Delicious Butter Chicken: History, Recipe, and Cooking Tips

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About Butter Chicken

Butter Chicken is a deceptively simple dish to prepare and has juicy, tender chicken owing to a flavorful yoghurt marinade. There is nothing like curry sauce! I am aware that you all adore meals with vibrant, strong flavors, but nothing beats sitting on a couch for a delicious curry to end a hectic day. You can enter an entirely different universe just by the aromas. The ingredient list is the finest part of making Butter Chicken at home. Every ingredient is simple to locate at any supermarket or grocery shop.

Origin

Despite what you may believe, Butter Chicken was only invented in the middle of the twentieth century. This famous meal was created in the 1950s by Kundan Lal Jaggi & Kundan Lal Gujral at their Delhi, India restaurant Moti Mahal. They accidentally created it by blending butter with tandoori chicken that was still on the plate and a tomato-based sauce. You might also be familiar with Paneer Makhani, a vegetarian variation that is made very similarly! Dal Makhani was also made by the same person who started Butter Chicken.

Ingredients

I will confess that the recipe calls for a lot of ingredients. I don’t think it takes that much work to prepare butter chicken. But you need a lot of whole & ground spices to make it well. Every ingredient can be found in a well-stocked kitchen. Let’s go over each one.

For the Marinade

Yogurt: (1/2 cup)

The best yoghurt is plain whole milk yoghurt, like Indian dahi, though Greek yoghurt or low-fat yoghurt can also be used.

Chicken Thighs: (1lb.)

in particular, chicken thighs. Compared to chicken breast, which is prone to becoming overdone and dry in spicy curries, chicken thighs are much more forgiving. Cut off as much fat as you can before cubing butter chicken because it already contains a lot of fat.

Ginger garlic paste: (1 tsp)

Or gigi paste, as I like to call it! This is essentially a paste made by blending ginger and garlic together 50/50. Making paste at home with a pestle and mortar or a blender is simple, or you can buy it already produced.

Spices: (1/2 tsp each)

You’ll require garam masala, ground curcumin, ground turmeric, & Kashmiri chili powder for the spices. Regular chili powder can be used in place of Kashmiri chili powder, which adds the vivid red color. Lower the amount of chili powder as desired.

Green chilies: (sliced, 2)

Serrano or thin green chili peppers provide some extra heat! I prefer to deseed mine before pulverizing them into a paste in a mortar and pestle. You can omit this.

For the Butter Chicken Sauce

Heavy cream: (100 ml) Use heavy cream to create a sauce that is oh-so-creamy and helps to temper the heat. Replace it with coconut milk or perhaps some soaked cashews.

Sugar: (1/4 tbsp) There are so many delicious flavors in butter chicken. A little sugar brings it back into balance.

Butter: (2 tbsp) It’s butter chicken. Butter is a must. Not a coconut oil alternative. Ghee or unsalted butter are both acceptable. I’ll reluctantly add that you can also use a mixture of butter and oil.

Tomato paste: (500g) Of course, tomatoes serve as the foundation of the makhani sauce. For the intense tomato flavor, I use a tbsp of tomato paste in addition to canned crushed tomatoes. When fresh tomatoes are in season, you may also use those.

Kasuri methi: (1/2 tbsp) This is a typical component of real butter chicken and consists of dried fenugreek leaves. In the end, it is optional.

Ground spices: (1 tsp each) We use coriander, Kashmiri chili powder, garam masala, and my secret ingredient is the tiniest amount of ground cloves.

Whole Spices: (as per taste) The full spices can be omitted, but I like to start the cooking process with cumin seeds, a stick of cinnamon, a star anise, and black and green cardamom pods.

Making Butter Chicken

Making butter chicken requires two steps: first, marinate the chicken, and then create the famous makhani sauce.

The marinade

1. The marinating time for the chicken thighs should be at least 30 minutes and better overnight. Thus, if you want the most flavor, plan ahead! Chicken should be defatted before being chopped into 1-inch cubes.
2. Start by combining the marinade ingredients in a baking dish or sizable mixing basin that will accommodate the quantity of chicken you are making, including the dahi, lime juice, garlic ginger paste, chopped fresh chilies, spices, and salt. Until the marinade is uniformly smooth, vigorously whisk it. After the chicken thighs are thoroughly coated, add them to the marinade and stir.
3. The best method is to put on some gloves and thoroughly rub the marinade into chicken thighs, but a spatula will also work to ensure a uniform coating. After it is finished, wrap the chicken in plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes and as long as 24 hours.

When the chicken marinates, now is an excellent time to begin preparing the makhani sauce.

Makhani sauce

1. In a large saucepan, start by melting 2 tbsp of butter or ghee. Scrape the black seeds from four to five cardamom pods using a flat knife or a pestle and mortar as the butter melts. 
2. Add the cinnamon stick, star anise, black cumin seeds, cardamom pod, and green cardamom seeds once it is hot to help the flavors come out. Then, add the onion, ginger, and garlic paste, which are the aromatics. A medium heat should be used to cook them until the onion begins to sauté and turn golden brown in color.
3. Add the ground spices, including garam masala, cloves, coriander, & Kashmiri chili powder, at that stage. The tomato paste & canned tomatoes should be added after giving the mixture a vigorous toss. Add the sugar and salt to taste.
4. If you want it to be even creamier and have even more flavor at this point, you may also add cashews.
5. Set the heat on the burner to low – medium and let the sauce simmer. It will begin to considerably thicken and darken. It might take 5 to 10 minutes. Once more beginning to form small pools, the fat will start to release. Turn off the heat.
6. The cast iron skillet should be heated on high while the sauce is boiling in the step above. Add the chicken that has been marinating in a tbsp of ghee / neutral oil to the pan. It should be cooked for 3 to 4 minutes on each side until the internal temperature reaches 165F. After finish, put it aside.
7. Take out and throw away the cinnamon stick, star anise, and black cardamom pod. Add the remaining butter and the ingredients of the pot to a blender. The sauce should be thoroughly smooth after blending. Add a spoonful of water each time if it’s too thick.
8. Return the sauce to the pan & bring it back up to a low simmer. Put the chicken into the pan along with any juices and seasonings. As the fat starts to separate once more, simmer for an extra five minutes after stirring to coat.
9. Pour the heavy cream in gradually while stirring. Once the sauce is creamy and thick, boil it for a further two to three minutes. You can adjust your choice by adding to a cup of boiling water if you want a loose curry. It’s a fantastic idea to taste and season at this point.
10. Remove from heat, then add a dash of kasuri methi to finish the sauce.
11. Add heavy cream, cilantro, & finely sliced red onions as garnishes to the butter chicken. Serve hot with garlic naan or rice.

What to Serve With Butter Chicken

To give Butter Chicken a classic restaurant appearance that may be passed & shared among friends and family, serve in a karahi. Add some chopped cilantro, heavy cream, and red onion that has been finely sliced as garnish. The ideal side dish for butter chicken is garlic naan or traditional basmati rice.

Moreover, it can be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated in a airtight storage container for up to five days. Over time, the flavors will only intensify. On the burner, simply reheat by bringing it to a simmer and maintaining it there for 5-10 mins, or until well heated.

Frequently Asked Questions:

• Indian food has never been served to us, and my family resists curry. Should we still give it a shot?

This is the ideal venue to try Indian food if you’ve never done so. The Butter Chicken is tasty & spiced, but not hot.

• I had to add corn flour to my sauce because it was so runny and thin. What went wrong?

When butter and cream are added to a sauce that hasn’t had time to cool, the sauce becomes too thin, and this is what happens. You should give them a little more time the next time.

Delicious Butter Chicken

Course: DinnerCuisine: Indian

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

1

hour 

Cooking time

30

minutes

Calories

475

kcal

Straight down to the recognizable strong orange red color, our Butter Chicken makes the most heavenly, creamy Indian curry you can prepare at home. It rivals the Chicken Makhani at your favorite restaurant and tastes best when paired with rice or garlic naan.

Ingredients

• For the Marinade

• 1/2 Cup Plain Yoghurt

• 1 Lb Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs

• 1/2 Tsp Ginger Paste

• 1/2 Tsp Garlic Paste

• 2 Green Chilies

• 1/2 Tsp Garam Marsala

• 1/2 Tsp Ground Cumin

• 1/2 Tsp Ground Tumeric

• 1/2 Tsp Kashmiri Chili Powder or Regular Chili Powder

• For the Butter Chicken Sauce

• 1/2 Cup Heavy Cream

• 1/2 Tbsp Sugar

• 2 Tbsp Butter

• 18 oz Tomato Paste

• 1/2 Tbsp Kasuri Methi

• 1 Tsp Ground Coriander

• 1 Tsp Kashmiri Chili Powder

• 1 Tsp Garam Marsala

• 1 Tsp Ground Cloves

• 4 Cardamom Pods

• 1 Cinnamon Stick

• 4 Star Anise

• 1/2 Tsp Cumin Seeds

Directions

• The Marinade
• The marinating time for the chicken thighs should be at least 30 minutes and better overnight. Thus, if you want the most flavor, plan ahead! Chicken should be defatted before being chopped into 1-inch cubes.
• Start by combining the marinade ingredients in a baking dish or sizable mixing basin that will accommodate the quantity of chicken you are making, including the dahi, lime juice, garlic ginger paste, chopped fresh chilies, spices, and salt. Until the marinade is uniformly smooth, vigorously whisk it. After the chicken thighs are thoroughly coated, add them to the marinade and stir.
• The best method is to put on some gloves and thoroughly rub the marinade into chicken thighs, but a spatula will also work to ensure a uniform coating. After it is finished, wrap the chicken in plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes and as long as 24 hours.
• Makhani Sauce
• In a big saucepan or pan, start by melting 2 tbsp of butter or ghee. Scrape the black seeds from four to five cardamom pods using a flat knife or a pestle and mortar as the butter melts. 
• Add the cinnamon stick, star anise, black cumin seeds, cardamom pod, and green cardamom seeds once it is hot to help the flavors come out. Then, add the onion, ginger, and garlic paste, which are the aromatics. A medium heat should be used to cook them until the onion begins to sauté and turn golden brown in color.
• Add the ground spices, including garam masala, cloves, coriander, & Kashmiri chili powder, at that stage. The tomato paste & canned tomatoes should be added after giving the mixture a vigorous toss. Add the sugar and salt to taste.
• Set the heat on the burner to low – medium and let the sauce simmer. It will begin to considerably thicken and darken. It might take 5 to 10 minutes. Once more beginning to form small pools, the fat will start to release. Turn off the heat.
• The cast iron skillet should be heated on high while the sauce is boiling in the step above. Add the chicken that has been marinating in a tbsp of ghee / neutral oil to the pan. It should be cooked for 3 to 4 minutes on each side until the internal temperature reaches 165F. After finish, put it aside.
• Take out and throw away the cinnamon stick, star anise, and black cardamom pod. Add the remaining butter and the ingredients of the pot to a blender. The sauce should be thoroughly smooth after blending. Add a spoonful of water each time if it’s too thick.
• Return the sauce to the pan & bring it back up to a low simmer. Put the chicken into the pan along with any juices and seasonings. As the fat starts to separate once more, simmer for an extra five minutes after stirring to coat.
• Pour the heavy cream in gradually while stirring. Once the sauce is creamy and thick, boil it for a further two to three minutes. You can adjust your choice by adding to a cup of boiling water if you want a loose curry. It’s a fantastic idea to taste and season at this point.
• Remove from heat, then add a dash of kasuri methi to finish the sauce.
• Garnish with cilantro and serve with garlic naan and rice.