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–+ servings
Butter Chicken

Butter Chicken Recipe

One of the most popular Indian food recipes is butter chicken. It is very easy to make yourself at home, and with a recipe as original as this one, it's amazingly good.
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Prep Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 50 minutes
Course Main or Side
Cuisine East Indian
Servings 6 Servings
Calories 741 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

For the Marinade:

  • 3 pounds chicken pieces, boneless and skinless
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1 cup yogurt
  • 2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon green chilies, fresh, minced
  • 3 teaspoons coriander powder
  • 2 tablespoons tandoori masala mix, see my recipe below
  • 2 tablespoons cumin
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons garam masala
  • 2 tablespoons garlic, fresh, minced
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons ginger, fresh, minced

For the Sauce:

  • 4 tablespoons oil
  • 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
  • 2 onions, large, finely chopped
  • 3 cups tomatoes, puréed
  • 1/2 cup coriander, fresh, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoons red chili powder, or to taste
  • 1 teaspoon fenugreek leaves, dried
  • 1/4 cup butter, chilled
  • 1 cup whipping cream
  • 1/2 teaspoon garam masala, for garnish
  • 3 tablespoons almonds, roasted slivered

Instructions
 

  • Wash the chicken and cut the pieces into 1 1/2 inch cubes. Dry the chicken pieces and set them aside.
  • Mix all the ingredients for the marinade and adjust the level of salt if you need to. Add the chicken and mix it all together well. Refrigerate the mixture for at least 1 or 2 hours (preferably overnight for best results).
  • When you are ready to cook the meat, preheat the oven to 375°F.
  • Arrange the chicken in a shallow baking dish. Pour all of the marinade over the chicken. Bake, partially tented, for approximately 20 minutes, basting it once or twice with some the marinade or a bit of oil if the marinade has been absorbed.
  • While the chicken bakes, prepare the sauce. In a sauté pan heat the oil on medium-high heat. Add the cumin seeds to the oil. When the seeds begin to sizzle, add the onions and continue to cook on medium-high heat until the onions are slightly browned. Add the tomatoes and all of the spices.
  • Lower the heat to medium. Cover and cook the sauce for 10 to 15 minutes until it is slightly thickened. Add the butter and stir until it is melted. Add the cream and bring to a boil. Add the chicken and stir it all together gently until everything is well mixed.
  • It's ready to serve. You can garnish your butter chicken with slivered almonds just before you serve it if you want. It looks nice and provides a great bit of crunch when you eat it.
  • Serves 6 - 8 people.

Notes

  • Butter chicken is usually served in boneless cubes in most restaurants, so that is what I have indicated here. Of course you can use bone-in chicken pieces if you prefer. Many home cooks and chefs agree that bone in meat is more flavorful.
  • Breast meat will cook faster than the dark meat, so adjust your cooking time according to what type of chicken you are using.
  • The chicken and sauce can be prepared separately ahead of time and refrigerated for up to two days.
  • Do not add the butter and cream to the sauce until you are ready to serve it.

Nutrition

Calories: 741kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 35gFat: 60gSaturated Fat: 22gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 196mgSodium: 1754mgPotassium: 817mgFiber: 4gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 1894IUVitamin C: 20mgCalcium: 218mgIron: 4mg
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