Indian Butter Chicken
User Reviews
5
Indian Butter Chicken
Description
Indian Butter Chicken begins with marinating chicken breast pieces in a mixture of plain Greek yogurt, fresh lemon juice, turmeric, garam masala, cumin, red chili powder, ginger, garlic, and salt. The yogurt tenderizes the chicken while the spices infuse flavor. After marination—ideally overnight—the chicken is sautéed until cooked through, achieving a lightly browned exterior.
The sauce is crafted in the same skillet by melting salted butter and sautéing diced onions until soft and translucent. Tomato puree is added along with spices, sugar, and salt, then cooked until the onions become completely tender. Heavy cream is stirred in last to round out the sauce with richness and smoothness. Optionally, this sauce can be pureed for a smooth consistency.
The finished dish features tender chicken enveloped in a creamy, mildly spiced tomato sauce. It pairs well with basmati rice or warm naan bread to soak up the sauce. The balance of savory spices and creaminess makes it a comforting main course with layered flavors. Adjusting chili flakes allows control over spice intensity.
Ingredients
Chicken Marinade:
- 2 lbs. chicken breast (cut into bite-size pieces)
- 3/4 cup yogurt whole milk, plain Greek
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice fresh
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 Tablespoon garam masala
- 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 Tablespoon ginger or 1 teaspoon dried ginger, fresh
- 3 cloves garlic (minced or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder)
- 1 teaspoon salt
Butter Chicken Sauce:
- 4 Tablespoons butter salted
- 1/2 medium onion (finely diced)
- 1 1/2 cups tomato puree
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 Tablespoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
- 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes (add more if you want it to be more flavorful)
- 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
- cilantro (chopped, for garnish)
- rice or naan bread
Instructions
Butter Chicken Marinade:
- Start by marinating bite-size chicken breast pieces with whole-milk yogurt, lemon juice, turmeric, garam masala, chili powder, cumin, ginger, garlic, and salt. Place all of the ingredients in a gallon-size Ziploc bag and let marinate for at least 1 hour. Overnight is ideal.
Butter Chicken Sauce:
- After marinating, sauté the chicken in a skillet, drizzled with extra-virgin olive oil and set over medium-high heat, until cooked through, about 4-5 minutes per side. Set aside.
- Heat butter in the same skillet and add onion. Saute until onion starts to become tender, about 8 minutes. Stir in tomato puree, spices, sugar, and salt. Cook until onions are completely translucent and soft -- about 10-15 minutes. Stir in heavy cream. Taste and add more salt, if needed.
- If you desire a smooth sauce, carefully add the sauce to a blender and puree until smooth. Always be careful when using a blender with hot sauces. It can explode so make sure to slightly vent the top.
- Add chicken to the sauce and heat for 5-10 minutes. Garnish with cilantro and serve on top of rice or with Naan bread.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 5Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 524 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 524kcal | 26% |
| Carbohydrates | 18g | 6% |
| Protein | 48g | 96% |
| Fat | 29g | 45% |
| Saturated Fat | 14g | 70% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 3g | 18% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 9g | 45% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 171mg | 57% |
| Sodium | 1313mg | 55% |
| Potassium | 1236mg | 26% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 11g | 22% |
| Vitamin A | 1283IU | 26% |
| Vitamin C | 14mg | 16% |
| Calcium | 109mg | 11% |
| Iron | 3mg | 17% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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