How Can We Prepare Butter Chicken (Murgh Makhani)?

A delicious, simple dish for chicken that surpasses any takeout or restaurant!

Butter Chicken is one of the most well-liked curries at any Indian restaurant worldwide, much like Chicken Tikka Masala.

This Chicken recipe is one of the tastiest you will taste, with flavorful golden chicken chunks in a fantastic creamy curry sauce. With garlic butter rice and freshly cooked Naan bread, you’ll adore how simple it is to prepare in the comfort of your own home.

Butter Chicken

Chicken is incredibly simple to cook and has juicy, tender chicken thanks to a delightfully spiced yogurt marinade. The curry sauce is incredible!

I am aware that you all adore meals with vibrant, strong flavors, and nothing beats sitting down to a delicious curry to end a hectic day. You can enter an entirely different universe just by the aromas.

The ingredient list is the finest part of making Chicken at home. Every ingredient is simple to locate at any supermarket or grocery shop.

Why is it called Butter Chicken?

In 1948, the chicken was first made in Northern India. You would note that Chicken, also known as murgh makhani, or “chicken with butter,” was invented by Kundan Lal Gujral and is comparable to British tikka masala.

The curry sauce has a silky smooth, rich texture thanks to the addition of cream to the buttery gravy during preparation.

The majority of restaurants are known for adding enormous amounts of butter, which can cause you to feel bloated or uncomfortable due to the slick of grease.

Nevertheless, we discovered during recipe testing that we like to begin the sauce in Ghee (clarified butter, or you can use a combination of half regular butter and half oil).

The cream that is added toward the finish of cooking adds just the right amount of richness to create a real chicken. You feel nice and content after eating our less greasy version.

Ways to make Butter Chicken at home

Chicken is a favorite of young families since it is a milder curry than other Indian curries.

Of course, you are free to add how much or how little chili you like. In other words, YOU decide how hot you want it to be.

As previously said, a simple yogurt marinade created from scratch with plain yogurt, fresh garlic and ginger, and readily available spices serves as the foundation for the juicy and tender, flavor-infused chicken.

You can use skinless, boneless chicken breasts or thighs. Although we like dark meat, eat what you like.

• Your yogurt marinade should first be combined.
• Chicken should be marinated for 20 minutes, or overnight if time permits. (Your chicken will be more tender the longer it marinates.)
• In a pan or skillet, sear chicken. To make your sauce, leave those charred bits on the pan. Browned bits increase flavor. You can choose to throw away some of the charred bits if the pan has too many of them.
• In the same skillet, finally, prepare your curry sauce.

Things go in Butter Chicken

All you need to prepare a fantastic sauce are simple to obtain spices, such as salt, garlic powder, turmeric, cumin, red chili powder, and garam masala. Some of these may even be in your kitchen cabinets right now! Without a doubt, if you don’t, you might utilize them again.

What is Butter Chicken Sauce made of?

When it comes to making true chicken, the sauce is everything.

You’ll be pleasantly delighted to learn that all the ingredients you need to keep the sauce’s lovely flavors going are an onion, a can of crushed tomatoes, garlic, ginger, and a few additional spices.

Allowing the tomatoes to cook off for at least 10-15 minutes, or until they are almost completely dry on your pan, is the secret to making a superb sauce.

If it dries out too soon, you may also add a few tablespoons of water.

Then, mix until smooth and incorporate your cream (heavy whipping cream or thickened cream). For a lower calorie option, you can use evaporated milk or half and half.

Feel free to add a few tablespoons of butter (or ghee) right at the end and let it melt through the sauce before serving if you prefer a thicker sauce.

Make ahead option

The great thing about this gravy/sauce is that, if you need to or want to, you can make it ahead of time.

Refrigerate for up to 48 hours after letting it cool completely and storing it in an airtight glass jar or container.

Before adding your chicken, those complex flavors will have plenty of opportunities to emerge and flourish. This is all optional, of course.

Chicken is the only Indian dish that is worthwhile preparing at home, and this is the BEST chicken you will ever have!

Serve with our garlic naan bread and basmati rice! In a similar vein, if you’re searching for something simple to dip into the mouthwatering curry gravy/sauce, try our NO YEAST flatbread recipe.

INGREDIENTS

For the chicken marinade:

• 28 oz (800g) boneless and skinless chicken thighs or breasts cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt
• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon minced ginger (or finely grated)
• 2 teaspoons garam masala
• 1 teaspoon turmeric, teaspoon ground cumin, teaspoon red chili powder
• 1 teaspoon of salt

For the sauce:

• 1 large onion, sliced or chopped
• 1 1/2 tablespoons garlic, minced, teaspoons garam masala, teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 tablespoons ghee (or 1 tbs butter + 1 tbsp oil)
• 1 tablespoon ginger, minced or finely grated
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 14 oz (400 g) crushed tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon red chili powder (adjust to your taste preference)
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt (or to taste)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup of heavy or thickened cream (or evaporated milk to save calories)
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon kasoori methi (or dried fenugreek leaves)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Combine the chicken and all the marinade ingredients in a bowl and let sit for 30 to 60 minutes (or overnight if time allows).

2. In a sizable skillet or pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces in groups of two or three when they begin to sizzle, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Just 3 minutes should be spent frying each side until browned. Keep heated and set aside. (You’ll complete the chicken’s cooking in the sauce.)
3. In the same pan, warm up the butter or ghee. The onions should be fried for about 6 minutes, sweating occasionally as you scrape off any browned parts that have gotten stuck to the pan’s bottom.
4. Add the ground coriander, cumin, and garam masala after sautéing the garlic and ginger for 1 minute until aromatic. Stirring occasionally, let fry for about 20 seconds or until aromatic.
5. Add salt, chili powder, and smashed tomatoes. Stirring occasionally, let the sauce simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until it thickens and turns a rich, dark crimson color.
6. Blend the liquid in a blender after taking it off the heat. To make it blend better, you might need to add a few teaspoons of water (up to 1/4 cup). Depending on the size of your blender, work in batches.
7. Reintroduce the puréed sauce to the pan. The sauce should be thoroughly mixed with the cream, sugar, and crushed kasoori methi (or fenugreek leaves). Reintroduce the chicken into the pan along with any liquids, and simmer for a further 8 to 10 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked and the sauce is thick and boiling.
8. Serve with freshly prepared Naan bread and hot, garlic buttery rice, garnished with chopped cilantro.

NUTRITION

Calories: 580kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 41g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Cholesterol: 250mg | Sodium: 1601mg | Potassium: 973mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1895IU | Vitamin C: 19.5mg | Calcium: 171mg | Iron: 4.1mg