Mains

Butter Chicken

Name: Butter Chicken
Yield: 10 servings
Ingredients: 1488 g boneless chicken, preferably thighs (cubed); 375 g plain yogurt; 2.5 tbsp ginger-garlic paste; 2.5 tsp garam masala (marinade); 2.5 tsp ground cumin (marinade); 2.5 tsp paprika or Kashmiri chili powder; 1.25 tsp turmeric; 2.5 tsp salt; 105 g butter; 2.5 tbsp neutral cooking oil; 2 large onions (chopped; or 3 medium); 7 garlic cloves (minced; up to 8); 2.5 tbsp fresh ginger (grated); 150 g cashews; 1000 g tomato passata; 3.75 tsp garam masala (sauce); 2.5 tsp ground cumin (sauce); 2.5 tsp ground coriander; 1.25 tsp chili powder (optional); 375 ml heavy cream (start with 300 ml); 2.5 tsp sugar or honey (optional); 2.5 tsp dried fenugreek leaves / kasuri methi (optional); Salt to taste; Fresh coriander (to garnish)

Creamy tomato-butter curry with yogurt-marinated chicken thighs, no lemon, cashews blended into the sauce.

Base recipe: 10 servings

Photo

Butter chicken with basmati rice and fresh coriander

Nutrition

For 10 servings

Nutrition not recorded yet.

Ingredients

Servings

Tick ingredients off as you cook.

1488 g boneless chicken, preferably thighs (cubed)
375 g plain yogurt
2.5 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
2.5 tsp garam masala (marinade)
2.5 tsp ground cumin (marinade)
2.5 tsp paprika or Kashmiri chili powder
1.25 tsp turmeric
2.5 tsp salt
105 g butter
2.5 tbsp neutral cooking oil
2 large onions (chopped; or 3 medium)
7 garlic cloves (minced; up to 8)
2.5 tbsp fresh ginger (grated)
150 g cashews
1000 g tomato passata
3.75 tsp garam masala (sauce)
2.5 tsp ground cumin (sauce)
2.5 tsp ground coriander
1.25 tsp chili powder (optional)
375 ml heavy cream (start with 300 ml)
2.5 tsp sugar or honey (optional)
2.5 tsp dried fenugreek leaves / kasuri methi (optional)
Salt to taste
Fresh coriander (to garnish)

Method

Marinate: Mix the chicken with the yogurt, ginger-garlic paste and marinade spices. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 min, ideally 2–4 h. No lemon needed; the yogurt provides the acidity.
Sear: Brown the chicken in 3–4 batches in a little of the oil over medium-high heat, 3–4 min per side. Set aside; it finishes cooking in the sauce.
Onions: Melt the butter with the remaining oil in a large pot and soften the onions for 5–7 min.
Aromatics and cashews: Add garlic, ginger and cashews for 1 min, then stir in the sauce spices for 30 s on lower heat so they don't burn.
Tomatoes: Add the passata and simmer about 15 min, stirring occasionally.
Blend: Blend the sauce silky smooth with a hand blender before adding the chicken; the cashews need it.
Finish the sauce: Stir in about 300 ml cream, plus sugar or honey and kasuri methi if using. Add more cream to taste.
Cook through: Return the chicken and its juices and simmer gently 10–15 min until it reaches 74 °C inside.
Serve with basmati rice or naan, garnished with fresh coriander.

Notes

Not measured yet. Cashew amount follows Claudine's ratio (60 g per 600 g chicken).