Butter Chicken
I've actually never had a dish with the name "butter chicken" at an Indian restaurant, but it is very similar to chicken tikka masala. One of the most popular Indian dishes, and for good reason. Silky smooth, creamy, flavorful, lightly spiced, and goes so well with flatbreads or basmati rice. The chicken itself is to die for; I've had so much dry tandoori chicken in the past that it's left me with a bad impression, but when it's prepared well it is so delicious.
Active Time: 45 min
Total Time: 1 hr 15 min
Ingredients
For the chicken:
> chicken, boneless skinless thigh (1.5 lb, cut into bite sized pieces)
> plain yogurt (1/2 cup)
> garlic (2 cloves, minced)
> ginger (1 tsp, grated)
> garam masala (2 tsp)
> turmeric (1 tsp)
> cumin (1 tsp)
> red chili powder (1 tsp)
> salt (1 tsp)
For the curry:
> ghee (2 tbsp)
> onion (1, chopped)
> garlic (2 cloves, minced)
> ginger (1 tsp, grated)
> coriander (1 tsp)
> cumin (1.5 tsp)
> garam masala (1.5 tsp)
> crushed tomatoes (14 oz)
> chili powder (1 tsp)
> salt (1.5 tsp)
> heavy cream (1 cup)
> sugar (1 tbsp)
> fenugreek (1/2 tsp)
> (optional) cilantro
Instructions
1. In a large bowl, marinade chicken with yogurt, garlic, ginger, garam masala, turmeric, cumin, red chili powder, and salt. Marinade for at least 30 minutes, ideally overnight.
2. In a heavy bottom pot with some oil, sear the chicken for ~3 minutes on each side over medium-high heat. Set aside.
3. In the same pan, heat ghee and sweat onion for ~6 minutes. Then add the minced garlic and grated ginger and saute for ~1 minute. Add coriander, cumin, and garam masala, and cook for ~30 seconds.
4. Add crushed tomatoes, chili powder, and salt, and cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring frequently, until slightly thickened.
5. Using a blender or immersion blender, blend the curry until very fine, working in batches if necessary.
6. Return the curry to the pot and stir in cream, sugar, and fenugreek. Then return the chicken to the pot and cook for ~8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the chicken is fully cooked through.
7. Serve with basmati rice or flatbread of your choice, and top with cilantro. Enjoy!
Notes/Tips:
> I actually used a coconut-based heavy cream substitute in the picture above. I was originally concerned about the coconut flavor (which is definitely noticeable), but it works out decently well in this dish. You could also consider using evaporated milk or other similar cream substitutes if you prefer.
> Blend the curry very fine, as fine as you can get it. This will help give it that silky smooth consistency.
> Something nice about this dish is that the curry can be prepared in advance and refridgerated, and similarly the chicken can be marinaded in advance. This can simplify final preparations dramatically, which could be especially nice if you have a lot of other dishes you're making. And of course it stores fairly well in the fridge too.