Butter Chicken
Butter Chicken is one of the most popular Indian curries around the world. It is aromatic golden chicken pieces in an incredible creamy curry sauce. Try and feel how easy it is to make yourself at home.
Ingredients:
800 g boneless and skinless chicken thighs or breasts cut into bite-sized pieces (or do like I did this time, prepare a whole chicken and wings that I had in the freezer.) Take the chicken out to thaw and pat it dry with some papertowel before marinating.
For the chicken marinade:
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt
- 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger (or finely grated)
- 2 teaspoons garam masala
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon of salt
For the sauce:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons ghee (or 1 tbs butter + 1 tbs oil)
- 1 large onion, sliced or chopped
- 1 1/2 tablespoons garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon ginger, minced or finely grated
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 400 g crushed tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder (adjust to your taste preference)
- 1 1/4 teaspoons salt (or to taste)
- 1 cup of heavy or thickened cream (or evaporated milk to save calories)
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon kasoori methi (or dried fenugreek leaves)
Instructions
Prepare the chicken
In a bowl, combine chicken with all of the ingredients for the chicken marinade; let marinate for 30 minutes to an hour (or overnight if time allows).
If you use chickenfile heat oil in a large skillet or pot over medium-high heat. When sizzling, add chicken pieces in batches of two or three, making sure not to crowd the pan. Fry until browned for only 3 minutes on each side. Set aside and keep warm. (You will finish cooking the chicken in the sauce.)
Since I prepared a whole chicken and chicken legs I roasted mine in the oven at 220 Celsius degrees for about 1 hour and 20 minutes. After I shredded the chicken with my hands to take out all bones and only be left with the meat. While the chicken was in the oven I prepared the sauce.
Make the sauce
Heat butter or ghee in a pan or pot. Fry the onions until they start to sweat (about 6 minutes) while scraping up any browned bits stuck on the bottom of the pan (if you fried the chicken bits there first. If not you will add the broth from pan of the ovenroasted chicken to your sauce later.
Add garlic and ginger and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant, then add ground coriander, cumin and garam masala. Let cook for about 20 seconds until fragrant, while stirring occasionally.
Add crushed tomatoes, chili powder and salt. Let simmer for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally until sauce thickens and becomes a deep brown red colour.
If you want to thin out the sauce, add a couple tablespoons of ghee or butter at the end of cooking, and gently simmer it through. Alternatively, add a small amount of water.
Remove from heat, scoop mixture into a blender and blend until smooth. You may need to add a couple tablespoons of water to help it blend (up to 1/4 cup). Work in batches depending on the size of your blender.
Pour the puréed sauce back into the pan. Stir the cream, sugar and crushed kasoori methi (or fenugreek leaves) through the sauce. Add the chicken with juices back into the pan and cook for an additional 8-10 minutes until chicken is cooked through and the sauce is thick and bubbling.
Naan Bread
Ingredients:
- 1 (25 g) package active dry yeast
- 1 cup warm water
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 1 egg, beaten
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 4 1/2 cups bread flour
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic (optional)
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
Instructions:
In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand about 10 minutes, until frothy. Stir in sugar, milk, egg, salt, and flour to make the dough. Knead for 6 to 8 minutes on a lightly floured surface, or until smooth. Place dough in an oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and set aside to rise. Let it rise 1 hour, until the dough has doubled in volume.
Punch down dough. Pinch off small handfuls of dough about the size of a golf ball. Roll into balls and place on a tray or back in the bowl. Cover with a towel, and allow buns to rise again to double in size, about 30 minutes.
During the second rising, preheat grill or frying pan to high heat. Roll one ball of dough out into a thin circle. Lightly oil frying pan or grill. Place dough on grill or frying pan, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until puffy and lightly browned. Brush uncooked side with butter, and turn over. Brush cooked side with butter, and cook until browned, another 2 to 4 minutes. To help the puffing press the Naan with your spatula while in the pan. Remove from grill/pan and continue the process until all the naan has been prepared.
Serve
Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve with fresh, hot garlic butter rice and fresh homemade Naan bread, or just with Naan Bread like I did this time! And I also portioned my Butter Chicken into boxes for the freezer so I can enjoy this any day ahead. The Naan Bread I also freeze with paper between each so I easily can take out just one for a meal.
Bj's Live Kitchen 