Yum! Yum! Yum!: Butter Chicken ~ Murgh Makhani

Mar 3, 2020

Butter Chicken ~ Murgh Makhani

Butter Chicken is popular North Indian chicken recipe that goes well with roti or naan. This is one popular item that gets ordered at Restaurants (of-course after Chicken Tikka Masala) not only in India but also in States. One reason that this recipe wins many hearts is it's creamy flavor with subtle spices and it's velvetty and buttery texture. I stayed away from this recipe all these days is due to amount of butter and cream that gets added in this recipe, since my son (who is chicken lover) insisted me to make this dish for him, I have tried my hand at it. It came out superb and delicious, I was able to eliminate some fat by skipping the use of heavy cream in this recipe, to make is little skinner. Here is the recipe, Njoy!

Ingredients:

Chicken Breast - 1 lb

For Marination:
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 Tbsp
Red Chili Powder - 1 Tbsp
Salt - 1 tsp
Thick Curd - 1/4 cup

For Gravy:
Butter - 1/3 cup (1/3 stick)
Oil - 1 Tbsp
Onion - 1 medium
Tomato - 2 medium (you need ripe and juicy tomatoes)
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tsp
Cashew Nuts - 3 Tbsp
Red Chili Powder - 2 tsp
Salt - 1 tsp ( per your taste)
Sugar - 1tsp
Kasoori Methi / Dry Fenugreek - 1 Tbsp

Preparation:

Wash chicken under lukewarm water and set aside. In a medium bowl, mix all the ingredients under marination and mix well. Coat chicken with mixture in the bowl, close lid and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 min.

Method:

Take a non-stick wide pan. Add 1 Tbsp butter to it + 1 Tbsp Oil. Once butter melts, add marinated chicken pieces to the pan and stir-fry them on high until chicken gets cooked. Transfer chicken pieces to into a plate.
In the same pan, add chopped onion, ginger garlic paste and saute until they mix well. Add chopped tomato cubes and let it simmer. Add cashew nuts, followed by red chili powder, salt and sugar. Let it simmer until tomatoes become thick and juicy.
Transfer this to blender and grind into fine paste. Run this paste through sieve/colander to take away any seeds. (this allows to have creamy puree in the gravy).
Transfer gravy to pan. Let it simmer for few min, add cooked chicken pieces to the gravy, add remaining butter and let it simmer. Taste and adjust salt or seasonings.
Now take kasoori methi in your palms, rub roughly and add it to the pan. Mix very well and simmer for 2 to 3 min. Switch off the stove, transfer gravy to Serving Dish and serve immediately with hot butter or garlic naan or simple roti.

Sauteed Chicken Pieces

Gravy in making

Tips:

Since I am trying to make this skinny version, I have skipped Heavy Cream that is used in the original recipe. If you don't mind calories, you can add 1/4 cup heavy cream in step 4. If you use cream you may need to up your red chili powder dose.
Sieving process in step #3, is critical to get that Restaurant Style look, it is a simple step but helps in getting great looks for this dish. It makes the gravy smooth and velvetty texture.
You have to use Red, ripen and juicy tomatoes for this curry, that gives great color and taste.
Kashmiri Red Chili Powder is preferred int his recipe, another ingredient that gives natural bright color to this curry.