Butter Chicken Recipe

Indian dish named Butter Chicken or “Murgh Makhani” indeed is one of the favorite dishes throughout the world and also a mouth-watering flavor of India for sure, but it all depends on two most important features-its tomato sauce very creamy and succulent marinated chicken. Naan, rice, or even alone, Butter Chicken is always a savory delight with the perfect balance of spices, creaminess, and depth of flavor. It is the most popular dish found in restaurants worldwide, but when prepared at home from scratch, then the cook gets to have control over what goes into the ingredients and an opportunity to craft an authentic version.

Now, let’s get onto a simple step-by-step Butter Chicken recipe from marinade to the cooking of that perfect sauce. Here is how you are going to prepare this really indulgent and sure-to-please dish you could present to your family and friends.

Butter Chicken Recipe Ingredients:

To prepare really good and deeply flavored Butter Chicken, you will require the following ingredients:

For the Chicken Marinade:

500g boneless chicken thighs – tender than breast meat
1/2 cup yogurt
1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
1 teaspoon red chili powder, as per your requirement
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon garam masala powder
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Salt as required

Butter Chicken Sauce
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons ginger-garlic paste
2 medium tomatoes, pureed, or 1 cup canned tomato puree 1 teaspoon red chili powder 1 tsp garam masala – 1 tsp ground coriander – 1/2 tsp cumin powder – 1/4 tsp kasuri methi-dried fenugreek leaves – 1/2 cup heavy cream or half-and-half for lighter version – 1 tbsp sugar ONLY if it needs neutralization- acidity is just too high. It all really depends. – Salt according to taste – Garnish using fresh coriander-cilantro leaves.
Add water to the mixture to get a good consistency.

Preparation of Butter Chicken Recipe

Marinating chicken

Marination is the beginning step of preparation of the delicious Butter Chicken. Marination makes meat soft, juicy, and flavored because meat gets soft in this process. A large pot of yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, red chili powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, ground coriander, cumin powder, lemon juice, and salt is the marination.

Add the chicken thighs into the bowl and mix well so that all pieces get well coated with the marinade. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and marinate the chicken in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, but for the best result, marinate for 2 to 3 hours or overnight. This way, the more time the pieces sit in the chicken, the longer the spices sink into the meat and would much be tastier for the Butter Chicken.

2. Cook Chicken:

Once you have marinated your chicken, it’s time to cook it. Traditionally, Butter Chicken is made using grilled or roasted pieces of chicken in order to give it that smoky flavor. If you do not have a grill, you can grill your chicken on the stovetop or oven as well.

How to Grill: 

Preheat your grill or grill pan to medium heat. Lightly grease your grill or pan, so the chicken does not stick.
– Grill chicken for 5-7 minutes on each side, or until done and edges of the chicken have browned. Chicken has to reach a temperature of 165°F or 74°C inside.

Stovetop Method:
You can add some oil to the pan. Then sauté at medium-high.
Cook the marinated chicken in batches so that they are not over-crowding in the pan. Brown chicken pieces on both sides for 6-8 minutes. Take out the cooked chicken from the pan and put it aside.
Do not let the chicken become overcooked here; it would cook the remaining part in the sauce. Cut the chicken in small little bits and put them aside.
3. Butter Chicken Sauce Preparation

This part and parcel of the dish, to wit, the fantastic creamy sauce that makes Butter Chicken so detectively flavored. How to prepare it:

-Caramelize the Onions:** Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a large pan over medium flame. Add chopped onions, and sauté till they are caramelized, brown. It takes around 7-8 minutes. What is caramelizing onions is one method for deepening the flavor in the sauce.
Add the ginger-garlic paste to the onions and mix again. Then fry for 1 to 2 minutes. The raw smell of the ginger-garlic disappears and the sauce takes up an aromatic undertone spice basis.

-Cooking the Tomatoes:** Add the pureed tomatoes or can of tomato puree and let simmer over a medium flame for 5-7 minutes, stirring at intervals until they reduce and thicken. The tomatoes form the base of the sauce and introduce a sharp counterpoint to the heavy texture.

Adding the Spices:** Once the tomatoes have softened, add in the red chili powder, garam masala, ground coriander, cumin powder, and kasuri methi, the dried fenugreek leaves. Mix well and continue to cook for another 1-2 minutes. The oils and aromas of the spices will bleed into the base of the sauce.

In the heavy cream, stir it in and reduce the heat to a simmer. Let it simmer over low heat till you get the rich, creamy sauce- the hallmark richness of Butter Chicken. I feel the sauce may not need as much acidity. You probably want to put in a spoonful of sugar, balancing out the tomatoes. Taste the sauce and add some salt if that’s what the sauce needs for seasoning purposes.

4. Assembling It All:

Now that the chicken pieces are done, and as well as done with the sauce, it’s already the right time for combining the two. Pour in the chicken pieces cooked in the sauce, add juices that might have oozed out so that it dresses equally with the sauce. Simmer it at low heat for about 10 to 15 minutes. Let the chicken soak into the flavor of the sauce; then, the dish is served more delicious and tender.

If too thick, add a little water or chicken broth to get it right. It needs to be that silky smooth and creamy yet thin enough to really douse through with your rice or naan.

5. Garnishing and Serving:

Remove from heat once it is well cooked and flavors have melded together. Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro; explosion of freshness and color. It can be served steaming hot with naan, basmati rice, or paratha on the side or even alongside refreshing cucumber raita to tone down the richness of the dish.
Tips for Butter Chicken Recipe

1. Bone-In Chicken Thighs: Bone-in chicken thighs work much better in Butter Chicken. The meat stays much more moist and full of flavor than when using boneless chicken breasts. The bones even contribute to the richness of the sauce as it cooks.

2. Full-Fat Dairy: Use full-fat yogurt and heavy cream for that creaminess and richness Butter Chicken is famous for. Anything less will mean a less decadent texture.

3. Do Not Miss the Kasuri Methi: The flavor, which is different for Butter Chicken, is kasuri methi or dried fenugreek leaves. Don’t replace them with other herbs as it is a must for the authentic taste.

4. Grill the Chicken: Grill or roast the chicken if possible. This will add flavor and a bit of smokiness to the dish which complements so well with the creamy sauce.

5. Spice Levels:** Butter Chicken is mildly spiced, although the levels of heat can be adjusted by adding extra or less red chili powder; if you like to have it milder, cut down a little on the amount used or use milder ones.
Conclusion:
Conclusion
Butter Chicken is rich and indulgent and has become something of a classic in Indian and far beyond. It has tender chicken in creamy spiced tomato sauce, for quite a mix of flavors and textures. Indeed, making butter chicken from scratch is rewarding in Indian or well-seasoned the home chef-it’s gonna make sure that it delights every one who can taste it with warm naan or aromatic basmati rice. Nonetheless, it will surely fill your stomach and warm your heart regardless of the time. Enjoy the process of making this iconic curry dish along with the reward of relishing its lush flavors!

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