Description
Creamy Indian Butter Chicken delivers rich, velvety spices that dance across tender chicken pieces, melting hearts with authentic subcontinental flavor. Comfort meets culinary adventure on your plate, promising delicious memories you’ll savor with every delightful bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Proteins:
- 2.3 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
Marinade Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 tablespoon ginger (minced)
- 1.5 teaspoons garam masala
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
Cooking and Sauce Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons oil (vegetable, canola or avocado)
- 2 tablespoons ghee (or butter)
- 5 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1.5 teaspoons cumin
- 1.5 teaspoons garam masala
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 14 ounces (396 grams) tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- 0.5 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1.5 teaspoons sea salt
- 1 cup heavy cream (or full fat coconut milk)
- 0.5 teaspoon dried fenugreek (or crushed kasoori methi)
- fresh cilantro (optional)
Instructions
- Create a vibrant marinade by blending yogurt with aromatic spices including garlic, ginger, garam masala, turmeric, cumin, chili powder, and salt. Thoroughly coat chicken pieces and refrigerate for minimum 30 minutes, ideally up to 24 hours for deeper flavor infusion.
- Heat oil in a skillet until extremely hot. Sear marinated chicken pieces in batches, ensuring golden-brown exterior on all sides. This caramelization develops rich, complex flavor profiles. Remove browned chicken and set aside.
- Using the same skillet, melt ghee and quickly sauté minced garlic until fragrant. Immediately introduce ground spices: cumin, garam masala, coriander, chili powder, and cayenne. Toast spices for precisely 30 seconds to prevent burning.
- Pour tomato sauce into skillet, scraping pan’s bottom to incorporate delicious caramelized remnants. Simmer sauce for 5 minutes, allowing flavors to meld. Gradually whisk in cream, preventing potential curdling. Incorporate dried fenugreek for additional depth.
- Reintroduce browned chicken to simmering sauce. Cook for 8-10 minutes until chicken reaches perfect doneness and sauce thickens to desired consistency. Adjust sauce texture by adding extra ghee if needed.
- Remove from heat and garnish with fresh cilantro. Serve immediately alongside warm naan and fluffy basmati rice for a complete, authentic Indian dining experience.
Notes
- Adjust the chili powder and cayenne pepper to control the heat level, making it mild or fiery based on your preference.
- Swap regular cream with full-fat coconut milk for a lactose-free version that maintains the rich, creamy texture.
- Longer marination time (up to 24 hours) intensifies the chicken’s flavor and tenderizes the meat, creating a more delicious dish.
- Brown the chicken thoroughly to develop a deep, caramelized exterior that adds complexity and depth to the final butter chicken.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Indian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 738
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 940 mg
- Fat: 57 g
- Saturated Fat: 32 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 20 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 46 g
- Cholesterol: 215 mg