Ayesha's Creamy Butter Chicken

Ingredients

• 1.5 lb Chicken (Pre-cooked or grilled (tikka style recommended))
• 4 tbsp Butter (Divided use)
• 2 Onions (Roughly chopped)
• 4 Tomatoes (Roughly chopped)
• 1 tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste (Freshly minced ginger and garlic)
• 0.25 cup Cashews (Raw whole cashews)
• 4 Green Cardamom (Whole pods)
• 1 tbsp Dried Fenugreek Leaves (Kasuri Methi, crushed between palms)
• 1 tsp Garam Masala (Added at the end)
• 0.5 cup Fresh Cream (Heavy cream)

Steps

1. 1

   In a large pan or pot, melt half of the butter over medium heat. Add the chopped onions, tomatoes, ginger, garlic, cashews, and green cardamom pods.

2. 2

   Cook the mixture until the vegetables are very soft and the tomatoes have broken down completely. Add a splash of water if the mixture starts to stick.

3. 3

   Transfer the cooked mixture to a blender and process until completely smooth and velvety. For an extra smooth restaurant finish, you can pass this sauce through a fine-mesh sieve.

4. 4

   Pour the blended sauce back into the pan. Roast the sauce over medium-low heat, stirring frequently. Do not rush this step; continue until the color deepens slightly and the flavors concentrate.

5. 5

   Add your pre-cooked chicken pieces to the sauce. Stir in the dried fenugreek leaves (Kasuri Methi) and garam masala.

6. 6

   Let the curry simmer gently on low heat. You will know it is ready when you see the oil begin to separate and rise to the top.

7. 7

   Finish the dish by stirring in the fresh cream and the remaining butter. Serve hot with naan or basmati rice.

Notes

The key to this recipe is the 'roasting' of the blended sauce to deepen the flavor and the final simmer to achieve oil separation. If the sauce is too thick, thin it with a small amount of water or milk before adding the cream.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• dinner
• indian
• butter chicken
• creamy
• curry
• poultry