Butter chicken
Butter chicken is a creamy Indian dish made from marinated chicken cooked in a rich tomato-based sauce with butter, cream, and a blend of spices. The chicken is first marinated in yoghurt and spices, then grilled or pan-cooked, and simmered in the sauce to absorb the flavours. It's served with naan or rice for a comforting and satisfying meal.
Ingredients
For the chicken marinade
- 300 gms boneless chicken cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 tbsp plain yoghurt
- 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
- 2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
- ¼ tsp garam masala
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- ½ tsp dried kasoori methi leaves
- Salt to taste
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
For the butter chicken sauce
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 large onion finely sliced
- 2 tomatoes finely chopped
- water as needed
- 2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder adjust to taste
- ¼ tsp garam masala
- ⅛ tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp sugar optional, to balance acidity
- ½ tsp dried kasuri methi leaves
- Salt to taste
- 15-20 cashews
- Hot water (for soaking the cashews)
- 2 tbsp cream optional
- Fresh coriander leaves chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the yoghurt, ginger-garlic paste, turmeric powder, Kashmiri chilli powder, garam masala, dried kasuri methi leaves, salt, and lemon juice.
- Add the chicken pieces and mix well to coat.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or overnight for best results).
- Soak the cashews in hot water and set them aside.
- Preheat a grill, or you can use a stovetop pan. If using a stovetop grill pan, heat the pan and add a tablespoon of butter.
- Cook the marinated chicken until it's well browned on all sides and cooked through. Set aside.
- In a large pan, heat the butter over medium heat.
- Add the chopped onions and sauté until golden brown.
- Add the chopped tomato and cook until the tomatoes are cooked well.
- Lower the heat and stir in the Kashmiri chilli powder, garam masala, and turmeric powder, and cook until the raw smell of the masala disappears.
- Cool and grind them to a fine paste. Add water if needed.
- Grind the soaked cashews to a fine paste along with the water and set them aside.
- In the same pan, heat the butter over medium heat.
- Add the ground onion-tomato paste, and cashew paste. Adjust the consistency by adding hot water as needed.
- Adjust the salt and the spice. Cook the mixture until the oil starts to separate and the sauce thickens (about 10 minutes).
- Stir in the sugar and dried kasuri methi leaves.
- Let the sauce simmer on low heat for 5-7 minutes, allowing the flavours to meld.
- Add the grilled chicken pieces to the sauce and stir well to coat.
- Simmer for another 5 minutes, letting the chicken absorb the flavours of the sauce.
- Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and fresh cream.
- Serve hot with naan, roti, or steamed basmati rice.
- Enjoy your delicious homemade butter chicken!
Notes
Make sure the chicken is cooked through but not overdone. It should be tender and juicy. You can either grill, pan-sear, or bake the chicken before adding it to the sauce.
Stir in the cream gradually and adjust the amount based on your preference for creaminess. Too much cream can overpower the other flavours.
Using Kashmiri chilli powder is a great choice for butter chicken because it provides a vibrant red colour and a mild heat, making it perfect for dishes where you want colour without overwhelming spiciness. Many restaurants add red food colouring to their butter chicken to enhance its appearance, giving it that signature bright red hue. However, opting to skip the food colouring at home is a healthier choice, as it keeps the dish more natural and free from artificial additives.
The rich, deep colour from the Kashmiri chilli powder is often enough to make your homemade butter chicken visually appealing while keeping it wholesome and authentic.