Butter Chicken

We love eating Butter Chicken, I`d say we eat it at least twice a month so we have perfected the recipe to what we believe to be the ultimate butter chicken. It`s simple to make and delicious to enjoy. Throw the leftover sauce (if you have any) on top of pasta or flatbread and you will not be disappointed.

Marinating the chicken the night before is not truly necessary, but it will give you tastier and more tender chicken. If you don`t have the time to do so, marinate for at least half an hour in the fridge for the fibers to begin breaking down before you bake it.

To marinate the chicken, cut each chicken breast in about 6-8 large pieces and put in a zip top bag or a plastic container with a lid. Add 3/4 cup of plain yogurt, 1 tablespoon each of grated ginger and grated garlic, 1 teaspoon each of Garam Masala, smoked paprika, ground cumin, ground coriander and salt. Mix well to cover the whole chicken, seal the container and place it in the fridge overnight.

Make your butter chicken spice: Mix 1 teaspoon each of ground coriander, ground cumin and all spice, ½ teaspoon each of chili powder, ground cardamom and smoked paprika, 1 ½ teaspoon of Turmeric, 2 teaspoons of Garam Masala and 1 bay leaf. Keep it in a small bowl at hand for the next steps.

Pre-heat the oven to 400F

Roughly chop 1 large Spanish onion, grate or mince 1 large nub of ginger (1 tablespoon after grated) and about 3-4 garlic cloves (1 tablespoon after grated). In a large pot, add 1 tablespoon of oil and the roughly chopped onions and sauté on medium heat for about 3-4 minutes (until translucent) stirring often. Add grated garlic and ginger and stir for another minute, then add the spice mix and stir for one more minute. Add 1 can of whole tomatoes, mix and lower the heat. Cover with a lid and simmer the sauce for 45 minutes or more.

In the meantime, remove the chicken from the marinade and place it on a tray with parchment paper. Bake in pre-heated oven (400F) for 15-20 minutes (until fully cooked, internal temperature 165F). Discard the rest of the marinade.

Once the sauce is cooked, remove the bay leaf and use a hand blender to break down all tomatoes and mix in all spices well. Add ½ cup of heavy cream as you keep blending until it is fully incorporated. Taste it and adjust the salt and pepper to taste.

Add cooked chicken with the juices into the sauce and simmer uncovered for another 5 minutes. Garnish with chopped fresh herbs such as parsley and cilantro and serve with warm naan and rice.

Butter Chicken

Servings: 4

Time: 1 hour

Ingredients

3 Chicken Breasts (marinated)

1 Tablespoon Grated Ginger

1 Tablespoon Grated Garlic

½ Spanish Onion

1 Can Whole Tomatoes

1 Bay Leaf

1 tsp Ground Coriander

1 tsp Ground Cumin

½ tsp Smoked Paprika

1 ½ tsp Turmeric

2 tsp Garam Masala

½ tsp Ground Cardamom

½ tsp Chili Powder

1 tsp All Spice

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

½ Cup Heavy Cream

2 Tbsp Chopped Fresh Herbs like Parsley and Cilantro (to garnish)

Chicken Marinade

3/4 Cup Plain Yogurt

1 Tbsp Grated Ginger

1 Tbsp Grated Garlic

1 tsp Garam Masala

1 tsp Smoked Paprika

1 tsp Ground Cumin

1 tsp Ground Coriander

1 tsp Salt

Step-by-Step

1.       Cube the chicken in large pieces and place it in zip top bag or a plastic container with a lid. Add all ingredients from the marinade and mix well to cover all pieces of chicken. Close it and leave it in the fridge overnight (or at least 4 hours).

2.       Roughly chop the onion on medium and sauté with olive oil in a large pot. When the onion is tender, add grated ginger and garlic and sauté for one extra minute.

3.       Add spices, one bay leaf and 1 tsp each of salt and pepper. Add the whole contents of a tomato can and lower the heat to simmer, cover with a lid and let it cook for 45 minutes.

4.       Halfway through cooking the sauce, remove the chicken from the marinade and bake it at 400F for 15-20 minutes on a tray with parchment paper. Reserve.

5.       After the sauce is cooked, remove the bay leaf and start blending the tomatoes with a hand blender. Add the heavy cream slowly and continue to blend until fully incorporated. Taste it and season with more salt and pepper to taste.

6.       Add cooked chicken with sauce into the sauce and simmer for 5 more minutes. Garnish with herbs and serve with rice and naan.