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Butter Chicken

Murgh Makhani or Chicken Makhani are popular terms to address butter chicken.
This inviting recipe of butter chicken is a milder curry when compared to other Indian curries, which indeed makes it seemingly so popular all over the globe.
Every household holds a bit of variation in method and spices for cooking butter chicken in North Indian, but the core recipe always remains the same.
Here’s mine for you to relish. So let’s get started.
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time 30 mins
Cook Time 1 hr
Total Time 1 hr 30 mins
Servings 7

Ingredients
  

For chicken tikka

  • 815 g Chicken boneless cut to desired shape
  • 4-5 tbsp Lime juice
  • 2.5 tbsp Ginger garlic paste
  • 8-10 tbsp Mustard oil
  • 2 tbsp Kashmiri chilli powder -
  • 290 gm Hung curd
  • Salt - to taste

For curry

  • 4 cups Water
  • 1000 gms Tomato diced
  • 100 gms Onion sliced
  • 2 Bay leaf
  • 2-3 stick Cinnamon
  • 2 Black cardamom
  • 5 Cloves
  • 5 Cardamom
  • 8 Garlic cloves
  • 2-3 Ginger small pieces
  • 2 tbsp Kashmiri chilli powder
  • 4 tbsp Butter
  • 24 Cashew nuts

Final stage: combination of above two

  • 4 tbsp Butter
  • 1 tbsp Ginger chopped
  • 2 Green chilli
  • 1 tsp Fenugreek (methi) leaves
  • 1 tbsp Sugar
  • 4 tbsp Cream

Instructions
 

For chicken tikka

  • First pat dry the chicken and transfer to a big deep bowl, add salt, kashmiri chilli, mustard oil, lime juice and ginger & garlic paste.
  • Mix well so the chicken pieces are coated with spices.Cling film the bowl and let the marinate rest for at least an hour
  • Heat a grill pan on a high flame, sprinkle some oil on the hot pan and grill the chicken till it is done.
  • Avoid flipping too many times, as it distorts the texture of the chicken pieces. Once cooked and grilled well, then flip over to the other side, if required. Remove and keep aside.

For the curry

  • While chicken marinate rests, let us prepare the paste for curry. In a wide heavy bottom pan, add butter, then all the whole spices, followed by fresh garlic cloves, ginger pieces, cashews, toast for a few seconds.
  • Now add the onions, cook for few minutes until the oil begins to ooze from it and finally the chopped tomatoes. Continue to stir gently and cook, until the tomatoes become mushy and begin to wrap with the other ingredients in the pan.
  • Now add four cups of water, bring it boil. Further cover and cook for another 30 minutes.
  • Let the mixture cool down, then transfer to a blender and prepare a smooth fine puree. Strain and keep aside the mixture.

Final stage: Combination of chicken tikka and curry

  • In a separate pan, melt butter and saute chopped ginger and halved green chillies.
  • Add the above curry and some water as required to get the right consistency of your preference. Simmer for few seconds.
  • Now add fenugreek leaves, sugar and salt to taste.
  • Add the cooked chicken into the curry and bring to a boil.
  • Finish with fresh cream. Serve hot with steamed rice or Indian bread like tandoori roti and naan.

Notes

Fresh curry mixture is best, but to enjoy this butter chicken when required, you can prepare it ahead of time if you want or need to. Allow it to cool completely, store it in an airtight glass jar or container and refrigerate for up to 48 hours.
I have used boneless, skinless chicken breast pieces, cut to moderate size. Chicken thighs can also be used. You can also use chicken with bones, it’s your own preference and taste.
You are in control of the spices and can increase and decrease the spices accordingly to your taste.