Butter Chicken

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 1/2 cup plain full-fat yogurt
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp kashmiri chili powder or mild paprika
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 large yellow onion
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1.5 inch piece fresh ginger
• 1.5 cups tomato puree (passata)
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 tsp fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi)
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 tbsp fresh cilantro

Instructions

1. 1Cut chicken thighs into 1.5-inch bite-size pieces and place in a bowl.
2. 2In a small bowl mix yogurt, lemon juice, garam masala, cumin, coriander, turmeric, chili powder, and salt. Pour over chicken, stir to coat, cover and marinate in fridge for at least 30 minutes (or up to 4 hours).
3. 3Finely chop the onion. Mince garlic and grate ginger.
4. 4Heat butter in a large deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Remove chicken from marinade (discard excess) and brown in a single layer, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
5. 5Lower heat to medium, add remaining butter to the same pan. Add chopped onion and cook 5-6 minutes until soft and golden.
6. 6Add minced garlic and grated ginger; cook 45 seconds until fragrant.
7. 7Stir in remaining garam masala, salt, and tomato puree. Simmer 5 minutes, stirring often, until sauce thickens slightly.
8. 8Return chicken and any juices to the pan. Simmer gently 8-10 minutes until chicken is cooked through (165 °F internal).
9. 9Stir in heavy cream, crushed fenugreek leaves, and sugar. Simmer on low 3-4 minutes until sauce is silky and orange. Taste and adjust salt if needed.
10. 10Remove from heat and sprinkle with chopped cilantro. Serve hot with steamed basmati rice or warm naan.