Butter Chicken Curry (Print Version)

Tender chicken in a creamy, spiced curry sauce you can pull together in one pan. Tastes as good as your go-to Indian restaurant favorite.

# Ingredients:

→ Chicken Marinade

01 - 28 oz chicken thighs or breasts, boneless and skinless, chopped into chunks
02 - ½ cup unsweetened yogurt
03 - 1½ tablespoons garlic, minced
04 - 1 tablespoon ginger, minced or finely grated
05 - 1 teaspoon cumin powder
06 - 2 teaspoons garam masala
07 - 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
08 - 1 teaspoon chili powder
09 - 1 teaspoon salt (as needed)

→ Sauce

10 - 2 tablespoons ghee (or 1 tablespoon of butter mixed with 1 tablespoon oil)
11 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
12 - 1 big onion, chopped or sliced
13 - 1½ tablespoons garlic, minced
14 - 1 tablespoon ginger, finely grated or minced
15 - 1½ teaspoons ground cumin
16 - 1½ teaspoons garam masala powder
17 - 1 teaspoon coriander powder
18 - 14 oz canned crushed tomatoes
19 - 1 teaspoon chili powder (feel free to adjust this)
20 - 1 tablespoon sugar
21 - 1¼ teaspoons salt (taste and modify if required)
22 - ½ teaspoon kasoori methi (fenugreek leaves, dried)
23 - 1 cup heavy cream (or use evaporated milk for lighter calories)

→ Topping

24 - Chopped fresh cilantro leaves

# Steps:

01 - Put the chicken into a large bowl. Mix it well with all the marinade ingredients. Make sure every piece is nicely coated. Cover, and let it sit for at least 30 minutes. If you’ve got time, leave it in the fridge overnight for better results.
02 - Warm up olive oil in a big pan or pot over medium to high heat. Toss in the chicken pieces, a few at a time, so the pan doesn’t get crowded. Cook for about 3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Don’t worry about cooking all the way through. Set aside for now.
03 - Use the same pan, and melt ghee or the butter-oil mix. Sauté the onion for around 6 minutes until it looks soft and a little translucent. Scrape up any bits stuck to the pan for added yumminess.
04 - Add the minced garlic and ginger, cooking for about a minute until the kitchen smells amazing. Mix in coriander, garam masala, and cumin powder. Stir constantly for 20 seconds to wake up the spices.
05 - Pour in the crushed tomatoes, chili powder, and salt. Stir it up and let it cook for 10-15 minutes. Give it a stir every so often until the sauce thickens and turns a deep reddish-brown.
06 - Carefully transfer the cooked sauce base into a blender, working in batches if needed. Add a little water (up to ¼ cup) if the mixture is too thick to blend smoothly. Once blended, bring it back to the pan.
07 - Mix in sugar, cream, and the crushed kasoori methi. Stir everything together until it’s well combined and creamy.
08 - Add the browned chicken along with any juices back into the pan with the sauce. Cook for another 8-10 minutes until the chicken is fully done and the sauce is thick and bubbly.
09 - Top with fresh cilantro. Pair this dish with soft naan or fluffy rice for a tasty meal.

# Helpful Notes:

01 - Want it milder? Use less chili powder. For extra heat, add chopped green chilies or more chili powder.
02 - If the sauce seems too thick as it cooks, mix in 1-2 tablespoons of cream or water to thin it out.
03 - You can make the sauce ahead of time and store it in the fridge overnight. Just warm it up before adding the chicken.
04 - Kasoori methi’s unique flavor is worth it, but if you don’t have it, you can leave it out—the dish will still taste great.

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