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–+ servings

Butter Chicken

Butter Chicken is a super popular Indian dish made with tender chicken thighs and a deliciously seasoned, creamy, buttery tomato-based sauce.
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Course: Entree, Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: Butter Chicken, Butter Chicken Recipe
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Rest Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients

  • 3 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 4 tbsp olive oil

Chicken Marinade:

  • 1½ cups full-fat Greek yogurt
  • 4 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tbsp finely grated ginger
  • 2 cloves garlic finely grated
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • ½ tsp Turmeric
  • ½ tsp ground cumin

Sauce

  • 6 tbsp unsalted butter
  • ½ tsp Kasoori Methi
  • 2 bay leave
  • 1 bay leave
  • ⅓ tsp ground cardamom
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1 large onion, sliced
  • ½ tsp Kosher salt
  • 1 tbsp finely grated ginger
  • 4 cloves garlic, finely grated
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1½ tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1½ tsp garam masala
  • 1 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder
  • 28 oz San Marzano crushed tomatoes
  • ⅓ cup heavy cream

Serving

  • Chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems
  • Basmati rice, for serving
  • Naan, for serving

Instructions

For the marinade:

  • In a large bowl, whisk together the yogurt, cumin, garam masala, turmeric, salt, ginger, and garlic until combined. Toss the chicken in the marinade until evenly coated. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours and up to 24 hours. (The longer the better.)

For the sauce:

  • Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Toss the Kasoori Methi, bay leaves, cardamom, clove, and cinnamon in the butter and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly darker and very fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the onions, season with 1 teaspoon salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are golden and beginning to caramelize, about 10 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic and cook, stirring, until very fragrant and the ginger starts to turn golden and sticks to the bottom of the pot, about 3 minutes. Add the sugar, cumin, coriander, garam masala, and chili powder and cook, stirring occasionally, until very fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has reduced by half and the tomatoes are very tender, about 30 minutes. Discard the bay leaves and cinnamon sticks.
  • Let the hot sauce cool for about 5 minutes or so, then transfer it to a blender filling no more than halfway and pulse until smooth. (If your blender is small, you may need to work in batches.) Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and the cream to the blender and puree until creamy. Pour into a clean pot and bring to a simmer. Season with salt.

Meanwhile…

  • Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When sizzling, add chicken pieces in batches of two or three, making sure not to crowd the pan. Fry until browned for only 3 minutes on each side. Set it aside and keep warm. (You will finish cooking the chicken in the sauce.)
  • Add the chicken to the simmering sauce, cover, and cook until the chicken is cooked through, and the sauce is thick and bubbling, about 10 minutes.
  • Stir in the cilantro.
  • Serve with rice and/or naan alongside.
  • Enjoy!