Butter Chicken Masala
Butter Chicken Masala
Ingredients
For the Chicken Marinade
- 500 g chicken, boneless thigh, cut into large chunks
- 100 g yogurt
- 1 tablespoon ginger paste
- 1 tablespoon garlic paste
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon Kasuri methi, crushed
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon oil
For the Gravy
- 3-4 tablespoons vegetable/rapeseed oil
- 50 g garlic, peeled
- 50 g ginger, peeled
- 200 g tomato purée
- 50 g cashew nuts
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 2 green chillies
- as needed coriander stems
- 1 teaspoon sugar, adjust to taste
- 1 teaspoon salt, adjust to taste
- as needed warm water, for blending
To Build the Base
- 3-4 tablespoons vegetable/rapeseed oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 5 green cardamoms
- 2 inches cinnamon stick
- 1 onion, large, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon ginger paste
- 1 tablespoon garlic paste
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 2 tablespoons coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 100 ml warm water
To Finish
- 100 ml double cream
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 teaspoon Kasuri methi, crushed
- as needed ginger, sliced, for garnish
- as needed coriander leaves, chopped, for garnish
- 1 teaspoon sugar or honey, optional, for balance
Instructions
- 1
Place 500g boneless chicken thigh, cut into large chunks, into a mixing bowl.
⏱️ 2 min
- 2
Add 100g yogurt, 1 tablespoon ginger paste, 1 tablespoon garlic paste, 1 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chilli powder, 1 teaspoon crushed Kasuri methi, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 tablespoon oil to the chicken.
⏱️ 3 min
- 3
Mix all ingredients thoroughly with your hands, ensuring the chicken is well coated.
⏱️ 2 min
- 4
Cover the bowl and refrigerate the marinated chicken for 30 minutes.
⏱️ 5 min
- 5
Heat 3-4 tablespoons vegetable/rapeseed oil in a pan over medium heat.
⏱️ 2 min
- 6
Add 50g peeled garlic and 50g peeled ginger to the pan and sauté until they are lightly golden brown.
⏱️ 5 min
- 7
Add 200g tomato purée, 50g cashew nuts, 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chilli powder, 1 teaspoon coriander powder, 2 green chillies, and coriander stems to the pan.
⏱️ 3 min
- 8
Pour in warm water (as needed for blending) and bring the mixture to a simmer. Cook for a few minutes until the mixture thickens slightly.
⏱️ 5 min
- 9
Transfer the cooked mixture to a blender.
⏱️ 1 min
- 10
Add 1 teaspoon sugar and 1 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste) to the blender.
⏱️ 1 min
- 11
Blend until a very smooth gravy paste is formed.
⏱️ 3 min
- 12
Pass the blended gravy paste through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove any remaining solids and ensure a luxurious, velvety texture. Discard any strained solids.
⏱️ 5 min
- 13
Heat 3-4 tablespoons vegetable/rapeseed oil in a large pot or deep pan over medium heat.
⏱️ 2 min
- 14
Add 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, 5 green cardamoms, and a 2-inch cinnamon stick to the hot oil. Sauté until the spices are fragrant.
⏱️ 2 min
- 15
Add 1 large finely chopped onion to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion turns golden brown and caramelizes.
⏱️ 8 min
- 16
Stir in 1 tablespoon ginger paste and 1 tablespoon garlic paste. Cook for about 1 minute until fragrant.
⏱️ 1 min
- 17
Add 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chilli powder, 1 teaspoon turmeric powder, 2 tablespoons coriander powder, and 1 teaspoon cumin powder.
⏱️ 1 min
- 18
Pour in 100ml warm water to prevent the spices from burning. Cook the mixture until the oil separates from the spices.
⏱️ 3 min
- 19
Add the marinated chicken to the pot. Cook for approximately 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is lightly browned and partially cooked.
⏱️ 8 min
- 20
Pour the sieved gravy paste into the pot with the chicken and mix thoroughly.
⏱️ 2 min
- 21
Add 100ml warm water (or more, as needed) to achieve the desired gravy consistency. Bring the mixture to a simmer.
⏱️ 2 min
- 22
Cover the pot and cook for 15 minutes on medium-low heat, allowing the flavors to meld and the chicken to cook through.
⏱️ 15 min
- 23
After 15 minutes, remove the lid from the pot.
⏱️ 1 min
- 24
Stir in 100ml double cream and 1 tablespoon butter until fully incorporated and melted.
⏱️ 2 min
- 25
Add 1 teaspoon crushed Kasuri methi.
⏱️ 1 min
- 26
Garnish the Butter Chicken Masala with fresh sliced ginger and chopped coriander leaves.
⏱️ 2 min
- 27
(Optional: Add 1 teaspoon sugar or honey for balance, if desired, tasting and adjusting as needed.)
⏱️ 1 min
- 28
Serve hot.
⏱️ 1 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Butter Chicken Masala
For the Chicken Marinade
- 500 g chicken, boneless thigh, cut into large chunks
- 100 g yogurt
- 1 tablespoon ginger paste
- 1 tablespoon garlic paste
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon Kasuri methi, crushed
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon oil
For the Gravy
- 3-4 tablespoons vegetable/rapeseed oil
- 50 g garlic, peeled
- 50 g ginger, peeled
- 200 g tomato purée
- 50 g cashew nuts
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 2 green chillies
- as needed coriander stems
- 1 teaspoon sugar, adjust to taste
- 1 teaspoon salt, adjust to taste
- as needed warm water, for blending
To Build the Base
- 3-4 tablespoons vegetable/rapeseed oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 5 green cardamoms
- 2 inches cinnamon stick
- 1 onion, large, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon ginger paste
- 1 tablespoon garlic paste
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 2 tablespoons coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 100 ml warm water
To Finish
- 100 ml double cream
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 teaspoon Kasuri methi, crushed
- as needed ginger, sliced, for garnish
- as needed coriander leaves, chopped, for garnish
- 1 teaspoon sugar or honey, optional, for balance
Instructions
- 1
Place 500g boneless chicken thigh, cut into large chunks, into a mixing bowl.
⏱️ 2 min - 2
Add 100g yogurt, 1 tablespoon ginger paste, 1 tablespoon garlic paste, 1 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chilli powder, 1 teaspoon crushed Kasuri methi, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 tablespoon oil to the chicken.
⏱️ 3 min - 3
Mix all ingredients thoroughly with your hands, ensuring the chicken is well coated.
⏱️ 2 min - 4
Cover the bowl and refrigerate the marinated chicken for 30 minutes.
⏱️ 5 min - 5
Heat 3-4 tablespoons vegetable/rapeseed oil in a pan over medium heat.
⏱️ 2 min - 6
Add 50g peeled garlic and 50g peeled ginger to the pan and sauté until they are lightly golden brown.
⏱️ 5 min - 7
Add 200g tomato purée, 50g cashew nuts, 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chilli powder, 1 teaspoon coriander powder, 2 green chillies, and coriander stems to the pan.
⏱️ 3 min - 8
Pour in warm water (as needed for blending) and bring the mixture to a simmer. Cook for a few minutes until the mixture thickens slightly.
⏱️ 5 min - 9
Transfer the cooked mixture to a blender.
⏱️ 1 min - 10
Add 1 teaspoon sugar and 1 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste) to the blender.
⏱️ 1 min - 11
Blend until a very smooth gravy paste is formed.
⏱️ 3 min - 12
Pass the blended gravy paste through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove any remaining solids and ensure a luxurious, velvety texture. Discard any strained solids.
⏱️ 5 min - 13
Heat 3-4 tablespoons vegetable/rapeseed oil in a large pot or deep pan over medium heat.
⏱️ 2 min - 14
Add 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, 5 green cardamoms, and a 2-inch cinnamon stick to the hot oil. Sauté until the spices are fragrant.
⏱️ 2 min - 15
Add 1 large finely chopped onion to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion turns golden brown and caramelizes.
⏱️ 8 min - 16
Stir in 1 tablespoon ginger paste and 1 tablespoon garlic paste. Cook for about 1 minute until fragrant.
⏱️ 1 min - 17
Add 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chilli powder, 1 teaspoon turmeric powder, 2 tablespoons coriander powder, and 1 teaspoon cumin powder.
⏱️ 1 min - 18
Pour in 100ml warm water to prevent the spices from burning. Cook the mixture until the oil separates from the spices.
⏱️ 3 min - 19
Add the marinated chicken to the pot. Cook for approximately 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is lightly browned and partially cooked.
⏱️ 8 min - 20
Pour the sieved gravy paste into the pot with the chicken and mix thoroughly.
⏱️ 2 min - 21
Add 100ml warm water (or more, as needed) to achieve the desired gravy consistency. Bring the mixture to a simmer.
⏱️ 2 min - 22
Cover the pot and cook for 15 minutes on medium-low heat, allowing the flavors to meld and the chicken to cook through.
⏱️ 15 min - 23
After 15 minutes, remove the lid from the pot.
⏱️ 1 min - 24
Stir in 100ml double cream and 1 tablespoon butter until fully incorporated and melted.
⏱️ 2 min - 25
Add 1 teaspoon crushed Kasuri methi.
⏱️ 1 min - 26
Garnish the Butter Chicken Masala with fresh sliced ginger and chopped coriander leaves.
⏱️ 2 min - 27
(Optional: Add 1 teaspoon sugar or honey for balance, if desired, tasting and adjusting as needed.)
⏱️ 1 min - 28
Serve hot.
⏱️ 1 min