Indian Butter Chicken
This butter chicken is a comforting curry built with a depth of spices and plenty of sauce to soak into basmati rice and sop up with naan! Simple prep is all you need to prepare this dish in under 30 minutes.
Servings 4
Calories 562kcal
Ingredients
Chicken and Marinade
- 24 oz chicken breast approx. 3 large chicken breasts, 1” cubed (700g)
- ⅓ c plain yogurt (80ml)
- 1 tbs lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon mild chilli powder
For The Sauce
- 1 large onion peeled and roughly chopped
- 4 cloves garlic peeled
- 2 teaspoon ginger minced
- 3 tbs butter
- 1 tbs olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ tbs garam masala
- 1 tbs curry powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ c chicken stock (120ml)
- 14 oz passata tomato purée (400 ml) like cento tomato sauce
- 2 tbs tomato puree
- 2 teaspoon sugar
- 6 green cardamom pods or ¼ teaspoon ground black cardamom
- ¾ c heavy cream 40% by Darigold (175ml)
- handful cilantro for garnish chopped; UK:Coriander
Instructions
- Place the chicken in a bowl with the marinade ingredients, stir together and cover. Leave to marinate for 1-4 hours (up to overnight).
- Place the roughly chopped onion and the 4 garlic cloves into a food processor and blend until smooth (if you prefer fresh ginger, add the ginger here into the food processor).
- Heat the butter and oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat.
- Add the minced onion, garlic and ginger to the pan and cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally until the onion starts to brown at the edges of the pan.
- Add the marinated chicken to the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes until sealed.
- Add the salt, garam masala, curry powder, paprika and cinnamon. Stir and cook for 1-2 minutes, until the spices start to release their fragrance.
- Add the stock, passata, tomato puree, sugar and cardamom. Tip: Sew the pods together with a piece of string so you can easily fish them out later.
- Bring to the soft boil and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Remove the cardamom then stir in the cream and allow to heat through.
- Serve over basmati rice, sprinkled with some freshly chopped coriander
Notes
- Can I make it ahead? Yes! Make the curry, cool, cover, and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Reheat slowly on medium-low in a pan until the chicken is warmed throughout. (add a splash of water to loosen it up)
- Can I freeze it? Yes; prepare the curry, then cool completely, and freeze it in an airtight container. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight, and reheat slowly on medium-low in a pan until the chicken is warmed throughout.
- Want it spicier? Swap out the mild chili powder for medium to hot chili of your liking
- Veg it up! Add in some veggies - such as, carrot, zucchini, green beans, bell peppers - add them after you've seared the chicken, including firmer veggies during the simmer like carrot and green bean, and leaving softer veggies near the end, like zucchini and bell pepper.
- Swap your protein for tofu or large white beans.
