Easy Restaurant Style Butter Chicken
Easy Restaurant Style Butter Chicken
Ingredients
For the Chicken Marination
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/4 cup thick plain yogurt
For the Gravy Base
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 yellow onion, medium, chopped
- 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
- 2 ripe tomatoes, medium, chopped
- 1/4 cup whole cashews
- 2 green chilies, whole, deseeded for less heat if desired
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1/2 cup water, plus more as needed
For Finishing & Garnish
- 1 teaspoon Kasuri Methi, dried fenugreek leaves
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- 1
In a large bowl, combine the chicken chunks with salt, turmeric powder, red chili powder, ginger-garlic paste, lemon juice, and thick plain yogurt. Mix all ingredients thoroughly until the chicken is well coated. Cover the bowl and let the chicken marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, or up to 4 hours for best flavor.
⏱️ 5 min
- 2
Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large skillet or pan over medium-high heat. Add the marinated chicken pieces in a single layer, working in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding. Cook the chicken for 5-7 minutes, turning occasionally, until it is lightly browned on the outside and almost cooked through. Remove the cooked chicken from the pan and set aside.
⏱️ 10 min
- 3
In a separate large pot or Dutch oven, melt 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter with 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the chopped yellow onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until it becomes translucent, about 5-7 minutes.
⏱️ 7 min
- 4
Add 1 tablespoon of ginger-garlic paste to the pot and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
⏱️ 1 min
- 5
Stir in the chopped tomatoes, whole cashews, and whole green chilies. Season with salt, turmeric powder, red chili powder, and garam masala. Add 1/2 cup of water to the mixture.
⏱️ 2 min
- 6
Bring the mixture to a simmer, then cover the pot and reduce the heat to low. Let it cook for 10-15 minutes, or until the tomatoes are very soft and mushy. Remove the pot from heat and let the mixture cool down completely for about 15 minutes.
⏱️ 15 min
- 7
Once cooled, carefully transfer the mixture to a blender. Blend until it forms a very smooth paste. This may take 2-3 minutes. For an extra smooth, restaurant-style gravy, strain the blended paste through a fine-mesh sieve directly back into the cooking pot, pressing down on the solids with a spoon to extract all the liquid.
⏱️ 10 min
- 8
Return the strained gravy paste to the stove over medium heat. Add the previously cooked chicken pieces to the gravy. If the gravy is too thick, add a little more water (1/4 cup at a time) to reach your desired consistency.
⏱️ 3 min
- 9
Take 1 teaspoon of Kasuri Methi (dried fenugreek leaves), crush it between your palms to release its aroma, and add it to the gravy. Stir in 1/4 cup of heavy cream.
⏱️ 1 min
- 10
Mix everything well and let it simmer gently for 5-7 minutes, allowing the flavors to combine and the chicken to finish cooking through.
⏱️ 7 min
- 11
Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro. Serve hot with rice or naan.
⏱️ 1 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Easy Restaurant Style Butter Chicken
For the Chicken Marination
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/4 cup thick plain yogurt
For the Gravy Base
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 yellow onion, medium, chopped
- 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
- 2 ripe tomatoes, medium, chopped
- 1/4 cup whole cashews
- 2 green chilies, whole, deseeded for less heat if desired
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1/2 cup water, plus more as needed
For Finishing & Garnish
- 1 teaspoon Kasuri Methi, dried fenugreek leaves
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- 1
In a large bowl, combine the chicken chunks with salt, turmeric powder, red chili powder, ginger-garlic paste, lemon juice, and thick plain yogurt. Mix all ingredients thoroughly until the chicken is well coated. Cover the bowl and let the chicken marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, or up to 4 hours for best flavor.
⏱️ 5 min - 2
Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large skillet or pan over medium-high heat. Add the marinated chicken pieces in a single layer, working in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding. Cook the chicken for 5-7 minutes, turning occasionally, until it is lightly browned on the outside and almost cooked through. Remove the cooked chicken from the pan and set aside.
⏱️ 10 min - 3
In a separate large pot or Dutch oven, melt 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter with 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the chopped yellow onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until it becomes translucent, about 5-7 minutes.
⏱️ 7 min - 4
Add 1 tablespoon of ginger-garlic paste to the pot and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
⏱️ 1 min - 5
Stir in the chopped tomatoes, whole cashews, and whole green chilies. Season with salt, turmeric powder, red chili powder, and garam masala. Add 1/2 cup of water to the mixture.
⏱️ 2 min - 6
Bring the mixture to a simmer, then cover the pot and reduce the heat to low. Let it cook for 10-15 minutes, or until the tomatoes are very soft and mushy. Remove the pot from heat and let the mixture cool down completely for about 15 minutes.
⏱️ 15 min - 7
Once cooled, carefully transfer the mixture to a blender. Blend until it forms a very smooth paste. This may take 2-3 minutes. For an extra smooth, restaurant-style gravy, strain the blended paste through a fine-mesh sieve directly back into the cooking pot, pressing down on the solids with a spoon to extract all the liquid.
⏱️ 10 min - 8
Return the strained gravy paste to the stove over medium heat. Add the previously cooked chicken pieces to the gravy. If the gravy is too thick, add a little more water (1/4 cup at a time) to reach your desired consistency.
⏱️ 3 min - 9
Take 1 teaspoon of Kasuri Methi (dried fenugreek leaves), crush it between your palms to release its aroma, and add it to the gravy. Stir in 1/4 cup of heavy cream.
⏱️ 1 min - 10
Mix everything well and let it simmer gently for 5-7 minutes, allowing the flavors to combine and the chicken to finish cooking through.
⏱️ 7 min - 11
Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro. Serve hot with rice or naan.
⏱️ 1 min