Butter chicken is a perfect winter dish which makes you feel warm and an all time favorite for both kids and adults. This dish is typically a restaurant dish served with roti or nan and it goes well with crusty bread too. As we all know most of the restaurants give importance to taste. I won’t claim this to be a low calorie dish. But this is a homemade preparation which is decently healthier than restaurent version.

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Since this is a restaurant dish, preparation is also in a restaurant way. Usually in restaurants the ingredients are prepped and kept it in the fridge till needed. Same way for this one too the ingredients should be cooked individually and is combined at the last stage. It takes a longer time to prep this dish but it’s worth the effort. The colour depends on how ripe your tomatoes are.

Preparation time : 30 mts

Cooking time : 25 mts

Serves : 4

Ingredients :

  • Chicken – 1/2 kg ( bone less is best for this recipe but I’m using with bone)
  • 2 medium red onions diced
  • 2 large tomatoes ( 1 chopped and the other boil in some water in a sauce pan for 5 mts and remove the skin)
  • 5 cashew nuts (soaked)
  • 5 almonds skinned*
  • 1 tsp kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
  • 1 tsp butter (what is butter chicken without butter 🙂 )
  • 1 tsp chilli powder / roasted paprika (adjust the heat to your taste)
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1/4 cup fresh cream ( if you want to cut down on calories replace fresh cream with milk.)
  • 2+3 tablespoon of oil (non flavoured)

Spice mix / garam masala:

  • 1/2 tsp whole black pepper
  • 6 cloves
  • 12 cardamom pods
  • 1 star anise (mine ran out 🙁 )
  • 1 mace
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Warm up these dry spices ( except bay leaves) in a pan and grind it to fine powder.

Method :

  • In to the clean chicken pieces add chilli powder, turmeric powder and 3/4 th of the grinded dry spice mix / garam masala.
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  • Mix the masala into the chicken and set it aside.
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  • In the mean time heat a pan and add 2 table spoon of oil.
  • When the oil heats up fry onions.
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  • When the onions have sweated down take out of the pan and add that into a blender bowl.
  • In the same pan using the remaining oil soften the chopped tomatoes.
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  • Once softened add to the bowl containing tomatoes. Once the tomatoes have cooled down a bit, grind it to fine paste.
  • While the tomatoes are cooling keep the same pan to heat and add 3 table spoon of oil and fry the chicken pieces. Since the chicken needs further cooking in the sauce, careful not to cook the chicken fully.
  • When the chicken is 3/4 th done add in the blended onion and tomato mix and cook in low fire.
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  • Make a paste out of the de skinned tomato, cashew nuts and almonds and add to the chicken.
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  • When the chicken is cooked for another 5 mts add the kasuri methi and bay leaves.
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  • Allow the kasuri methi to release its aroma by cooking further for 2 mts.
  • Now add in the rest of the spice mix and butter and slowly combine.
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  • Switch off the fire and add in fresh cream.
  • Butter chicken is ready !
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Notes :

  •  If you’re serving later, add 1/4 cup of water before adding the butter. The curry actually thickens with time.
  • * Soak the almonds in warm water and the skin comes off easily in 10 mts.

 

Butter chicken ( Murg makhani)
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
A creamy and exotic chicken curry.
Author:
Recipe type: Main
Cuisine: Indian
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • Chicken - ½ kg ( bone less is best for this recipe but I'm using with bone)
  • 2 medium red onions diced
  • 2 large tomatoes ( 1 chopped and the other boil in some water in a sauce pan for 5 mts and remove the skin)
  • 5 cashew nuts (soaked)
  • 5 almonds skinned*
  • 1 tsp kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
  • 1 tsp butter (what is butter chicken without butter 🙂 )
  • 1 tsp chilli powder / roasted paprika (adjust the heat to your taste)
  • ¼ tsp turmeric powder
  • 2 bay leaves
  • ¼ cup fresh cream ( if you want to cut down on calories replace fresh cream with milk.)
  • 2+3 tablespoon of oil (non flavoured)
  • Spice mix / garam masala:
  • ½ tsp whole black pepper
  • 6 cloves
  • 12 cardamom pods
  • 1 star anise (mine ran out 🙁 )
  • 1 mace
  • Warm up these dry spices ( except bay leaves) in a pan and grind it to fine powder.
Instructions
  1. In to the clean chicken pieces add chilli powder, turmeric powder and ¾ th of the grinded dry spice mix / garam masala.
  2. Mix the masala into the chicken and set it aside.
  3. In the mean time heat a pan and add 2 table spoon of oil.
  4. When the oil heats up fry onions.
  5. When the onions have sweated down take out of the pan and add that into a blender bowl.
  6. In the same pan using the remaining oil soften the chopped tomatoes.
  7. Once softened add to the bowl containing tomatoes. Once the tomatoes have cooled down a bit, grind it to fine paste.
  8. While the tomatoes are cooling keep the same pan to heat and add 3 table spoon of oil and fry the chicken pieces. Since the chicken needs further cooking in the sauce, careful not to cook the chicken fully.
  9. When the chicken is ¾ th done add in the blended onion and tomato mix and cook in low fire.
  10. Make a paste out of the de skinned tomato, cashew nuts and almonds and add to the chicken.
  11. When the chicken is cooked for another 5 mts add the kasuri methi and bay leaves.
  12. Allow the kasuri methi to release its aroma by cooking further for 2 mts.
  13. Now add in the rest of the spice mix and butter and slowly combine.
  14. Switch off the fire and add in fresh cream.
  15. Butter chicken is ready !
  16. Notes :
  17. If you're serving later, add ¼ cup of water before adding the butter. The curry actually thickens with time.
  18. * Soak the almonds in warm water and the skin comes off easily in 10 mts.