Butter chicken, also known as chicken makhani, is my son Rohit’s favourite Indian dish. He adores chicken in any form, but still….butter chicken ranks top in his list of favourites. Now, back to talking about the dish….It is a full flavoured dish that complements the chicken well. You can make this dish as mild or spicy as you wish by adjusting the cayenne pepper.
This dish is best served with basmati rice and/or naan bread. The recipe I am sharing with you is an easy version of butter chicken.
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons butter, divided
- 1 onion, diced
- 6 nos. chicken breasts, cut into 1″ chunks
- 1 tbsp. garlic cloves, minced
- One tbsp. fresh grated ginger
- 1 1/2 cups tomato sauce
- One tbsp. garam masala
- 1 tsp. chilli powder
- 2 cups cream
- 1 tsp. ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
- Salt & pepper, to taste
- Lime & cilantro, for garnish
- Naan/ rice, for serving
Method
- First take 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the pieces of the chicken so each side is browned. They do not need to be fully cooked all the way through. Work in batches, and set aside when you’re done.
- Melt another 2 tablespoons of butter in the pan over medium heat. Add the onion, and cook until beginning to soften — around three minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, chilli powder, cumin, and cayenne pepper. Next add the garam masala. Stir to combine everything well, and cook for about 45 seconds before adding the tomato sauce.
- Bring the mixture to a simmer and let it cook for five minutes before adding the cream. Bring the mixture back to a simmer, add the browned chicken, and let simmer for 10-15 minutes. Keep the heat low and not a rolling boil.
- Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Serve garnished with lime and cilantro, alongside rice and naan.
