Drum roll please … for the very orange, the very buttery – Butttttterr Chickennnn!!!!
This is that one Indian curry you don’t grow out of. You loved it when you were little and you love it still. If you were like me, you would want to pass that love on to your little ones as well. And in this recipe I have made it really simple for you. Not to mention really healthy as well. There is no addition of colours (like we usually get in restaurants and no heavy-ness of cream as well (another concern you often hear your grandmother complain about when you say Butter Chicken). But you have to be open to the amount of butter used in the recipe; after all it needs to live up to its name!
Remember… If there is no butter, there is no way you get the authentic flavours to the butter chicken.
Here goes:-
Ingredients (serves 4 )
- 8 cloves medium sized garlic, crushed
- 2 -3 inch garlic, crushed
- 3 medium sized onion, roughly chopped
- 5-6 tomatoes, largely diced
- 3-4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp cooking oil
- 250gms chicken breast, cut into bite-size
- 1 tbsp paprika* or red chilli powder
- 2 tbsp salt
- a sprinkle of kasuri methi*
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp sugar
- ½ cup cashew nuts
*Paprika only adds a red colour to the dish. Paprika unlike red chilli powder does not add the “hot” factor to the dish. Use whichever one suits you.
Method:
- In a mixing bowl, marinate the diced chicken with half the amount of garlic and ginger you have prepared.
- Add paprika and salt to the bowl. Mix well and leave for a minimum of 20minutes.
- In a large fry pan add oil. Once hot, add in the marinated chicken. Cook until almost done through. Remove from pan and set aside.
- In the same pan, heat 2 tbsp butter, add the onions. Sweat the onions until translucent.
- Add the remaining garlic and ginger paste, along with tomatoes and cashew nuts. Cook on high for 2minutes.
- Add water then switch to simmer and let cook for about 20minutes.
- Turn off the heat and allow the mix to cool.
- Blend the mix in a blender until you get a thick orange curry.
- Using a fine mesh strainer set over a clean bowl, strain the thick curry. You will get a clean and smooth curry. Pour this back into the pan.
- Re-heat the curry in the pan. Add butter, salt and garam masala.
- Followed by chicken. Cook for another 5minutes. Turn off gas.
- Sprinkle with finely crushed kasuri methi for garnish. Top the dish with butter or cream.
Enjoy!!