Butter Chicken

Rich, creamy, and deliciously indulgent, this recipe swaths pieces of juicy chicken thighs in a perfectly-spiced tomato sauce. Serve with basmati rice and naan for a simple, hearty meal.

Prep: 15

Cook: 40

Total: 55

Yield:4 servings

Equipment

Cutting board
Sharp knife
Large wok or similar large skillet
Slotted spoon
Large plate
internal meat thermometer

Ingredients

For the Butter Chicken

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs trimmed
salt to taste
2 tablespoons peanut oil or refined coconut oil, or ghee
¼ cup butter or ghee
2 teaspoons garam masala
2 teaspoons sweet paprika
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger
¼ teaspoon chili powder
1 whole cinnamon stick
6 cardamom pods bruised with flat side of knife
1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
1 ½ tablespoons granulated sugar or honey, maple syrup, or coconut sugar
⅓ cup full-fat plain yogurt at (or close to) room temperature
½ cup heavy cream or half and half, at (or close to) room temperature
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Serving Suggestions (All Optional but Recommended)

finely chopped cilantro
1 cup steamed basmati rice
fresh naan

Instructions

Place chicken thighs on cutting board. Use sharp knife to cut chicken into small, evenly-sized pieces, then spread pieces out in single layer. Liberally sprinkle salt over chicken pieces, then flip chicken over and salt other side. Set cutting board aside.
Heat wok over medium-high heat. Once skillet is very hot, add peanut oil and swirl wok to distribute oil evenly. Continue heating wok until oil is hot and shimmery.
When oil is ready, add half of chicken pieces to wok. Cook chicken, stirring frequently, approximately 4 minutes or until lightly browned.
Transfer browned chicken to large plate and set aside, then repeat process with remaining uncooked chicken.
Once all chicken has been cooked, discard remaining oil. Return wok to stovetop and reduce heat to medium-low.
Add butter to wok and let melt completely, swirling wok occasionally to distribute melted butter evenly.
When butter is completely melted (but not browned or bubbling), add garam masala, sweet paprika, coriander, ginger, chili powder, cinnamon stick, and bruised cardamom pods to wok. Simmer spices, stirring constantly, approximately 1 minute or until just fragrant.
Return chicken pieces to wok and stir to coat chicken in spices.
Add tomato sauce and sugar to wok. Stir well to fully incorporate ingredients, then simmer mixture 10 to 15 minutes, until chicken reaches internal temperature of 160° to 163° Fahrenheit.
Once chicken reaches desired temperature, remove wok from heat. Let mixture cool slightly, then add yogurt, heavy cream, and lemon juice. Gently stir until ingredients are fully incorporated into tomato sauce.
Return wok to heat. Simmer 5 minutes or until sauce has thickened and chicken is cooked through. Taste sauce and add salt if desired.
Divide butter chicken into preferred portions and plate with basmati rice and fresh naan. Garnish chicken with chopped cilantro if desired and serve immediately.

Notes

Heat Level: I don't personally consider this to be a "hot" dish. The yogurt and heavy cream help balance the spices out nicely, and serving it with naan and rice will help cut down on any heat even more. Still, if you're very sensitive to heat, you can cut the chili powder down to ⅛ teaspoon or omit it entirely.
Make it Whole30/Paleo: See my recipe for Whole30 butter chicken.

Nutrition

Recipe By:Cheryl Malik