Butter Chicken (Indian Chicken Makhani)

Ingredients

Before you start

• •
  Cut boneless chicken into 1-inch pieces and pat dry with paper towels.
• •
  Mix Kashmiri red chili powder, salt, and lemon juice with the chicken, cover, and rest for 20 minutes.▶20:00
• •
  Add ginger garlic paste, garam masala, cumin powder, coriander powder, kasuri methi, turmeric, and Greek yogurt to the chicken. Mix well, cover, and marinate in the refrigerator for a minimum of 12 hours.▶720:00
• •
  Slice the onion and set aside.
• •
  Dice fresh tomatoes or measure out passata/canned tomatoes.
• •
  Soak cashews in hot water for 30 minutes if not using a high-powered blender, then grind to a smooth paste with water.▶30:00
• •
  Remove marinated chicken from the refrigerator and allow it to come closer to room temperature before cooking.

Instructions

1. 1.
   Heat 1 to 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan over medium heat and sauté the sliced onions for 7 to 8 minutes until slightly golden. Allow to cool slightly then transfer to a blender.▶8:00
2. 2.
   Add the tomatoes and cashews to the blender with half a cup of water and blend until completely smooth. Strain the puree if needed.
3. 3.
   Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a pan over medium heat and add the cinnamon, cardamoms, and cloves. Once they begin to sizzle, add the ginger garlic paste and green chilies and fry for 1 to 2 minutes until the raw smell disappears.▶2:00
4. 4.
   Turn off the heat and stir in the red chili powder, garam masala, cumin powder, and coriander powder.
5. 5.
   Pour in the tomato-onion-cashew puree, straining it into the pan if necessary, and mix well.
6. 6.
   Bring the sauce to a boil over medium-high heat, then partially cover and cook on medium heat, stirring often, for 12 to 15 minutes until thick.▶15:00
7. 7.
   Stir in the cashew cream if prepared separately, then pour in 1½ cups of hot water and mix well.
8. 8.
   Partially cover and simmer for 10 minutes until the sauce thickens and traces of butter are visible on the surface.▶10:00
9. 9.
   While the sauce simmers, heat oil or butter in a separate pan or griddle over medium heat and cook the marinated chicken pieces in batches for 2 minutes per side until just cooked through and moisture has evaporated. Optionally increase heat to brown lightly on both sides.▶2:00
10. 10.
    Add the grilled chicken to the sauce and pour in an additional ½ cup of hot water if the sauce is too thick. Simmer for 5 to 7 minutes until the chicken is tender and the sauce has developed full flavor.▶7:00
11. 11.
    Stir in the salt, sugar, and kasuri methi. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more garam masala or an additional tablespoon of butter if desired.
12. 12.
    Temper the heavy cream by stirring a few tablespoons of the hot sauce into the cream in a small bowl, then pour the tempered cream into the pan. Stir well and remove from heat.