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Indian Butter Chicken Recipe

Butter chicken is a fairly new recipe to me. Actually, most Indian cuisine is fairly new to me.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Keyword: Cookware, Entrees, International, Poultry, Rice and grains
Skill: intermediate
Servings: 4

Ingredients

  • 1.5 lb Boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite size chunks
  • 2 tbsp Garam masala, divided
  • Juice from half a lemon
  • 3 tbsp Coconut oil or olive oil
  • .5 Onion, finely minced
  • 3 Cloves garlic, minced or grated
  • 1 tbsp Freshly grated ginger
  • 2 tsp Curry powder
  • 2 tsp Curry paste (I used 2 teaspoons of Thai Red Curry Paste)
  • 2 tsp Paprika
  • .5 tsp Turmeric
  • .5 tsp Cayenne pepper (use less if you are not a spicy person)
  • .25 tsp Cinnamon
  • .25 tsp Salt
  • 6 oz Tomato paste (1 can)
  • 14 oz Coconut milk, regular or lite (I used regular), plus more if needed to thin the sauce (1 can)
  • .5 cups Greek yogurt (I used 0%)
  • .25 cups Half and half or heavy cream
  • .33 cups Fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 3 tbsp Butter, softened
  • Cooked white rice, for serving
  • Fresh homemade Naan, for scooping (a must!)

Instructions

  • In a bowl, combine the chicken, 1 tablespoon of the garam masala and the juice of half of a lemon. Toss well to combine and set aside to marinate for 10-20 minutes, or cover and place in the fridge for up to overnight.
  • Heat the oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot set over medium heat. Once hot, add the onion and cook 2-3 minutes or until lightly charred on the edges.
  • Add the garlic and ginger, cook 30 seconds. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon garam masala, curry powder, Thai red curry paste, paprika, turmeric, cayenne, cinnamon and salt, continue cooking for another minute or until the curry is fragrant.
  • Stir in the tomato paste and cook 30 seconds. Slowly pour in the coconut milk. Stir to combine and then bring the mixture to a boil.
  • Once boiling, add the marinated chicken. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 15-25 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked through. Stir in the yogurt and heavy cream, continue cooking uncovered for another 5 minutes. If your sauce thickens too much, add coconut milk to thin it a bit.
  • Remove from the heat and stir in the butter + cilantro.
  • To serve, divide the rice among plates and top with the butter chicken. Garnish with fresh cilantro.
  • EAT!