remaining salt, sugar, and kasuri methi. Taste and adjust the seasoning; add more garam masala or an optional tablespoon of butter if desired.

18. 18

    Turn off the heat and stir in the heavy cream. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and, if desired, a drizzle of additional cream. Serve hot with turmeric rice, steamed basmati rice, butter naan, or cumin rice.

Notes

The gravy can be prepared ahead and refrigerated; roast the marinated chicken when ready and add it after reheating the gravy. For freezing, cool the dish quickly, refrigerate for an hour, then transfer to freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator for 24 hours and add the cream during reheating. For a nut-free version, replace the cashews with ¼ to ⅓ cup heavy cream and reduce the gravy water to 1 cup.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• Indian
• curry
• gluten-free
• high-protein
• stovetop
• make-ahead