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Tuesday, 15 December 2015 22:12

Butter Chicken

Written by

This restaurant favourite is creamy, flavourful and mild on the spectrum of Indian curries. My version is simplified (read: doesn't require a plethora of spices that you'll buy and only need one-eighth of a teaspoon of) but doesn't suffer in the flavour department. This is definitely a lick-your-plate dinner.

 

  • Duration
  • Cook Time
  • Prep Time
  • 6 servingsServings

 

Ingredients

For chicken & marinade:

  • 2.2 lbs (1 kg) boneless, skinless chicken breast cut in 1" - 2" cubes
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp garam masala
  • 1 tsp kosher salt

For sauce:

  • ¼ cup vegetable oil
  • 2 ½ cups chopped onion (about 2 medium-large)
  • 2 tbsp coarsely chopped garlic
  • 2 tbsp garam masala
  • 2 tsp paprika
  • ¼ tsp cinnamon
  • 2 tsp kosher salt, or to taste
  • 2 cups diced no-salt-added canned tomatoes
  • ¾ cup heavy (35% or whipping) cream
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • Chopped cilantro, to garnish (optional)

 

Preparation

For marinade:

  1. Combine all ingredients in a zip-top bag or shallow baking dish, massaging the marinade into the chicken. Let stand at room temperature while you prepare the sauce, or marinate in the fridge overnight.

For sauce:

  1. Heat oil over medium heat in a large saucepan or dutch oven. Add onions and slowly cook until golden, about 20 minutes, reducing heat if they are getting crispy or browning quickly.

  2. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in garam masala, paprika, cinnamon and salt; cook 1 minute more. Add tomatoes; cook 2 minutes, then add cream and carefully puree using an immersion blender (or standing blender, but do it in batches or the steam will blow the top off).

  3. Return sauce to saucepan and bring to a simmer. Add chicken to the sauce, cover, and simmer over medium-low heat until cooked through, about 12 minutes (remove a couple of pieces to make sure they are no longer pink inside). A gentle simmer is required to gently cook the breasts so they don't become tough, and you don't want to overcook them.

  4. Stir in butter, taste and add more salt to taste. Serve sprinkled with cilantro, if desired.