Description
This classic Indian Butter Chicken recipe delivers tender, marinated chicken thigh pieces cooked in a rich, creamy tomato sauce infused with aromatic spices. Perfectly balanced with a hint of sweetness and a mild spice kick, this dish is ideal served with basmati rice and garnished with fresh coriander for a comforting and flavorful meal.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Marinade
- 1/2 cup plain yoghurt, full fat
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 2 tsp garam masala
- 1/2 tsp chilli powder or cayenne pepper powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp ginger, freshly grated
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1.5 lb / 750 g chicken thigh fillets, cut into bite size pieces
Curry
- 2 tbsp (30 g) ghee or butter, OR 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 cup tomato passata (tomato puree)
- 1 cup heavy / thickened cream
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 1/4 tsp salt
To Serve
- Basmati rice
- White rice
- Coriander/cilantro (optional)
Instructions
- Optional blitz: For an extra smooth sauce, combine the marinade ingredients (except the chicken) in a food processor and blend until smooth. This step is optional and can be skipped for a more traditional texture.
- Marinade the chicken: Combine all the marinade ingredients with the chicken pieces in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight or up to 24 hours to allow the flavors to penetrate, or at minimum 3 hours.
- Cook the chicken: Heat the ghee, butter, or oil over high heat in a large frying pan. Remove the chicken from the marinade but do not wipe off or shake off the marinade. Do not add leftover marinade from the bowl into the pan at this point. Place the chicken pieces in the hot pan and cook for about 3 minutes until the chicken turns white all over; it won’t brown much due to the marinade.
- Make the curry sauce: Add the tomato passata, cream, sugar, salt, and any remaining marinade from the bowl into the pan with the chicken. Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for 20 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken and the flavors to meld. Taste and adjust salt as needed.
- Serve and garnish: Garnish with fresh coriander/cilantro leaves if desired. Serve the butter chicken hot alongside basmati or white rice. Optionally, serve with no-fry papadums or flatbread.
Notes
- Garam Masala is a readily available Indian spice mix found in most supermarkets in the spice aisle; it’s essential for authentic flavor.
- Use pure chili powder or cayenne pepper for authentic mild heat rather than the American chili powder mix, which contains other ingredients.
- Ghee, clarified butter, can be substituted with butter or neutral oil like vegetable oil if unavailable.
- Tomato passata is pureed tinned tomatoes; if not available, blend canned tomatoes or use tomato sauce as a substitute.
- For a lighter curry, use 3/4 cup light cream mixed with 1/4 cup full-fat or low-fat milk instead of heavy cream.
- No-fry papadums can be made easily by microwaving raw store-bought papadums for 45 seconds to 1 minute until puffed and crisped.
- This recipe is adapted from Luke Mangan’s version, with added salt and a lighter cream option by the author.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 310g
- Calories: 402
- Sugar: 6.5g
- Sodium: 928mg
- Fat: 23.4g
- Saturated Fat: 9.3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 9.8g
- Fiber: 0.9g
- Protein: 39.8g
- Cholesterol: 193mg
