Butter Chicken Rice

Ingredients

• 700 g boneless, skinless chicken thighs, chicken breast, or a combination (Use thighs, breast, or a combination.)
• 1 tsp salt (For the marinade; the source says to change 3/4 teaspoon to 1 teaspoon.)
• 0.5 tsp ground cumin (For the marinade.)
• 1 tsp garlic powder (For the marinade.)
• 1 tsp garam masala (For the marinade.)
• 1 tsp curry powder (For the marinade.)
• 0.5 tsp cayenne pepper (For the marinade; adjust to taste.)
• 0.5 cup plain yogurt (For the marinade.)
• 1 tbsp lemon juice (About 1/2 a lemon; for the marinade.)
• 2 tbsp butter
• 150 g onion (Medium, finely diced.)
• 20 g garlic (Minced.)
• 1 tbsp ginger (Grated.)
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 cups tomato puree or passata
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper (For the rice; adjust to taste.)
• 1 tsp curry powder (For the rice.)
• 1 tsp ground cumin (For the rice.)
• 1 tsp garam masala (For the rice.)
• 1 tsp chicken bouillon powder (Or 1 cube, crumbled.)
• 2.5 tsp salt (For the rice.)
• 1 tsp sugar (Balances the tomato acidity; the source says it does not make the rice taste sweet.)
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1.5 cups water (Add up to 2 cups if needed, depending on the rice.)
• 1 cup heavy cream or double cream
• 4 cups long-grain sella basmati rice (Washed; the transcript says to rinse several times until the water runs clear.)
• cilantro or parsley (Chopped, for garnish.)
• ginger powder (Named in the spoken marinade description; quantity not provided in the written ingredient list.)

Steps

1. 1

   Combine the chicken with the marinade ingredients: salt, ground cumin, garlic powder, garam masala, curry powder, cayenne pepper, plain yogurt, lemon juice, and the ginger powder mentioned in the spoken description. Mix thoroughly to coat. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator; the transcript says “a couple of minutes” but does not give a clearer duration.

2. 2

   Rinse the rice several times until the water runs clear, then drain it.

3. 3

   Heat a large pot. Add the marinated chicken and sear until nicely browned and fully cooked. Remove the chicken from the pot and set it aside.

4. 4

   Add the butter to the same pot. Add the finely diced onion, minced garlic, and grated ginger. Cook for about 1–2 minutes, until the onion has softened.

5. 5

   Add the tomato paste and cook for a couple of minutes, stirring, until it darkens slightly.

6. 6

   Add the tomato puree or passata and mix well.

7. 7

   Add the paprika, cayenne, curry powder, cumin, bouillon, garam masala, salt, and sugar. Stir to combine; the sugar balances the tomatoes’ acidity and is not intended to make the rice sweet.

8. 8

   Pour in the chicken stock and water. Stir, then let the mixture simmer for about 15 minutes.

9. 9

   Add the heavy cream and mix thoroughly until the sauce is smooth and creamy.

10. 10

    Add the drained rice and mix it evenly into the sauce.

11. 11

    Cover the pot and cook over low heat for about 30 minutes, until the rice is fully cooked.

12. 12

    Stir the cooked rice thoroughly to let some of the steam escape.

13. 13

    Return the cooked chicken to the pot and mix everything together.

14. 14

    Finish with chopped cilantro or parsley and serve.

Notes

The written source lists no ginger powder in the marinade, but the spoken transcript names it without giving an amount; the method includes it as an unquantified ingredient. The transcript describes marinating for “a couple of minutes,” though that duration may be unclear. The source does not specify a pot lid venting method or a resting time.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• one-pot
• rice
• chicken
• creamy
• spiced
• gluten-free