Butter chicken (murgh makhani)

Ingredients

• 800 g Boneless chicken thighs
• 150 g Whole milk plain yogurt
• 3 tbsp Ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tbsp Lemon juice
• 2 tsp Ground garam masala
• 1 tsp Ground turmeric
• 1 tsp Cayenne pepper powder
• 1 tsp Ground cumin
• 1 tsp Ground coriander
• 80 g Unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp Vegetable oil
• 1 piece Red onion
• 400 g Canned peeled tomatoes
• 40 g Cashews
• 1 piece Cinnamon stick
• 4 pieces Green cardamom
• 4 pieces Cloves
• 150 ml Heavy cream 30%
• 1 tbsp Dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi)
• 1 pinch Granulated sugar
• to taste Salt
• 1 bunch Fresh cilantro

Method

1. In a large bowl, prepare the marinade by mixing the yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, lemon juice, and all the ground spices (garam masala, turmeric, chili, cumin, coriander) with salt. Generously coat the chicken pieces, cover, and let marinate in the refrigerator for at least two hours, ideally overnight.
2. Heat a skillet or griddle over high heat with a drizzle of oil. Sear the drained chicken pieces until they are golden brown and slightly charred around the edges, about three minutes on each side. The chicken does not need to be fully cooked at this stage. Set aside.
3. In a large saucepan, melt a portion of the butter with a drizzle of oil over medium heat. Add the cinnamon stick, cardamom, and cloves, and sauté until they release their fragrance, about thirty seconds.
4. Add the finely chopped red onion and sweat until it is translucent and lightly browned. Stir in a little ginger-garlic paste and sauté for another minute until the raw smell disappears.
5. Pour in the peeled tomatoes with their juices and add the cashews. Simmer gently over low heat, covered, until the tomatoes are completely broken down and the cashews are tender, about fifteen minutes.
6. Remove from the heat and blend the contents of the saucepan with an immersion blender until you get a perfectly smooth and silky sauce. Pass the sauce through a fine-mesh strainer, pressing well to remove any fibers or skins, then return the strained sauce to the rinsed saucepan.
7. Return to low heat. Stir in the remaining butter in pieces, then drizzle in the heavy cream. Simmer gently while stirring until the sauce coats the back of the spoon, about five minutes.
8. Add the seared chicken pieces to the sauce. Crush the dried fenugreek leaves between the palms of your hands to release their fragrance and add them in. Simmer over very low heat for about ten minutes so the chicken finishes cooking and absorbs the sauce.
9. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and sugar if the sauce is too acidic. Sprinkle with chopped fresh cilantro and serve immediately with basmati rice or naan.

Nutrition

Per serving

Energy

888.1 kcal

Protein

42.06 g

Carbohydrate

18.63 g

Fat

72.06 g

Fibre

7.61 g

Calcium

168.7 mg

Iron

4.64 mg

Magnesium

70.55 mg