Butter Chicken (Indian Chicken Makhani)

Ingredients

• 0.5 kg boneless chicken (Cut into 1-inch pieces)
• 0.5 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder (Or paprika; adjust to taste and reduce for children)
• 0.25 tsp salt (Adjust to taste)
• 0.875 tbsp lemon juice
• 0.333 cup Greek yogurt (Hung curd or thick curd)
• 0.75 tbsp ginger garlic paste (Or use ½ tbsp finely grated ginger plus ½ tbsp finely grated garlic)
• 0.125 tsp turmeric (Optional; haldi)
• 0.875 tsp garam masala (Adjust to taste)
• 0.5 tsp cumin powder (Optional)
• 1 tsp coriander powder (Optional)
• 1 tsp kasuri methi (Dried fenugreek leaves; optional)
• 0.875 tbsp oil
• 2.5 tbsp butter (Or ghee; divided)
• 2 inch cinnamon (Optional piece)
• 3 green cardamoms (Optional)
• 3 cloves (Optional)
• 1.5 cup onions (Sliced; optional)
• 600 g fresh tomatoes (Or 1 cup passata/canned tomato puree, or ⅓ cup double-concentrate tomato paste)
• 0.75 tbsp ginger garlic paste (Or ½ tbsp each finely grated ginger and garlic)
• 1.5 green chilies (Optional; deseed and slit or chop)
• 28 whole raw cashews (⅓ cup; soak in hot water. Substitute ¼ to ⅓ cup heavy cream)
• 0.5 cup water (For blending; more if required)
• 1.5 tsp Kashmiri chili powder (Reduce for children; adjust to taste)
• 1.25 tsp garam masala (Divided; adjust to taste)
• 1.25 tsp coriander powder (Optional; adjust to taste)
• 0.5 tsp cumin powder (Optional; adjust to taste)
• 0.625 tsp salt (Adjust to taste)
• 1 tsp sugar (To balance the flavors)
• 0.5 tbsp kasuri methi (Dried fenugreek leaves)
• 1 cup hot water (For the gravy; reduce to ½ cup if omitting cashews)
• 0.333 cup heavy cream (Or whipping cream; divided)
• 2 tbsp coriander leaves (Finely chopped, for garnish)

Steps

1. 1

   Marinate the chicken with the lemon juice, ½ teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Cover and let it 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 well to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or overnight for best results.

3. 3

   If using onion, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a pan. Add the sliced onions and sauté over medium heat until lightly golden, about 7 minutes. Let cool.

4. 4

   Put the tomatoes, sautéed onions if using, soaked cashews, and ½ cup water in a blender. Blend until smooth. You may blend the cashews separately with water into a smooth cream instead.

5. 5

   Remove the marinated chicken from the refrigerator and let it come closer to room temperature while preparing the sauce.

6. 6

   Melt the butter in a pan and add the cinnamon, cloves, and cardamoms.

7. 7

   When the whole spices begin to sizzle, add the ginger garlic paste and green chilies. Fry over low heat for 1–2 minutes, until fragrant but not burnt.

8. 8

   Turn off the heat. Stir in the Kashmiri chili powder, garam masala, cumin powder, and coriander powder.

9. 9

   Stir in the tomato-cashew puree. If it is not smooth, strain it into the pan.

10. 10

    Mix well and partially cover the pan. Bring the sauce to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low or medium. Cook until the puree thickens, stirring occasionally.

11. 11

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

12. 12

    Spread 1 tablespoon butter or ghee over a griddle or pan and heat it well. Place the marinated chicken pieces in the pan with a little space between them.

13. 13

    Fry over medium heat for 2 minutes, then turn the pieces. Cook just until the chicken is cooked through and the marinade has dried; avoid burning or overcooking. It need not be fully cooked at this stage.

14. 14

    Roast the chicken in 2–3 batches, depending on the size of your skillet.

15. 15

    Add the chicken to the butter chicken gravy. If the sauce is too thick, optionally add about ½ cup more hot water. Cover and simmer for 5–7 minutes, until the chicken is tender.

16. 16

    Stir in the remaining salt, sugar, and kasuri methi. Taste and, if desired, add more garam masala and another tablespoon of butter for additional flavor.

17. 17

    Turn off the heat and stir in the heavy cream. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and some additional cream. Serve with turmeric rice, steamed basmati rice, butter naan, or cumin rice.

Notes

The gravy can be made ahead and refrigerated; grill the marinated chicken when needed, reheat the gravy, then add the chicken. Optional extra hot water (about ½ cup) may be added if the sauce is too thick. The recipe lists total time as 12 hours 55 minutes, reflecting the possible overnight marination.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• Indian
• curry
• creamy
• chicken
• gluten-free
• stovetop
• marinated