Butter Chicken

About This Recipe

Butter chicken is one of the most widely loved dishes to come out of North Indian restaurant cooking. The sauce is rich but balanced: tomato for acidity, butter and cream for roundness, ginger, garlic and garam masala for depth, and a touch of fenugreek if you want that classic perfume. The chicken is usually marinated first so it stays tender and soaks in flavor before it ever hits the sauce. The dish works because it is generous without being heavy-handed. A proper butter chicken should taste layered, not just creamy. Serve it with basmati rice or naan so the sauce has somewhere to go.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 700 gchicken thighs(boneless)
• 1 cupplain yogurt
• 2 tbsplemon juice
• 2 tbspbutter
• 1onion(finely chopped)
• 3 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 1 tbspginger(grated)
• 1 tbspgaram masala
• 1 tspground cumin
• 1 tspground coriander
• 1 cantomato puree(400 g)
• 0.5 cupheavy cream
• 1 tspsalt
• 2 tbspcilantro(chopped)

Instructions

1. 1

   Marinate the chicken

   Combine chicken, yogurt, lemon juice and a little salt. Rest at least 20 minutes.

2. 2

   Cook the aromatics

   Cook onion in butter until soft, then add garlic, ginger and spices.

3. 3

   Build the sauce

   Stir in tomato puree and simmer until thick and glossy.

4. 4

   Finish with cream

   Add the marinated chicken and cook until done, then stir in cream.

5. 5

   Serve

   Top with cilantro and serve with rice or naan.

Variations

• •

  Use chicken breast for a leaner version, but cook it gently.

• •

  Add fenugreek leaves if you want a more classic restaurant flavor.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat slowly with a splash of water.

Frequently Asked Questions