Author Notes
By far this is the most requested dish in our cooking classes! Traditionally, this dish is known as "Makhani Chicken" meaning "with butter or dairy" however, Butter Chicken does not have to contain butter in it. You can stir some in right before serving but we find this dish just as delicious without the added fat so our recipe omits it altogether! —Preena
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Ingredients
- Marinade
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1 pound
skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cubed
-
1/4 cup
thick plain yogurt
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2 teaspoons
Arvinda's Butter Chicken Masala
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1 teaspoon
lime or lemon juice
-
1/2 teaspoon
salt
- Sauce
-
1
large onion,
-
2 tablespoons
oil
-
3
each, cinnamon sticks, cardamom pods, black peppercorns, cloves, star anise
-
2
bay leaves
-
1 1/2 tablespoons
Arvinda's Butter Chicken Masala
-
2 teaspoons
sugar
-
1/2 teaspoon
salt or salt to taste
-
3/4 cup
light cream
-
1/4 cup
ground almonds
-
1/2 cup
water + extra, if required
-
1/2 teaspoon
Arvinda's Garam Masala (optional)
-
1/4 cup
cilantro, finely chopped
Directions
-
Marinade: In a large bowl, mix marinade ingredients together. Add chicken and coat well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight for best results.
-
Quarter onion. Boil in water until softened and cooked. Drain and puree in a food processor until onion is fine and smooth.
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Preheat oven to 400F. Place chicken on baking sheet and cook for 10-12 minutes until chicken is cooked and has lost its pinkness. {Option: Grill on BBQ}. Set aside.
-
In a large pan, heat oil on medium-high. Add cinnamon sticks, cardamom pods, black peppercorns, cloves and star anise. Gently fry for one minute until they fragrant and sizzle. Add bay leaves.
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Add pureed onions. Cook for 10 minutes on medium heat until onion is reduced and caramelized and becomes a thick paste.
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Add ground tomatoes. Mix. Stir in Arvinda’s Butter Chicken Masala and blend to make a masala paste. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
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Add cream, sugar and salt and mix into a sauce. Add cooked chicken. Simmer for 10 minutes.
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Fold in ground nuts. Add water and mix. Cook for a few more minutes.
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Garnish with a sprinkle of Arvinda’s Garam Masala and cilantro. Serve with a salad, naan and basmati rice.
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