Description
A silky and flavorful butter chicken recipe, perfect for weeknights, with tender chicken in a rich tomato and cream sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
- 600 g boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2–3 cm pieces
- 120 g plain yogurt
- 15 ml lemon juice
- 8 g minced garlic (2 cloves)
- 10 g minced ginger (1 tbsp)
- 10 g Kashmiri or sweet paprika
- 5 g ground cumin (1 tsp)
- 5 g ground coriander (1 tsp)
- 5 g garam masala (1 tsp)
- 150 g tomato paste
- 400 g canned plum tomatoes
- 120 ml heavy cream
- 60 g unsalted butter
- Salt, to taste
- Optional: 1 g crushed fenugreek leaves (1 tsp)
- 5 g sugar or honey (1 tsp)
Instructions
- Combine chicken, yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, ginger, paprika, cumin, and salt in a bowl. Marinate for 1 hour.
- Heat oil in a skillet and sear chicken pieces for 1–2 minutes per side, then transfer to a plate.
- In a Dutch oven, melt butter and sauté onion until translucent.
- Add cumin, coriander, and bay leaf; toast for 30–45 seconds.
- Stir in tomato paste, cook for 2 minutes, then add canned tomatoes and water. Simmer for 10–12 minutes.
- Use an immersion blender to puree the sauce until smooth.
- Return the sauce to low heat and add the chicken. Simmer for 8–10 minutes until cooked through.
- Remove from heat, stir in heavy cream, butter, kasoori methi, and garam masala.
- Let sit for 2 minutes before serving. Spoon over rice or naan.
Notes
For depth of flavor, consider searing chicken pieces before adding them to the sauce. Always add cream off heat to avoid curdling.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Braising
- Cuisine: Indian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup sauce + 120 g chicken
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 820mg
- Fat: 38g
- Saturated Fat: 19g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 12g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 150mg