Butter Chicken

Butter chicken is a delicious recipe with tender pieces of chicken soaked in a rich creamy gravy. Butter chicken perfectly complements rice, jeera rice and even pulao. It makes a great side for roti or nan too. Texturally perfect, this Mughal recipe can be customized according to your palate, tangy or spicy or sweet!

Mildly spicy from the masalas, subtly sweet because of the cashews, and rich owing to the butter and cream, the recipe is flavorful and is a culinary delight. With a handful of ingredients, and marinated chicken, you can rustle up this butter chicken or murg makhaia in about 20 minutes.

Cherish a hot meal at work by packing it in your lunch box or food storage container

Ingredients

500 g chicken (preferably boneless)

200 g curd

2 tbsp oil

2 tsp ginger garlic paste

1 squeezed lime

1 tsp garam masala powder

2 tsp tandoori masala powder

2 tsp coriander powder

2 tsp chilli powder

1 tsp haldi

1 tsp black pepper

2 tsp kasuri methi

3 onions, chopped

4-5 tomatoes, chopped

12-15 cashews

100 g butter

1/2 cup cream

1 inch piece of coal

How To Make Butter Chicken

Marinate the chicken

1. To a bowl, add chicken.

2. Add oil, chilli powder, turmeric powder, ginger garlic paste, juice of one squeezed lime, tandoori masala, coriander powder, garam masala, pepper, curd and kasuri methi.

3. Mix well and leave it aside for at least an hour. For best results you can marinate it overnight.

Steps to Make Butter Chicken

1. Heat oil in a pan.

2. Fry the marinated chicken pieces till they are 75 percent cooked.

3. Keep the chicken pieces aside.

4. Add chopped onions to the pan.

5. Fry till they are golden brown.

6. Add chopped tomatoes and continue frying.

7. Add 12-15 cashews and continue frying for 2-3 mins.

8. Add garam masala, coriander powder and chilli powder.

9. Blend the masala mixture in a blender to a smooth paste.
10. Add the blended paste to a pan.

11. Add chicken, butter, kasoori methi and salt and let it simmer for 12-15 minutes.

12. Add cream to the gravy 1-2 mins before turning off the flame.

Dhungar Procedure

Dhungar Procedure is completely optional. It gives a smoked effect to the food and gives you the feel of eating out at a restaurant.

1. Burn a piece of coal and place a small bowl in the middle of the gravy.

2. Add a spoon of ghee or oil to the burning coal.

3. Cover the pan with a tight lid and for 2-3 mins.

4. Remove the bowl and garnish the gravy with cream, kasoori methi or coriander leaves and cashews.

Did You Know?

In 2004, chickens were the first of birds to have their genome sequenced.