Butter Chicken Recipe (Chicken Makhani)
Nothing beats a comforting Butter Chicken, also known as Chicken Makhani, made from scratch at home. I make my version with thin cut marinated chicken, seared until tender, then finished in a rich chili tomato and butter sauce.
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
- 2 1/2 pounds of skinless, thinly sliced chicken (dark, white, or combination of both)
- 2 ½ teaspoons sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon kasoori methi
- 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon garlic paste, see video
- 1 tablespoon ginger paste, see video
- ½ cup whole milk yogurt
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 3 tablespoons ghee or oil
For the Sauce:
- 1 stick + 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut up
- 2 peeled thinly sliced red onions
- 1 tablespoon garlic paste, see video
- 1 tablespoon ginger paste, see video
- 1 tablespoon garam masala
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon kasoori meth
- 5 seeded dried chiles, I used kasmiri
- 1 seeded and roughly chopped jalapeño
- 10 cored and roughly cut Roma tomatoes
- ½ cup cashews
- ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 stick cubed unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Start by preparing the chicken and cutting it into bit size pieces.
- Next, add the salt, pepper, chili powder, coriander, turmeric, kasoori methi, garlic, ginger, yogurt, and lemon to a large bowl along with the prepared chicken and mix thoroughly. Cover the bowl with plastic and keep it in the refrigerator to marinate for 1 hour.
- While the chicken is marinating, start on the sauce.
- Add 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter to a large rondeau pot over low to medium heat and caramelize the red onions until they are well browned, which takes about 30 minutes. Stir every 5 to 6 minutes.
- Next, mix in the ginger and garlic, and cook until the garlic is fragrant, which takes about 30 to 45 seconds.
- Add in the garam masala, chili powder, ½ teaspoon of kasoori methi, dried chiles, and jalapaño, and mix for 1 to 2 minutes. You may need to add some water to scrape up some of the fond. See chef notes.
- Place in the tomatoes and cashews, stir and cover with a lid, and cook for 20 minutes on low to medium heat. Come back every 5 to 7 minutes to give it a quick stir.
- Next, transfer the mixture to a blender and blend on high speed until smooth.
- Strain the mixture back into the pot and keep warm on low heat. See chef notes on thinning out.
- Whisk in 1 stick of cold butter until mixed in and then add in the whipped cream and stir to combine.
- Adjust the seasonings of the sauce with salt. Keep warm.
- In a separate large rondeau or frying pan with ghee or oil over medium-high heat, add the marinated chicken once the butter or oil begins to smoke lightly.
- Spread the chicken out across the pan and cook the chicken for 3 to 4 minutes, and then stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes or until cooked throughout. See chef notes on searing.
- Transfer the cooked chicken to the pot with sauce and finish by mixing in fresh chopped cilantro, remaining ½ teaspoons of kasoori methi, and 2 tablespoons of butter and serve.
Notes
You can marinate the chicken overnight, but I do not think it needs that much time since the marinade is packed with flavor and infuses into the chicken quickly. That is exactly why I love this recipe so much and why it stands out as an easy option for new home cooks who want to serve impressive homemade food.
Deglaze the pan: After the 5th procedure, it’s good to deglaze with 3 to 4 tablespoons of cold water to release the fond. Fond is the browned bits of food remaining on the bottom of the pan after it has been sauteed or roasted.
Blend hot ingredients safely: When blending anything hot, be sure to remove the centerpiece to the lid of the blender to release the heat, or else it will explode. I usually place a towel over the top while blending.
Thin the sauce if needed: To thin out the sauce after blending, add about a cup of cold water to the blender and swish it before straining. The sauce will remain thick and have a good consistency.
Sear the chicken properly: If you want to get a good sear on the chicken, you’ll need to do it in batches to spread it out and ensure the pieces aren’t touching each other.
Make-Ahead: This is meant to be eaten immediately; However, you can keep warm in the sauce on low heat for up to 30 minutes before serving.
How to Store: Cover and keep the butter chicken in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. This will freeze well covered for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator for 1 day before reheating.
How to Reheat: Add the desired amount of butter chicken to a small saucepot and heat over low heat until hot.
Nutrition
Calories: 317kcalCarbohydrates: 11gProtein: 16gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 76mgSodium: 802mgPotassium: 483mgFiber: 3gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 1164IUVitamin C: 17mgCalcium: 60mgIron: 2mg