Garam Masala Tuesdays: Butter Chicken
 
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Cook time
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Home made flavorful and authentic butter chicken recipe with a from scratch makhani sauce. Serve it with Naan or rice for a great Indian meal. Use the same makhani gravy to add paneer for a vegetarian version.
Author:
Recipe type: Dinner, main, gluten free
Cuisine: Indian
Serves: serves 4
Ingredients
For the first marination
  • 750 gms boneless chicken (preferably skinless bone-in, but boneless thighs work too)
  • 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • salt, to taste
For the second marination:
  • ½ cup hung curd (strain yogurt in a muslin cloth and keep for 1 hour so that excess water drains out)
  • 1 tsp kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves), crushed
  • 1 tsp cumin powder
  • 1 tsp coriander powder
  • 1 Red chilli powder
  • 2 tsp mustard oil ( can use vegetable oil)
  • ¼ tso turmeric powder
  • ½ tsp garam masala (I used homemade and you can find the recipe in the blog archives)
For the makhani sauce:
  • 400-500gms tomatoes (about 6-7)
  • 1 small onion, peeled and cut in half
  • 1 red bell pepper, roasted (skin peeled and seeds removed)
  • 4-5 cloves of garlic
  • 2-3 dried red chillies
  • 1 tbsp butter (add more if you feel like- the more the tastier the results)
  • 2 inch stick of cinnamon
  • 2 cloves
  • 3-4 small green cardamoms
  • 1 teaspoon fenugreek/methi seeds
  • ¼ cup cashews (you can substitute with blanched almonds as well)
  • 1 tbsp kasoori methi
  • 2-3 tbsp chopped coriander/cilantro
  • ½ tsp garam masala (optional)
  • ¼ cup water
  • 1 tsp red chilli powder
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1-2 tbsp ketchup (optional) (you could also use tomato paste with a bit of sugar)
  • 2-3 tbsp milk/cream
Instructions
First Marination:
  1. Marinate the chicken with salt to taste, lime juice, ginger and garlic paste for 30 mins.
Second Marination:
  1. Mix together the second marination ingredients and add to the chicken. Keep it for 10-12 hrs/overnight in the refrigerator.
  2. Next day grill the chicken for about 20-25 mins at 220 deg. (I broiled the chicken at high setting for 20 minutes, turning the chicken over once).
For the makhani sauce:
  1. While this step is optional, I like the taste of roasted red bell pepper in my makhani sauce. To roast the red bell pepper, oil the bell pepper and place on foil lined baking tray. Roast in the oven for 30-40 minutes at 200 deg C, rotating it time to time to get a nice char on all sides. Once roasted, remove the skin, and add to blender.
  2. Boil the tomatoes with the onion and cashews.
  3. Then churn with the roasted red bell pepper in a blender.
  4. Heat butter in a pan and add the whole spices- cinnamon, green cardamom, cloves and methi seeds.
  5. Once the seeds start to sizzle, add the dried red chillies in it. Add the tomato-onion-cashew puree. (Tip: Take ¼ cup water to clean the blender of any residual puree.)
  6. Cook the gravy well, till the oil separates. Since tomatoe puree splutters a lot I cook the gravy on low, and cover it with a lid, making sure to run the spatula now and then so that it doesn't stick at the bottom. This takes about 15-20 minutes. Once the oil separates, you could leave as is, but in case you don't want the whole spices to come in your mouth while eating, you can puree the sauce. (Tip: I don't wash the blender after pureeing the tomatoes the first time. This way I do not need to keep washing the dishes).
  7. Return the sauce to the pan. Add in the ketchup/paste (and sugar) to give the gravy some red color. Add in the water and let come to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes.
  8. Add grilled chicken and cook till the gravy is thick and coating the chicken. Add the cilantro/coriander, kasoori methi and the cream. Check seasoning and adjust spices.
To make ahead:
  1. You can cook till Step 5 and puree the sauce once the oil separates from the pureed tomato mix. Freeze the makhani sauce once it cools down in an airtight container. Thaw in the fridge overnight, and use thawed sauce Step 6 onwards.
Giving the gravy a smoked flavor!
  1. If you have charcoal, heat it to red hot on the stove fire. Put a steel bowl (or make bowl one out of aluminium foil) in the pot with the gravy. Once the charcoal piece is red hot, quickly put int he steel/aluminium bowl. Add some butter or ghee on top. (You can also add 2 pieces of cloves on top of the charcoal- just make sure it doesn't fall in the gravy and stays only in the aluminium/steel bowl) and cover the pan. Do it two three times to get the smoke flavor. (see images below)
  2. Serve the chicken garnished with chopped cilantro with either Naan or rice.
  3. Enjoy cooking and then eating!
Recipe by The Novice Housewife at https://novicehousewife.com/2011/05/10/garam-masala-tuesdays-butter-chicken/