Butter Chicken Recipe

Ingredients

• 500 g Chicken (tandoori or chicken tikka) (boneless, skinless, cut into bite‑size pieces; can use leftover tandoori chicken or freshly grilled tikka)
• 4 medium Tomatoes (ripe, roughly chopped)
• 1 large Onion (finely chopped)
• 5 pieces Garlic cloves (minced)
• 15 g Ginger (peeled and minced (about 1 inch))
• 1 tsp Degi Red Chilli Powder (Kashmiri) (for color and mild heat)
• 4 whole Cloves (whole spice)
• 1 small Cinnamon Stick (whole)
• 1 leaf Bay Leaf (whole)
• 8 whole Black Peppercorns (whole)
• 4 pods Green Cardamom Pods (slightly crushed)
• 4 tbsp Unsalted Butter (about 60 g, divided)
• 1 tbsp Ghee (optional, adds richness)
• 100 ml Heavy Cream (adds silkiness)
• 1 tsp Honey (for subtle sweetness (optional))
• to taste Salt
• 200 ml Water
• 1 drop Kewra Water (optional, adds aromatic finish)
• 1 tsp Kasuri Methi (Dried Fenugreek Leaves) (toasted)
• 2 tbsp Fresh Coriander Leaves (chopped for garnish)
• 10 pieces Cashews (removed; optional garnish)

Instructions

1. Prepare Ingredients

   Finely chop the onion, mince the garlic and ginger, and roughly chop the tomatoes. Measure out all spices and keep them ready.

   Time: PT10M

2. Sauté Base with Whole Spices

   Heat 2 tbsp butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add cloves, cinnamon stick, bay leaf, black peppercorns, green cardamom, and let sizzle for 30 seconds. Add the chopped onion, garlic, ginger and sauté until the onion becomes translucent (about 3 minutes). Stir in the degi red chilli powder and quickly add the tomatoes.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: Medium heat

3. Cook Tomato‑Onion Mixture

   Add a splash of water if the pan looks dry, then cover and let the mixture simmer for 15 minutes until the tomatoes are soft and the oil begins to separate.

   Time: PT15M

   Temperature: Medium heat

4. Blend and Strain

   Transfer the cooked mixture to a blender, blend until smooth, then pass through a fine mesh sieve back into the pan to obtain a silky puree.

   Time: PT5M

5. Build the Gravy

   Return the puree to the pan, add the remaining 2 tbsp butter, ghee, and water. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer for 5 minutes.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: Medium‑low heat

6. Enrich with Cream and Flavors

   Stir in the heavy cream, honey (if using), salt, and toasted kasuri methi. Simmer for another 5 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly and turns a deep orange‑red hue.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: Medium‑low heat

7. Add Chicken

   Add the shredded tandoori chicken (or fresh chicken tikka pieces) to the gravy. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring gently, until the chicken is heated through and absorbs the flavors.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: Medium heat

8. Finish and Aromatize

   Add a single drop of kewra water (optional) and sprinkle chopped coriander leaves. Cover the pan for 2 minutes to let a subtle smoky aroma develop.

   Time: PT2M

   Temperature: Low heat

9. Serve

   Transfer the butter chicken to a serving bowl, garnish with a drizzle of cream or a few toasted cashew pieces if desired, and serve hot with naan, roti, or steamed basmati rice.

   Time: PT3M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

380

Protein

25 g

Carbohydrates

12 g

Fat

25 g

Fiber

2 g