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Butter Chicken Recipe

This easy butter chicken recipe features moist chicken simmered in a deep, creamy tomato sauce with a hint of spicy flavor. A restaurant-style meal you can make at home, perfect served over rice or naan for a warm, aromatic meal!

Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 25 mins
Total Time 35 mins
Cooking Method: ,
Cuisine:
Courses: ,
Difficulty: Beginner
Servings: 4
Calories: 402 kcal
Best Season: Suitable throughout the year
Description

This easy butter chicken recipe features moist chicken simmered in a deep, creamy tomato sauce with a hint of spicy flavor. A restaurant-style meal you can make at home, perfect served over rice or naan for a warm, aromatic meal!

Ingredients
    Marinade
  • 1/2 cup Plain Yoghurt (Full fat)
  • 1 tbsp Lemon Juice
  • 1 tsp Tumeric Powder
  • 2 tsp Garam Masala
  • 1/2 tsp Chilli Powder (or Cayenne Pepper Powder)
  • 1 tsp Ground Cumin
  • 1 tbsp Ginger (Freshly Grated)
  • 2 Cloves Garlic (Crushed)
  • 1.5 lb Chicken thigh fillets (Cut into bite size pieces)
    • Curry
  • 2 tbsp Ghee or Butter (or 1 tbsp Vegetable oil)
  • 1 cup Tomato Passata
  • 1 cup Heavy / Thickened cream
  • 1 tbsp Sugar
  • 1 1/4 tsp Salt
    • To serve – choose
  • Basmati rice
  • White rice
Instructions
  1. 1
    Optional blitz: for an extra smooth sauce, combine the marinade ingredients (except the chicken) in a food processor and blend until smooth.
  2. 2
    Marinade: Combine the marinade ingredients with the chicken in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight, or up to 24 hours (minimum 3 hours).
  3. 3
    Cook chicken: Heat the ghee (butter or oil) over high heat in a large frying pan. Take the chicken out of the marinade, but do not wipe or shake off the marinade from the chicken (but don’t pour the marinade left in the bowl into the frying pan).
  4. 4
    Place chicken in the frying pan and cook for around 3 minutes, or until the chicken is white all over (it doesn’t really brown because of the marinade).
  5. 5
    Sauce: Add the tomato passata, cream, sugar, and salt. Also add any remaining marinade left in the bowl. Turn down to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Do a taste test to see if it needs more salt.
  6. 6
    Garnish with coriander/cilantro leaves if using. Serve with basmati rice.

Nutrition Facts

Servings 4

Amount Per Serving
Calories 402kcal
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 23.4g36%
Saturated Fat 9.3g47%
Cholesterol 193mg65%
Sodium 928mg39%
Total Carbohydrate 9.8g4%
Dietary Fiber 0.9g4%
Sugars 6.5g
Protein 39.8g80%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Note
  • Garam masala is a spice mix that is readily available at supermarkets nowadays. You will find it in the spice section, and it costs around the same as other spices.
  • Pure chili powder—this is not chili powder as Americans know it! American chili powder contains things apart from ground dried chili. Use pure chili powder or cayenne pepper to add a spice kick. The spiciness is very mild.
  • Ghee is a clarified butter used in Indian cooking (see this movie popcorn butter recipe for more info). For this recipe, it can be substituted with butter or almost any neutral-flavored cooking oil.
  • Tomato passata is pureed tinned tomatoes. Nowadays it is readily available in supermarkets, usually alongside pasta sauces. It costs just a tiny bit more, sometimes the same, as canned tomatoes. Called tomato puree in America.
  • If you can’t find it, puree canned tomatoes using a blender. This will also work with what is called “tomato sauce” in America (Australia!). Don’t use what we call tomato sauce!
  • For a lighter version, use OR for a lighter version, use 3/4 cup light cream + 1/4 cup milk (full fat or low fat).
  • No Fry Quick Papadums—Place store-bought raw papadums (which are really cheap—around $1 for a packet) in the microwave on the edge of the turntable. Then microwave for 45 seconds to 1 minute, or until puffed up. They will crisp up when they cool.
  • Adapted from a recipe by Luke Mangan, an Australian chef and restaurateur. The only adjustments I made were to add salt (I am sure it was inadvertently omitted from his recipe) and provide the lighter option for the cream.
Read it online: https://therecipenook.com/recipe/butter-chicken-recipe/