Butter chicken is a classic Indian delicacy that has spread over the globe. Before being mixed with a strongly flavoured tomato and yoghurt sauce, boneless, desiccated marinated chicken chunks are browned. The melted butter poured over the chicken dish before serving is the source of the name. Butter chicken can be served with naan bread or steamed rice, as well as chapati.
Once a cook in a Delhi eatery was seeking a method to use up leftover tandoori chicken from the previous night, he came up with butter chicken. He made a mild tomato curry with cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and a butter finish. It became an instant favourite, which people enjoy serving with basmati rice and enough of naan to soak up the flavorful sauce.
Certain cooks like to use boneless chicken breasts for this recipe, while others prefer to use thighs. Another change that cooks frequently make while making butter chicken is the amount of heat from spices like chilli powder. Bay leaf, curry, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, ginger, fenugreek, and coriander are all common spices used in this meal in addition to chilli powder.
And if you are also a fan of Butter chicken we got the best and most authentic Butter chicken recipe. You can use the below guide to cook butter chicken at your home and you will love it and people will appreciate your cooking. Let’s go through the recipe step by step and satisfy taste buds with delicious butter chicken:
Table of Contents
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, diced
- 1/2 cup yoghurt (plain)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
- 2 tsp garam masala (garam masala)
- 1 tablespoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon powdered red chilli
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- A quarter-cup of lemon juice
Sauce
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)
- 1 medium minced onion
- 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 tbsp. ginger (minced)
- 1/2 tablespoons cumin powder
- Garam masala (1/2 teaspoons)
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 crushed tomato can (1/4 ounces)
- 1 teaspoon powdered red chilli
- A quarter teaspoon of salt
- 1 cup heavy cream (whipped)
- 1 teaspoon of sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds, dried
Recipe of Butter chicken: Steps
Begin with marinating
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the yoghurt, salt, ginger, and garlic until smooth. In a large mixing bowl, toss the chicken in the seasoned yoghurt marinade until it is uniformly coated. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours and up to 24 hours after wrapping tightly in plastic wrap. It’s better if you keep it overnight.
Prepare the sauce
- In a large Dutch oven or wide heavy pot, melt 4 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Cook, stirring periodically, until the fenugreek seeds, bay leaves, cardamom, cinnamon, and clove are slightly darker and very aromatic, 1 to 2 minutes. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and simmer, turning periodically, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the onions are yellow and beginning to caramelise. Cook, stirring occasionally until the ginger and garlic is aromatic and the ginger begins to turn golden and adhere to the bottom of the pot, about 2 to 3 minutes. Cook, stirring periodically, until the garam masala and chilli powder are aromatic for about 1 minute. Bring the tomatoes to a boil, breaking them up with a spoon as you go. Reduce to low heat and cook, uncovered, for 30 minutes, or until the sauce has reduced by half and the tomatoes are very soft. Remove the bay leaves and cinnamon stick, but keep the rest of the spices whole.
- Allow the hot sauce to cool for about 5 minutes before transferring it to a blender and filling it only halfway. Place the centre cap on the blender after removing it from the lid. To catch splatters, cover the lid with a dishtowel and pulse until smooth. You may need to work in batches if your blender is small. In a blender, combine the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and the cream and purée until smooth. Fill a clean pot halfway with water and heat to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper.
- Meanwhile, preheat the broiler to high and place a rack directly beneath it. Using foil, line a rimmed baking sheet and place a wire rack inside. Arrange the chicken on the rack in a single layer. 3 to 6 minutes per side, broil until the chicken begins to brown in places (it will not be cooked through). Remove the broiler from the oven. When the chicken is cold enough to handle, cut it into 1-inch pieces. Add the chicken to the simmering sauce, cover, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
- Now it is ready to serve. You can have it either with naan, rice or chapati.
Tips /Tricks
Adding Thickness to the Gravy
- If you think you can thicken your weak butter chicken sauce with a pinch of cornstarch, think again. It may cause more harm than good. All you have to do is put the gravy in the refrigerator for a little before adding the butter and cream, and it will thicken. Without the addition of any additional ingredients.
Make a good marinade
- Let’s face it: the longer time you spend marinating your chicken, the more tender it will be. It will be more flavorful and juicy the longer it is cooked. You can increase the duration from 20 minutes to overnight.
Sauce
- The sauce is mostly responsible for a wonderful butter chicken. Allow the tomatoes to cook for at least 10-15 minutes, or until the pan is practically dry. If you think it’ll dry out too quickly, add extra water. Use crushed tomatoes or tomato puree instead of fresh tomatoes, which have a high risk of burning.
