Butter Chicken

A few years ago a British minister declared chicken tikka masala (aka Butter chicken) to be one of UK’s national dishes. It is certainly one that they helped invent during the British Raj . Every curry house sells their own version. It’s a combination of tandoori or oven baked spiced chicken in a creamy tomato sauce. Ours is a little more interesting and nuanced with the addition of fenugreek and warm spices. 

makes ~6 cups

ingredients

1 pound chicken thighs, boneless

2 teaspoon brightly colored chili powder like Degghi Mirch

3 tablespoons plain whole-milk yogurt

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon ginger purée 

1 tablespoon melted butter

1/2 teaspoon sea salt
 

1/2 cup canned tomato purée

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon ginger purée 

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves
 

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground clove

1/2 stick (2 ounces) butter

1 teaspoon sea salt

instructions

Trim the fat and cut the chicken thighs in to 2 to 3 pieces. Marinate in the chili powder, yogurt, garlic, ginger purée, butter, and salt and refrigerate for an hour or overnight. 

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread the chicken onto a parchment paper lined sheet pan and bake for 10 to 12 minutes. 

Combine the tomato purée, heavy cream, ginger, black pepper, fenugreek leaves, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes. 

Add the baked chicken and the cardamom, cinnamon, clove, butter, and salt. Simmer for another 3 to 4 minutes, then turn the heat off. 

notes & variations

• This recipe is delicious with shrimp, paneer, or tofu (adjust cook time accordingly). 

• To enjoy a plant-based version, replace chicken with hearty vegetables, replace cream with coconut milk, yogurt with coconut milk or coconut yogurt, and butter with coconut or olive oil.

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