A classic Indian butter chicken curry. Legend has it that in the 1950s, a chef accidentally invented this dish by pairing leftover tandoori chicken with a rich tomato cream sauce. The chicken is first marinated with a spiced yogurt mixture, grilled until charred, then finished in a silky tomato and cream sauce infused with toasted cashews, aromatic spices, and a final touch of fenugreek leaves.
boneless, skinless chicken thighcut into strips approximately 1 cm by 4 cm8
gingerfinely minced, to make ginger-garlic paste in equal parts with garlic~3 tbspest.
garlicfinely minced, to make ginger-garlic paste in equal parts with ginger~3 tbspest.
ground cumin~1 tbspest.
ground coriander~1 tbspest.
turmeric~1 tspest.
Kashmir chili powderused primarily for color and flavor, not particularly spicy~1 tbspest.
lemon juicefrom a large lemon½
yogurt~½ cupest.
saltto taste~1 tspest.
red onionlarge, sliced1
peanut oil~2 tbspest.
butterdivided in half: one half added when starting the sauce, one half stirred in at the end~3 tbspest.
green cardamompods~4est.
clove~4est.
bay leaf~2est.
cashew nuttoasted; may be omitted if allergic to nuts~½ cupest.
waterfor deglazing the pan~½ cupest.
whole peeled canned tomato~28 ozest.
sugaradjusted to taste depending on tomato acidity, ranging from half teaspoon to 2 tbsp1 tbsp
creamadded at the finish~½ cupest.
fenugreek leaves (kasturi methi)fresh or dried, used as final garnish for aroma~2 tbspest.
Steps
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1
Make the ginger-garlic paste by finely mincing fresh ginger and garlic in roughly equal quantities.
2
Prepare the chicken marinade by combining the chicken strips with half the ginger-garlic paste, ground cumin, ground coriander, turmeric, Kashmir chili powder, lemon juice, yogurt, and salt. Mix thoroughly with your hands until everything is well incorporated.
3
Cover and refrigerate the marinated chicken for at least 2 hours, though it can marinate anywhere from 30 minutes to overnight for deeper flavor.
4
Slice the red onion thinly. Preheat a pot over medium heat, then add peanut oil and half of the butter, allowing the butter to melt completely.
5
Add the onion slices to the pot, season with salt, and cook for a couple of minutes until they begin to soften.
6
Add the remaining ginger-garlic paste, green cardamom pods, cloves, and bay leaves, cooking for another couple of minutes.
7
Add the ground cumin, coriander, turmeric, and Kashmir chili powder, mixing well. Continue cooking for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly to bloom the aromatics and spices without letting them burn.
8
Add the toasted cashew nuts to the spice mixture.
9
Deglaze the pan with a bit of water, scraping up all the spices stuck to the bottom to ensure all the flavor is incorporated into the sauce.
10
Add the whole peeled canned tomatoes, stirring and breaking them up as you go.
11
Simmer the sauce gently for about 20 minutes. After roughly 10 minutes, you can begin grilling the chicken.
12
Grill the marinated chicken on a charcoal grill, gas grill, under the broiler, or in a skillet to achieve good char and cook to about three-quarters done, aiming for color and flavor rather than overcooking.
13
While the chicken finishes grilling, remove all the hard spices (cardamom pods and cloves especially) from the sauce, then carefully transfer the sauce to a blender.
14
Blend the sauce, starting on low speed then gradually increasing to high, until it reaches a smooth, creamy consistency. Do not fill the blender more than halfway to avoid hot liquid splattering.
15
Pour the blended sauce back into the pot and add a little water to adjust the consistency if needed.
16
Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning. If the tomatoes taste acidic, add sugar (starting with 1 teaspoon up to 2 tablespoons, depending on the tomatoes and your preference). Add salt to taste.
17
Add the grilled chicken and any accumulated cooking juices to the sauce, stirring to coat the chicken evenly. Since the chicken is only about three-quarters cooked, it will continue cooking in the sauce.
18
On low heat, stir in the remaining butter and cream, blending them in gently. Do not allow the sauce to boil; keep the heat low and stir gently to create a glossy, silky orange sauce. Cook for another 5 minutes.
19
Serve the butter chicken with basmati rice and/or naan. Garnish with fenugreek leaves (kasturi methi) to add a fragrant finishing touch.
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