Butter Chicken and Cheese Naan
Butter Chicken and Cheese Naan
Ingredients
For the Chicken Marinade
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, diced into 1-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder, or paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 tablespoon ginger, freshly grated
- 1 tablespoon garlic, freshly grated
For the Butter Chicken Sauce
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 green cardamom pods
- 3 cloves, whole
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 15 ounces crushed tomatoes, or tomato puree
- 1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/4 cup raw cashews
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
For the Cheese Naan Dough
- 1 cup warm water, (105-115°F)
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup plain yogurt
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more for greasing
For the Cheese Naan Filling
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the chicken marinade: In a large bowl, combine the diced chicken, 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plain yogurt, 1 teaspoon cumin powder, turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon chili powder (or paprika), 1/2 teaspoon salt, lemon juice, grated ginger, and grated garlic. Mix thoroughly by hand until the chicken is well-coated. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 4 hours.
⏱️ 5 min
- 2
Prepare the naan dough: In a small bowl, combine the warm water, yeast, and granulated sugar. Stir gently and let sit for 5-10 minutes until foamy. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and 1 teaspoon salt. Add the foamy yeast mixture, 1/4 cup plain yogurt, and 2 tablespoons vegetable oil to the flour mixture. Mix with a spoon until a shaggy dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5-7 minutes until smooth and elastic. Lightly grease a clean bowl with vegetable oil, place the dough in the bowl, turning once to coat. Cover with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
⏱️ 15 min
- 3
Cook the chicken: Heat a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the marinated chicken in a single layer, working in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding. Cook for 5-7 minutes, flipping occasionally, until browned on all sides and cooked through. Remove the cooked chicken from the pan and set aside in a separate bowl.
⏱️ 10 min
- 4
Build the butter chicken sauce: In the same pan (do not clean it), melt the butter over medium heat. Add the cinnamon stick, green cardamom pods, and whole cloves. Sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the chopped yellow onion and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and caramelized. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
⏱️ 10 min
- 5
Continue building the sauce: Stir in the crushed tomatoes (or tomato puree), garam masala, 1 teaspoon cumin powder, coriander powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the raw cashews and heavy cream, stir to combine.
⏱️ 7 min
- 6
Finish the butter chicken sauce: Remove the whole spices (cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, cloves) if desired, or leave them in for extra flavor. Carefully use an immersion blender to blend the sauce directly in the pan until it is smooth and creamy. Alternatively, transfer the sauce to a regular blender and blend until smooth, then return to the pan. Return the cooked chicken pieces to the smooth sauce and stir to combine. Simmer gently for 5 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
⏱️ 8 min
- 7
Prepare the cheese naan: Punch down the risen naan dough. Divide the dough into 8 equal portions and roll each into a smooth ball. On a lightly floured surface, flatten one dough ball into a small disk. Place a generous amount (about 2 tablespoons) of shredded mozzarella cheese in the center. Bring the edges of the dough together and pinch to seal, enclosing the cheese completely. Roll the cheese-filled dough ball out flat into a round or oval shape, about 6-8 inches in diameter.
⏱️ 15 min
- 8
Cook the cheese naan: Heat a cast-iron skillet or non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Place one rolled naan in the hot pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes per side, or until golden brown and puffed, with some charred spots. Repeat with the remaining naan dough and cheese.
⏱️ 10 min
- 9
Serve the butter chicken hot with the freshly made cheese naan.
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Butter Chicken and Cheese Naan
Ingredients
For the Chicken Marinade
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, diced into 1-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder, or paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 tablespoon ginger, freshly grated
- 1 tablespoon garlic, freshly grated
For the Butter Chicken Sauce
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 green cardamom pods
- 3 cloves, whole
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 15 ounces crushed tomatoes, or tomato puree
- 1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/4 cup raw cashews
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
For the Cheese Naan Dough
- 1 cup warm water, (105-115°F)
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup plain yogurt
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more for greasing
For the Cheese Naan Filling
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the chicken marinade: In a large bowl, combine the diced chicken, 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plain yogurt, 1 teaspoon cumin powder, turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon chili powder (or paprika), 1/2 teaspoon salt, lemon juice, grated ginger, and grated garlic. Mix thoroughly by hand until the chicken is well-coated. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 4 hours.
⏱️ 5 min - 2
Prepare the naan dough: In a small bowl, combine the warm water, yeast, and granulated sugar. Stir gently and let sit for 5-10 minutes until foamy. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and 1 teaspoon salt. Add the foamy yeast mixture, 1/4 cup plain yogurt, and 2 tablespoons vegetable oil to the flour mixture. Mix with a spoon until a shaggy dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5-7 minutes until smooth and elastic. Lightly grease a clean bowl with vegetable oil, place the dough in the bowl, turning once to coat. Cover with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
⏱️ 15 min - 3
Cook the chicken: Heat a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the marinated chicken in a single layer, working in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding. Cook for 5-7 minutes, flipping occasionally, until browned on all sides and cooked through. Remove the cooked chicken from the pan and set aside in a separate bowl.
⏱️ 10 min - 4
Build the butter chicken sauce: In the same pan (do not clean it), melt the butter over medium heat. Add the cinnamon stick, green cardamom pods, and whole cloves. Sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the chopped yellow onion and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and caramelized. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
⏱️ 10 min - 5
Continue building the sauce: Stir in the crushed tomatoes (or tomato puree), garam masala, 1 teaspoon cumin powder, coriander powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the raw cashews and heavy cream, stir to combine.
⏱️ 7 min - 6
Finish the butter chicken sauce: Remove the whole spices (cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, cloves) if desired, or leave them in for extra flavor. Carefully use an immersion blender to blend the sauce directly in the pan until it is smooth and creamy. Alternatively, transfer the sauce to a regular blender and blend until smooth, then return to the pan. Return the cooked chicken pieces to the smooth sauce and stir to combine. Simmer gently for 5 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
⏱️ 8 min - 7
Prepare the cheese naan: Punch down the risen naan dough. Divide the dough into 8 equal portions and roll each into a smooth ball. On a lightly floured surface, flatten one dough ball into a small disk. Place a generous amount (about 2 tablespoons) of shredded mozzarella cheese in the center. Bring the edges of the dough together and pinch to seal, enclosing the cheese completely. Roll the cheese-filled dough ball out flat into a round or oval shape, about 6-8 inches in diameter.
⏱️ 15 min - 8
Cook the cheese naan: Heat a cast-iron skillet or non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Place one rolled naan in the hot pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes per side, or until golden brown and puffed, with some charred spots. Repeat with the remaining naan dough and cheese.
⏱️ 10 min - 9
Serve the butter chicken hot with the freshly made cheese naan.