Description
Creamy Indian butter chicken delivers a rich, aromatic journey through classic North Indian cuisine. Tender marinated chicken bathes in a luxurious tomato-cream sauce, promising a perfect blend of spices and comfort that will transport you straight to a Mumbai kitchen.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Marinade Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons natural yogurt
- 2 tablespoons mustard oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chilli powder
- 2 cloves of garlic (grated)
- 2.12 centimeters (0.83 inches) piece of fresh ginger (peeled and grated)
Sauce and Spice Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon sunflower oil
- 50 grams (1.76 ounces) salted butter
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 cardamom pods
- 4 cloves
- 2 cloves of garlic (grated)
- 200 grams (7.05 ounces) tomato passata
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 tablespoon kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
- 1 teaspoon clear honey
- 1 tablespoon double cream
Instructions
- Warm the oven to 220C (425F) for optimal roasting conditions.
- Combine chicken pieces thoroughly with marinade components directly in a roasting tin, ensuring complete coating.
- Roast chicken for precisely 10 minutes until fully cooked and slightly golden.
- In a separate pan, heat oil and butter together, then introduce whole aromatic spices and sauté until releasing intense fragrance.
- Incorporate minced garlic and cook briefly until softened and releasing its essence.
- Pour passata into the spice mixture, cover the pan, and allow gentle simmering for 10 minutes to develop rich flavors.
- Season sauce with salt, chilli powder, and garam masala, then carefully fold in roasted chicken pieces. Simmer for an additional 5 minutes to meld flavors.
- Finish the dish by stirring in kasuri methi for herbal notes, drizzle honey for subtle sweetness, and swirl cream to create a luxurious, velvety texture. Serve immediately while piping hot.
Notes
- Marinate chicken longer for deeper flavor absorption, ideally 4-8 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.
- Adjust spice levels by reducing or increasing chili powder to suit personal heat tolerance.
- Use boneless, skinless chicken thighs for more tender and juicy meat compared to chicken breasts.
- Replace cream with coconut milk for a dairy-free alternative that maintains a rich, creamy texture.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 26 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Indian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 311 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 900 mg
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 7 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg