BUTTER CHICKEN – MURGH MAKHANI

BUTTER CHICKEN – MURGH MAKHANI

Creamy, tangy and rich tomato sauce gravy coats the marinated and fried chicken pieces to become this indulgence of Butter Chicken or Murgh Makhani, that is a favorite among any who loves a good Chicken curry.

INGREDIENTS

To Marinate and Fry the Chicken:

• about 1 1/2 lbs chicken breast , boneless and skinless
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed garlic , about 3 pods
• 1/2 tsp grated ginger
• 1/2 tsp cayenne
• juice from 1/2 lime
• salt to taste
• 2 oz or 1 /2 stick of unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup sunflower oil
• For the Makhani Sauce Base:
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/2 red onion , chopped
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp kashmiri chilli powder ( this has less heat but has a prominent red color)
• 2 roma tomatoes , chopped
• 3 tbsp cashew nuts , soaked in water
• 1 tsp garam masala powder
• 1 Thai green chilli / serrano pepper , roughly chopped ( you can skip this if it might get too hot)
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1/3 cup heavy cream ( or use half cream and half whole milk)
• 2 tbsp kasuri methi / dried fenugreek leaves

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Cut the chicken breast into 1 inch pieces and marinate in garlic, ginger, cayenne, lime and salt for about 30 mins or so.
2. Heat the butter and oil together and add the chicken pieces to it. Fry on each side for about 2 mins each, till the chicken appears to be mostly cooked. Drain and keep aside.
3. To make the Makhani sauce, heat the 2 tbsp butter in the same pan that we fried the chicken, along with any leftover fat in it and add the onion, turmeric powder and kashmiri chilli powder to it. Saute till the onions are soft. Add the tomatoes, cashew nuts, garam amsala powder, green chilli and salt and saute till the tomatoes are soft and mushy.
4. Switch off heat and let it cool down for a few minutes. Grind to a smooth puree in a blender.
5. Bring this back to the pan and let it almost come to a boil. Add maybe a 1/4 cup of water, if it it too thick. Add sugar and the chicken pieces to it. Cover and cook for a few minutes. Switch off the heat and add the heavy cream and sprinkle the kasuri methi over on top and mix well before serving.

RECIPE NOTES

If you don’t get or have Kashmiri Chilli Powder, you can substitute with Cayenne Powder but reduce the quantity to half.

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