Modified Butter Chicken

Overview:

  • Prep time: 30 minutes
  • Cook time: 30 minutes
  • Marinating time: 30 minutes minimum, 8 hours maximum
  • Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

Marinade:

  • 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs (do not use breasts)

  • 1/4 cup full-fat plain yogurt

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

  • 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste

  • 1 teaspoon coriander powder

  • 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder (or sub with paprika)

  • 1 teaspoon chili powder

  • 1 teaspoon cumin powder

  • 2 teaspoons of salt

Sauce:

  • 3 + 2 Tbsp butter

  • 1 big white or yellow onion - diced

  • 4 tsp ginger - minced or grated

  • 1 serrano pepper - minced (seeds and ribs removed)

  • 5 large cloves of garlic - minced

  • 1 Tbsp garam masala

  • 1 tsp of coriander

  • 1 tsp kashmiri chili powder (or sub with paprika)

  • 1 tsp chili powder

  • 1/2 tsp of cumin

  • 1/2 tsp black pepper

  • 1/2 cup tomato paste (1x 6oz can)

  • 1 Tbsp of sugar

  • 1 tsp of salt

  • 1.5 cups water

  • 1 cup heavy cream (or sub with milk, or coconut milk. Yogurt not recommended)

  • 1/2 tablespoon Kasuri Methi (fenugreek leaves - or sub with cilantro)

Method:

24 hrs before mealtime:

  1. Marinate the chicken: Do not skip this step, or it's recommended timing. Bring the chicken and all marinade ingredients together in a large bowl. Using your hands, massage the marinade mixture into the chicken. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the oven is pre-heated or up to overnight.

Hour-of Meal Prep:

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 450 deg F. Then go to step 3. When heated, array the chicken thighs across a grilling rack, or flat in a broiling pan, and broil for ~10mins on each side, around 6 inches from the grill. Broil until good color (~10-20% coverage) has developed on at least one side of each thigh. Once cooked, cool on the side for 10 mins. Add bite-sized pieces to sauce when ready.
  1. Wash rice and start cooking. ~1 cup of dry grains per lb. of chicken.
  1. Dice all the sauce veggies.
  1. Gather all the sauce spices together into one bowl - except for salt and sugar.
  1. Start the sauce. Cook the diced sauce veggies in 3 Tbsp of butter for 6-10 mins. Onion should be softened and colored.
  1. Add the spice mixture, cook for 30 secs - 2 mins, depending on applied heat. Wake up the spices without burning them.
  1. Add the water, tomato paste, salt, sugar, and bring to a simmer.
  1. Turn off heat, and stir in heavy cream.
  1. Blend it. However you do it best. Immersion blender recommended.
  1. Add the grilled chicken. Return to a simmer.
  1. Rest the butter chicken: Turn off the heat and uncover the pan.
  1. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and the kasuri methi.
  1. Cover again, and let the dish rest for 8 to 10 minutes so the flavor of kasuri methi can marry into the butter chicken.

Notes

  • Serve with a side of steamed basmati rice, roti, or naan. Leftovers will keep refrigerated, covered, for 10 days.

  • You can freeze this dish in an airtight covered container or a zip-top bag forever. Thaw and reheat in a saucepan over medium-low heat to retain original texture.