Butter Chicken Recipe

Butter chicken or also called “murgh makhani “is a traditional Indian dish from the Punjab region popular in countries all over the world that have a tradition of Indian restaurants along with chicken paratha and chicken tikka masala. The origins of butter chicken can be traced back to a Punjabi. Butter Chicken is regarded to have been first introduced by Moti Mahal in Daryaganj, Old Delhi.

• Ingredients

•Chicken         800 grams

•Lemon juice  1 tablespoon

•Kashmiri red chilli powder  1 teaspoon

•Salt    to taste

•Butter            2 tablespoons

•For marinade           

•Yogurt           1 cup

•Salt    to taste

•Garlic paste  1/2 teaspoon

•Garam masala powder         1/2 teaspoon

•Kashmiri red chilli powder  1 teaspoon

•Ginger paste 2 tablespoons

•Lemon juice  2 tablespoons

•Mustard oil   2 tablespoons

•FOR MAKHNI GRAVY    

•Butter            50 grams

•Ginger paste 1 tablespoon

•Green chillies,chopped        4-5

•Red chilli powder     1 tablespoon

•Salt    to taste

•Dry fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi)          1/2 teaspoon

•Whole garam masala            1 tablespoon

•Garlic paste  1 tablespoon

•Tomato puree            400 grams

•Garam masala powder         1/2 teaspoon

•Honey            2 tablespoons

•Cream            1 cup

Method:

 

Place 800 grams of chicken thigh fillets, cut into 4 centimetre pieces, in a large bowl. Add a quarter cup of lemon juice and 1 teaspoon of salt and toss to combine. Set aside for 30 minutes.

Add 120 grams of thick Greek-style yoghurt, 2 finely chopped garlic cloves and 2 tablespoons of tandoori paste and stir well to coat the chicken in the yoghurt and tandoori spices. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 2 to 3 hours to marinate.

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius.

Drain the chicken in a large colander.

Fill a roasting pan with water and place a wire rack on top.  Arrange the chicken on the wire rack.

Use a pastry brush to brush 40 grams of melted unsalted butter evenly over the chicken.

Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through.

Meanwhile, place the following ingredients in a jug of a blender - a 400 gram can of diced tomatoes, 1 coarsely chopped long green chilli, which you can de-seed if you prefer, and a two and a half centimetre piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated. Blend together until smooth.

Melt 40 grams of butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add 1 and a half teaspoons of ground paprika and 2 teaspoons of ground cumin and stir for 1 to 2 minutes or until mixture is fragrant.