Easy Butter Chicken Recipe
794kcal
Equipment
- a spatula
- a large bowl
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless and skinless chicken thighs (trim excess fat and cut into bite pieces)
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil
Butter Chicken Marinade:
- ½ cup yogurt full fat
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon ginger grated
- 2 teaspoons garam masala
- 2 teaspoons coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- ¾ teaspoon chili powder
- 1¼ teaspoons turmeric powder
Butter Chicken Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1½ cups yellow onion
- 2 inch cinnamon sticks
- 2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
- 1½ cups passata (100% tomato puree) such as Pomi or Mutti
- 1¾ teaspoons white sugar
- 3 dried whole cloves
- 3 cardamon pods
- 1½ cups heavy cream
Method
- In a bowl, combine chicken thighs with marinade ingredients. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or overnight.
- Heat oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Working in batches, cook the marinated chicken for about 2 minutes on each side, just until the outside is no longer pink but the chicken isn't fully cooked. Set the chicken aside.
- In a large Dutch oven, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Once it foams, add the yellow onion and cinnamon stick. Stir frequently and cook until the onions are soft and translucent, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add passata, cardamom, cloves, sugar, salt, heavy cream, and the partially cooked chicken to the onions. Stir well and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes or longer, until the chicken is fully cooked and the flavors meld. Stir occasionally to prevent the bottom from burning.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning with additional salt and sugar if needed. Serve the dish with fresh cilantro, naan, and basmati rice for a complete meal.
Nutrition
Calories794kcalCarbohydrates24gProtein50gFat56gSaturated Fat28gPolyunsaturated Fat6gMonounsaturated Fat17gTrans Fat0.3gCholesterol335mgSodium1442mgPotassium1273mgFiber5gSugar13gVitamin A2171IUVitamin C18mgCalcium179mgIron5mg
Notes
Storage. Cool the butter chicken to room temperature within 2 hours. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months in freezer-safe containers.