Delicious Butter Chicken (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
→ Chicken Marinade
01 -
1 lb. chicken breast without bones, chopped into 1 ½ inch pieces
02 -
2 tablespoons tandoori masala spice mix
03 -
1 teaspoon ginger paste
04 -
1 teaspoon garlic paste
05 -
½ cup yogurt
06 -
1 tablespoon oil
→ Butter Chicken Sauce
07 -
2 tablespoons ghee (melted butter with milk solids removed)
08 -
1 large onion, cut into thin slices
09 -
1 ½ teaspoon ginger paste
10 -
1 ½ teaspoon garlic paste
11 -
1 (14.5 ounce) can smashed tomatoes
12 -
1 teaspoon chili powder (more or less to your liking)
13 -
1 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
14 -
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
15 -
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
16 -
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
17 -
¼ teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves, crushed in your fingers
# Instructions:
01 -
Mix tandoori masala, ginger paste, garlic paste, and yogurt in a bowl. Stir until blended, adding seasoning to match your taste. Toss in chicken pieces and coat them well. Let it sit for at least 20 minutes, but for best flavor, keep it covered in the fridge overnight or up to 24 hours.
02 -
Warm the ghee in a pot over medium heat. Toss in onions and cook until they turn clear and soft, around 5-7 minutes. Don't let them turn brown. Add the ginger and garlic paste and stir non-stop for 30 seconds so they don't burn.
03 -
Throw in the smashed tomatoes with chili powder, ground coriander, and cumin. Let it cook for 5 minutes. If it starts to bubble too much, splash in about ¼ cup water and keep cooking until it thickens slightly and the flavors come together.
04 -
Take the pot off the heat and put the mix in a blender. Blend until smooth, adding a bit of water if needed to make it work. You might need to do this in batches if your blender's small. Always put a towel over the lid when blending hot stuff to stay safe.
05 -
Heat the leftover tablespoon of oil in the same pot on medium. Add your marinated chicken (throw away extra marinade) and cook for about 5-6 minutes, turning now and then so all sides get browned.
06 -
Pour your blended sauce into the pot with the chicken and warm it all up. Once it bubbles, stir in the heavy cream and garam masala. When it starts to simmer again, add your crushed fenugreek leaves. Let it bubble gently for 2-3 more minutes to mix all the flavors. Serve it hot with basmati rice or naan bread.
# Notes:
01 -
You can make part of this dish ahead of time - make the sauce up to the blending part, then keep it in the fridge for 1-2 days or freeze it for up to 3 months for even tastier results.
02 -
To get that real restaurant flavor, make sure you use the fenugreek leaves (kasoori methi) - they give butter chicken its special taste.
03 -
You can make it as spicy as you want by changing how much chili powder you add - just remember the tandoori masala already has some kick to it.