THE Butter Chicken Recipe
Ingredients:
Marinade
- 5 or 6 chicken breasts
- 1c Greek Yogurt
- 3 TBSP Minced garlic
- 1 TBSP chopped ginger
- 1/2c lemon juice
- 1 TBSP Garam Masala
- 1/2 TBSP Cumin
- 1/2 TBSP Tumeric
- 1 TBSP Paprika
- 1/2 TBSP salt
Sauce
- 3 TBSP Olive Oil
- 1 small onion
- 2 TBSP Garam Masala
- 1/2 TBSP Cumin
- 1 TBSP Garlic Powder
- 1/2 TBSP Chili Powder
- 1/2 TBSP salt
- 1c Cashews
- 2 cans of diced tomatoes
- 1/2c water
- 2c heavy cream
- 2 sticks of butter
-Parsley to garnish
Instructions:
Prep your chicken. Add all your ingredients for the marinade in a bowl, adding the chicken in last and stirring. Once the chicken is fully coated, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place the bowl in the fridge to marinate for an hour.
Towards the end of your hour wait, begin prepping the sauce. Add your olive oil to a skillet on medium heat. Chop and add in your onion until it's translucent. Add all seasonings, along with the tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes. Add cashews and water, cooking for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer mixture into a blender. Blend mix until all chunks are gone and it has turned the consistency of a puree.
**It's at this time that I like to remove my chicken from the fridge and cook it in a seperate skillet. We are just looking to cook the chicken until it's done. Don't worry if there is still some drippings from the marinade, it'll make the sauce richer!**
Add the puree back into your sauce skillet on low to medium heat and add in two sticks of butter. Wait until the butter is completely melted and stir in the heavy cream. Dump your cooked chicken into the skillet with the sauce giving it a good stir. Top with parsley and serve.
Making butter chicken at home can be incredibly rewarding and allows you to adjust the flavors to your preference. One tip I’ve learned from experience is to let the chicken marinate for at least an hour, but for even more depth, marinate it overnight if you have the time. The use of Greek yogurt in the marinade not only tenderizes the chicken but also adds a subtle tang that balances the spices beautifully. When preparing the sauce, blending the cashews with tomatoes creates a wonderfully creamy texture without the heaviness that sometimes comes from store-bought sauces. I recommend lightly roasting the cashews before blending to enhance their nutty flavor, which gives the sauce an even richer taste. Cooking the chicken separately as suggested ensures it stays juicy and flavorful. The leftover marinade drippings in the skillet while cooking the chicken indeed enrich the sauce, adding complexity to the dish. If you want to make the dish a bit spicier, consider adding a pinch of chili powder or fresh chopped chili along with the garlic powder in the sauce. On the other hand, cream and butter help mellow the heat, so you can adjust these amounts based on your heat preference. Finally, garnish with fresh parsley or cilantro for a burst of color and freshness that complements the creamy and spicy butter chicken sauce perfectly. Enjoy serving this butter chicken with basmati rice or warm naan bread to soak up the delicious sauce. It’s a favorite comfort food that’s great for family dinners and gatherings!
