Butter Chicken with Homemade Ghee, Crispy Onions, and Garlic Naan
Butter Chicken with Homemade Ghee, Crispy Onions, and Garlic Naan
Ingredients
For the Chicken Marinade
- 4 chicken thighs, boneless, skinless, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 tablespoon ginger, grated
- 1 tablespoon garlic, grated
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon flaky salt, or to taste
- 1/4 cup Greek yogurt, full-fat
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice, from 1/2 a lemon
For the Spice Blend
- 2 tablespoons cumin seeds
- 1 tablespoon red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 tablespoon garam masala
For the Crispy Onions
- 1 onion, thinly sliced
- 2 cups cooking oil, for deep frying
For the Homemade Ghee
- 500 ml heavy cream
For the Makhani Sauce
- 1/2 cup cashews
- 2 tablespoons ghee, or vegetable oil
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 5 green cardamom pods
- 4 cloves
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 4 tomatoes, small, quartered
- 1 tablespoon ginger, grated
- 1 tablespoon garlic, grated
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves, (kasoori methi)
For the Garlic Naan
- 250 grams all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted, for brushing
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the Chicken Marinade: In a large mixing bowl, combine the bite-sized chicken pieces with grated ginger, grated garlic, olive oil, black pepper, flaky salt, Greek yogurt, and lemon juice. Mix thoroughly until all chicken pieces are well coated. Cover and refrigerate to marinate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 hours.
⏱️ 5 min
- 2
Prepare the Spice Blend: In a small pan, toast the cumin seeds over medium heat until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Transfer to a blender and blend until finely powdered. Pour the powdered cumin into a small bowl. Add the red chili powder, turmeric powder, and garam masala. Mix well and set aside.
⏱️ 10 min
- 3
Make Crispy Onions: Heat cooking oil in a deep pan or pot to a depth suitable for deep frying (about 350°F / 175°C). Add the thinly sliced onion and fry until golden brown and crispy, about 5-7 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil. Set aside.
⏱️ 15 min•🌡️ 350
- 4
Make Homemade Ghee: Pour the heavy cream into a large glass bowl. Using a hand mixer, beat the cream until it separates into butter and buttermilk, about 5-10 minutes. Squeeze the butter with gloved hands to extract as much buttermilk as possible. Transfer the butter to a clean metal bowl, add cold water, and squeeze again to wash away remaining buttermilk. Repeat if necessary until the water is mostly clear. Melt the washed butter in a clean pan over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Once clarified (solids sink, leaving clear golden liquid), carefully pour through a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth into a heatproof jar. Set aside.
⏱️ 20 min
- 5
Prepare Cashews: Place cashews in a small bowl and cover with water. Let them soak for at least 15 minutes.
⏱️ 1 min
- 6
Prepare the Makhani Sauce Base: In a large pan, heat ghee (or vegetable oil) over medium heat. Add cinnamon sticks, green cardamom pods, and cloves. Sauté for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the diced onion and a pinch of salt. Sauté until softened and golden brown, about 8-10 minutes. Add the prepared spice powder blend and stir for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the quartered tomatoes, grated ginger, grated garlic, and water. Drain the soaked cashews and add them to the pan. Cover with a lid and simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until the tomatoes are very soft.
⏱️ 25 min
- 7
Blend the Makhani Sauce: Remove the cinnamon sticks from the sauce base. Add the dried fenugreek leaves and stir. Transfer the entire sauce base mixture to a blender. Blend until completely smooth and creamy. Pour the smooth makhani sauce back into the pan.
⏱️ 10 min
- 8
Cook the Chicken: Thread the marinated chicken pieces onto wooden skewers. Heat a grill pan over high heat. Place the skewered chicken on the hot grill pan and cook, turning occasionally, until charred and cooked through, about 8-12 minutes. Remove the cooked chicken from the skewers and add the pieces directly into the makhani sauce in the pan. Stir to coat the chicken thoroughly. Keep warm over low heat.
⏱️ 15 min
- 9
Make Garlic Naan: In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together Greek yogurt, water, and olive oil. Pour the wet mixture into the flour and mix with a spatula until a dough forms. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth, about 5 minutes. Divide the dough into 4 equal portions and roll each into a ball. Cover the dough balls with a clean cloth and let them rest for at least 30 minutes.
⏱️ 15 min
- 10
Cook Garlic Naan: Take one dough ball and roll it out into a flat, oval shape using a rolling pin. Heat a cast iron pan over high heat. Place the rolled naan onto the hot pan. Cook for 1-2 minutes per side, until bubbly and lightly charred. While the naan cooks, mix the minced garlic and chopped cilantro into the melted butter. Once cooked, brush the hot naan with the garlic cilantro butter.
⏱️ 10 min
- 11
Serve: Ladle the butter chicken into serving bowls. Top with the crispy onions. Serve immediately with the freshly made garlic naan.
⏱️ 5 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Butter Chicken with Homemade Ghee, Crispy Onions, and Garlic Naan
For the Chicken Marinade
- 4 chicken thighs, boneless, skinless, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 tablespoon ginger, grated
- 1 tablespoon garlic, grated
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon flaky salt, or to taste
- 1/4 cup Greek yogurt, full-fat
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice, from 1/2 a lemon
For the Spice Blend
- 2 tablespoons cumin seeds
- 1 tablespoon red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 tablespoon garam masala
For the Crispy Onions
- 1 onion, thinly sliced
- 2 cups cooking oil, for deep frying
For the Homemade Ghee
- 500 ml heavy cream
For the Makhani Sauce
- 1/2 cup cashews
- 2 tablespoons ghee, or vegetable oil
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 5 green cardamom pods
- 4 cloves
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 4 tomatoes, small, quartered
- 1 tablespoon ginger, grated
- 1 tablespoon garlic, grated
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves, (kasoori methi)
For the Garlic Naan
- 250 grams all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted, for brushing
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the Chicken Marinade: In a large mixing bowl, combine the bite-sized chicken pieces with grated ginger, grated garlic, olive oil, black pepper, flaky salt, Greek yogurt, and lemon juice. Mix thoroughly until all chicken pieces are well coated. Cover and refrigerate to marinate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 hours.
⏱️ 5 min - 2
Prepare the Spice Blend: In a small pan, toast the cumin seeds over medium heat until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Transfer to a blender and blend until finely powdered. Pour the powdered cumin into a small bowl. Add the red chili powder, turmeric powder, and garam masala. Mix well and set aside.
⏱️ 10 min - 3
Make Crispy Onions: Heat cooking oil in a deep pan or pot to a depth suitable for deep frying (about 350°F / 175°C). Add the thinly sliced onion and fry until golden brown and crispy, about 5-7 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil. Set aside.
⏱️ 15 min•🌡️ 350 - 4
Make Homemade Ghee: Pour the heavy cream into a large glass bowl. Using a hand mixer, beat the cream until it separates into butter and buttermilk, about 5-10 minutes. Squeeze the butter with gloved hands to extract as much buttermilk as possible. Transfer the butter to a clean metal bowl, add cold water, and squeeze again to wash away remaining buttermilk. Repeat if necessary until the water is mostly clear. Melt the washed butter in a clean pan over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Once clarified (solids sink, leaving clear golden liquid), carefully pour through a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth into a heatproof jar. Set aside.
⏱️ 20 min - 5
Prepare Cashews: Place cashews in a small bowl and cover with water. Let them soak for at least 15 minutes.
⏱️ 1 min - 6
Prepare the Makhani Sauce Base: In a large pan, heat ghee (or vegetable oil) over medium heat. Add cinnamon sticks, green cardamom pods, and cloves. Sauté for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the diced onion and a pinch of salt. Sauté until softened and golden brown, about 8-10 minutes. Add the prepared spice powder blend and stir for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the quartered tomatoes, grated ginger, grated garlic, and water. Drain the soaked cashews and add them to the pan. Cover with a lid and simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until the tomatoes are very soft.
⏱️ 25 min - 7
Blend the Makhani Sauce: Remove the cinnamon sticks from the sauce base. Add the dried fenugreek leaves and stir. Transfer the entire sauce base mixture to a blender. Blend until completely smooth and creamy. Pour the smooth makhani sauce back into the pan.
⏱️ 10 min - 8
Cook the Chicken: Thread the marinated chicken pieces onto wooden skewers. Heat a grill pan over high heat. Place the skewered chicken on the hot grill pan and cook, turning occasionally, until charred and cooked through, about 8-12 minutes. Remove the cooked chicken from the skewers and add the pieces directly into the makhani sauce in the pan. Stir to coat the chicken thoroughly. Keep warm over low heat.
⏱️ 15 min - 9
Make Garlic Naan: In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together Greek yogurt, water, and olive oil. Pour the wet mixture into the flour and mix with a spatula until a dough forms. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth, about 5 minutes. Divide the dough into 4 equal portions and roll each into a ball. Cover the dough balls with a clean cloth and let them rest for at least 30 minutes.
⏱️ 15 min - 10
Cook Garlic Naan: Take one dough ball and roll it out into a flat, oval shape using a rolling pin. Heat a cast iron pan over high heat. Place the rolled naan onto the hot pan. Cook for 1-2 minutes per side, until bubbly and lightly charred. While the naan cooks, mix the minced garlic and chopped cilantro into the melted butter. Once cooked, brush the hot naan with the garlic cilantro butter.
⏱️ 10 min - 11
Serve: Ladle the butter chicken into serving bowls. Top with the crispy onions. Serve immediately with the freshly made garlic naan.
⏱️ 5 min