20-Minute Butter Chicken

Ingredients

• 1.5 lb chicken thighs (cut into bite-sized pieces)
• 0.25 cup plain yogurt (for marinade)
• 1 tbsp lemon juice (for marinade)
• 1 tsp garam masala (part of the marinade spices)
• 0.5 tsp turmeric (part of the marinade spices)
• 1 tsp kashmiri red chili powder (part of the marinade spices)
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil (for sautéing aromatics)
• 1 black cardamom pod (whole spice, to be removed later)
• 1 bay leaf (to be removed later)
• 1 red onion (chopped)
• 4 garlic cloves (whole or roughly chopped)
• 1 tbsp ginger paste
• 0.5 cup tomato paste
• 0.5 cup water (to adjust sauce consistency)
• salt (to taste)
• 1 tsp sugar (to balance acidity)
• 0.5 cup heavy cream
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves, crushed)

Steps

1. 1

   In a bowl, combine the chicken thighs with yogurt, lemon juice, and the marinade spices (garam masala, turmeric, and chili powder). Mix well to coat the chicken thoroughly.

2. 2

   Place the marinated chicken in an air fryer basket and cook at 400°F (200°C) for 12 minutes until cooked through and slightly charred.

3. 3

   While the chicken is air frying, heat oil in a large pan over medium heat.

4. 4

   Add the whole spices (black cardamom and bay leaf) to the hot oil, followed by the chopped red onions, garlic cloves, and ginger paste.

5. 5

   Sauté the aromatic mixture for a few minutes until the onions are softened and the garlic is fragrant.

6. 6

   Stir in the tomato paste and a bit of water to loosen the mixture. Cook for another 2 minutes.

7. 7

   Remove the whole black cardamom pod and the bay leaf from the pan to prevent the sauce from becoming bitter.

8. 8

   Transfer the onion and tomato mixture to a blender and process until completely smooth.

9. 9

   Pour the blended sauce back into the pan and add salt, sugar, heavy cream, butter, and kasuri methi.

10. 10

    Simmer the sauce for about 5 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and the butter to emulsify.

11. 11

    Add the cooked air-fried chicken into the sauce, stir to coat, and serve immediately.

Notes

Removing the whole spices before blending is a crucial step to avoid a bitter or gritty texture. If you don't have an air fryer, you can sear the chicken in a hot pan instead.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• dinner
• Indian
• butter chicken
• quick meal
• air fryer
• spicy