Smoky Butter Chicken (Dhungar Technique)
Smoky Butter Chicken (Dhungar Technique)
Ingredients
For the Chicken Marinade
- 6-8 chicken thighs
- 2-3 tablespoons yogurt
- 2-3 tablespoons spice mix, (red, orange, and brown powders)
- 1 tablespoon ginger and garlic paste
- 1/2 lime juice, from 1/2 a lime
- 1 pinch salt
For the Sauce Base
- several tablespoons butter
- several tablespoons oil
- 1 bay leaf
- 3-4 cardamom pods, green
- 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
- 1-2 cans blended tomatoes
- 2-3 tablespoons spice mix, (red, orange, and brown powders)
- 1 pinch salt
- as needed water
For Finishing
- 2-3 tablespoons yogurt
- 1 sprinkle Kasuri Methi, dried fenugreek leaves
- 1 sprinkle salt
For Dhungar (Smokiness)
- 1 piece coal
- 1-2 tablespoons ghee
Instructions
- 1
Place the chicken thighs in a pan. Add the yogurt, the first spice mix, ginger and garlic paste, lime juice (from half a lime), and a sprinkle of salt to the chicken. Mix all ingredients thoroughly with the chicken until it is fully coated. Leave the chicken to marinate for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight.
⏱️ 5 min
- 2
When ready to cook, preheat your grill to the highest temperature. Transfer the marinated chicken pieces onto a tray. Place the tray under the grill and cook the chicken until the edges are charred. Do not worry about cooking the chicken all the way through at this stage, as it will finish cooking in the sauce.
⏱️ 10 min
- 3
In a separate pan, melt butter and oil over medium heat. Add the bay leaf and green cardamom pods to the melted butter and oil, allowing them to gently sizzle.
⏱️ 3 min
- 4
Stir in the ginger garlic paste and cook until the raw smell of the paste disappears, about 1-2 minutes.
⏱️ 2 min
- 5
Pour in the blended tomatoes. Add the second round of spices and a pinch of salt. Cook the sauce patiently, stirring often, until the oil begins to separate from the sauce, which indicates the sauce has cooked down sufficiently.
⏱️ 15 min
- 6
Add the grilled chicken pieces to the prepared sauce, along with any resting juices that accumulated on the tray. Simmer the chicken in the sauce for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Add water if needed to achieve the desired consistency.
⏱️ 15 min
- 7
Slowly add the yogurt to the simmering curry, stirring it in continuously until the sauce becomes thick and creamy. Finish by sprinkling Kasuri Methi (dried fenugreek leaves) and an additional sprinkle of salt over the curry.
⏱️ 5 min
- 8
Heat a piece of coal until it is red hot (this can be done directly on a gas hob). Carefully place the red hot coal into a small, heat-proof metal cup or bowl. Place the cup/bowl with the hot coal into the center of the butter chicken.
⏱️ 5 min
- 9
Douse the hot coal with ghee. Immediately cover the pan tightly with a lid. Allow the curry to infuse with the smoky flavor for approximately 2 minutes.
⏱️ 2 min
- 10
Carefully remove the coal and the cup/bowl from the curry. The smoky butter chicken is now ready to be served. For enhanced flavor, consider making it a day ahead.
⏱️ 1 min
Kitchen Tools
Smoky Butter Chicken (Dhungar Technique)
For the Chicken Marinade
- 6-8 chicken thighs
- 2-3 tablespoons yogurt
- 2-3 tablespoons spice mix, (red, orange, and brown powders)
- 1 tablespoon ginger and garlic paste
- 1/2 lime juice, from 1/2 a lime
- 1 pinch salt
For the Sauce Base
- several tablespoons butter
- several tablespoons oil
- 1 bay leaf
- 3-4 cardamom pods, green
- 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
- 1-2 cans blended tomatoes
- 2-3 tablespoons spice mix, (red, orange, and brown powders)
- 1 pinch salt
- as needed water
For Finishing
- 2-3 tablespoons yogurt
- 1 sprinkle Kasuri Methi, dried fenugreek leaves
- 1 sprinkle salt
For Dhungar (Smokiness)
- 1 piece coal
- 1-2 tablespoons ghee
Instructions
- 1
Place the chicken thighs in a pan. Add the yogurt, the first spice mix, ginger and garlic paste, lime juice (from half a lime), and a sprinkle of salt to the chicken. Mix all ingredients thoroughly with the chicken until it is fully coated. Leave the chicken to marinate for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight.
⏱️ 5 min - 2
When ready to cook, preheat your grill to the highest temperature. Transfer the marinated chicken pieces onto a tray. Place the tray under the grill and cook the chicken until the edges are charred. Do not worry about cooking the chicken all the way through at this stage, as it will finish cooking in the sauce.
⏱️ 10 min - 3
In a separate pan, melt butter and oil over medium heat. Add the bay leaf and green cardamom pods to the melted butter and oil, allowing them to gently sizzle.
⏱️ 3 min - 4
Stir in the ginger garlic paste and cook until the raw smell of the paste disappears, about 1-2 minutes.
⏱️ 2 min - 5
Pour in the blended tomatoes. Add the second round of spices and a pinch of salt. Cook the sauce patiently, stirring often, until the oil begins to separate from the sauce, which indicates the sauce has cooked down sufficiently.
⏱️ 15 min - 6
Add the grilled chicken pieces to the prepared sauce, along with any resting juices that accumulated on the tray. Simmer the chicken in the sauce for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Add water if needed to achieve the desired consistency.
⏱️ 15 min - 7
Slowly add the yogurt to the simmering curry, stirring it in continuously until the sauce becomes thick and creamy. Finish by sprinkling Kasuri Methi (dried fenugreek leaves) and an additional sprinkle of salt over the curry.
⏱️ 5 min - 8
Heat a piece of coal until it is red hot (this can be done directly on a gas hob). Carefully place the red hot coal into a small, heat-proof metal cup or bowl. Place the cup/bowl with the hot coal into the center of the butter chicken.
⏱️ 5 min - 9
Douse the hot coal with ghee. Immediately cover the pan tightly with a lid. Allow the curry to infuse with the smoky flavor for approximately 2 minutes.
⏱️ 2 min - 10
Carefully remove the coal and the cup/bowl from the curry. The smoky butter chicken is now ready to be served. For enhanced flavor, consider making it a day ahead.
⏱️ 1 min