If you are tired of eating the same old food this is the recipe for you. Literally spice up your weekly meal plan with this simple, yet delicious butter chicken. It showcases curry seasonings with the most flavorful creamy tomato based sauce.
I vividly remember my first time eating butter chicken and it was definitely my most memorable experience. I was studying abroad in London and my friends and I decided to hit up the infamous Brick Lane for some classic British Indian food. I emphasize "British" because I am well aware that chicken tikka masala is essentially the national dish of England, not India. Anyway, this street is notorious for its Indian curry houses and more notably, it's demanding maitre D's. Men stand outside their restaurants and practically grab you off of the streets to come inside to experience the "best Indian food in England" for a low price. They then try to offer you free wine or beer and you actually end up negotiating with the staff for the best price like you are buying a used car. While most see this as a tourist trap for mediocre food, us college-aged girls saw it as any twenty year old student would, an opportunity for free booze. We entered the empty restaurant and anxiously awaited the free bottles only to find that we literally were given watered down wine. Even at the young age of 21, I was privy to know I was being scammed. Despite the scandal with the alcohol, the food arrived and I was able to enjoy something I have never tasted before. I don't care if this is the most commercial anglicized Indian food I could get. In fact, I'm pretty sure I was indulging at one of the worst restaurants Brick Lane had to offer. However that butter chicken made a hard impact on me.
The key to making delicious easy butter chicken at home starts with the spices. First of all you need garam masala which is a culmination of traditional Indian spices in a blend. This spice is featured not only in the sauce, but also the chicken marinade. Smoked paprika, turmeric, and cumin are also used to create this flavorful sauce. Next is the chicken. I prefer to use chicken thighs because not only are the cheap but they are also packed with so much more flavor that traditional chicken breast meat. Lastly, the name butter chicken doesn't come randomly. The final touch to creating a deliciously smooth sauce is adding in a little knob of butter. Trust me.
Ingredients:
Chicken marinade:
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into 1/4 inch chunks
1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
1 tbsp garam masala
1 tbsp kosher salt
Sauce:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 white onion, diced
1 tbsp fresh ginger, diced
6 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tsp smoked paprika
2 tsp cumin
1 tbsp garam masala
1 tsp turmeric
1 14oz can crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup water
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
1 cup heavy cream
2 tbsp unsalted butter
Hot steamed rice for serving
fresh cilantro for serving
1. In a medium bowl, whisk together yogurt, garam masala, and salt. Add in the chicken and stir so that the chicken is evenly coated with the sauce. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes or overnight.
2. In a large skillet heat olive oil over medium high heat. Sear chicken and brown on all sides (about 3 minutes each side). Chicken should not be cooked through but browned on all sides. Remove chicken and set aside.
3. Add in onion, garlic, and ginger to the pan and cook over medium heat for 3 minutes or until onions become translucent. Add in splash of water to the pan if there are browned bits stuck. Once water evaporates, add in smoked paprika, turmeric, garam masala, cumin, and salt and pepper. Stir to combine, the mixture will be thick.
4. Once fragrant add in the crushed tomatoes and 1/2 cup water. Return the chicken back to the pot. Cover and cook for 10 minutes so that the chicken becomes cooked through.
5. Add in the heavy cream and stir to combine. Add in the butter, while continuously stirring to emulsify the sauce.
6. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper if needed and serve alongside rice. Top with cilantro.
Chicken marinade:
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into 1/4 inch chunks
1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
1 tbsp garam masala
1 tbsp kosher salt
Sauce:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 white onion, diced
1 tbsp fresh ginger, diced
6 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tsp smoked paprika
2 tsp cumin
1 tbsp garam masala
1 tsp turmeric
1 14oz can crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup water
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
1 cup heavy cream
2 tbsp unsalted butter
Hot steamed rice for serving
fresh cilantro for serving
1. In a medium bowl, whisk together yogurt, garam masala, and salt. Add in the chicken and stir so that the chicken is evenly coated with the sauce. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes or overnight.
2. In a large skillet heat olive oil over medium high heat. Sear chicken and brown on all sides (about 3 minutes each side). Chicken should not be cooked through but browned on all sides. Remove chicken and set aside.
3. Add in onion, garlic, and ginger to the pan and cook over medium heat for 3 minutes or until onions become translucent. Add in splash of water to the pan if there are browned bits stuck. Once water evaporates, add in smoked paprika, turmeric, garam masala, cumin, and salt and pepper. Stir to combine, the mixture will be thick.
4. Once fragrant add in the crushed tomatoes and 1/2 cup water. Return the chicken back to the pot. Cover and cook for 10 minutes so that the chicken becomes cooked through.
5. Add in the heavy cream and stir to combine. Add in the butter, while continuously stirring to emulsify the sauce.
6. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper if needed and serve alongside rice. Top with cilantro.
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