Easy Butter Chicken

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons Unsalted Butter (cut into cubes for quick melting)
• 1 tablespoon Curry Powder (generic Indian blend)
• 2 tablespoons Garam Masala (store‑bought blend)
• 2 pounds Chicken Breast (boneless, skinless, cut into bite‑size cubes)
• 1 cup Onion (roughly chopped)
• 6 cloves Garlic (peeled and minced)
• 3 tablespoons Fresh Ginger (peeled and minced)
• 1 pinch Black Pepper (freshly ground)
• 0.5 teaspoon Salt (fine sea salt)
• 2 tablespoons Lime Juice (freshly squeezed from 1 lime)
• 0.25 cup Tomato Paste (smooth, no added sugar)
• 28 ounce Crushed Tomatoes (canned, no added herbs)
• 14 ounce Coconut Milk (full‑fat, Thai Kitchen brand)
• 1 cup Cashews (unsalted, whole)
• 2 tablespoons Toasted Coconut Flakes (optional garnish)

Instructions

1. Prep Aromatics

   Roughly chop 1 cup of onion, mince 6 garlic cloves, and peel then mince about 3 tablespoons of fresh ginger. Set aside.

   Time: PT5M

2. Melt Butter and Bloom Spices

   Place the Dutch oven over medium heat, add 2 Tbsp butter and let it melt and turn lightly golden. Stir in 1 Tbsp curry powder and 2 Tbsp garam masala, cooking for about 1‑2 minutes until fragrant.

   Time: PT3M

   Temperature: Medium heat

3. Brown the Chicken

   Add the cubed chicken (2 lb) to the pot, stirring to coat all pieces with the spiced butter. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes until the chicken is lightly browned on the edges.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: Medium heat

4. Add Onion, Garlic, and Ginger

   Add the chopped onion, minced garlic, and minced ginger to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, for another 5 minutes until the onion softens and the aromatics are fragrant.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: Medium heat

5. Season Lightly

   Add a pinch of black pepper and ½ tsp salt. Stir to combine.

   Time: PT1M

   Temperature: Medium heat

6. Incorporate Tomato Paste

   Stir in ¼ cup tomato paste, cooking for 1 minute to deepen its flavor.

   Time: PT1M

   Temperature: Medium heat

7. Add Tomatoes and Coconut Milk

   Pour in the 28‑oz can of crushed tomatoes and the 14‑oz can of full‑fat coconut milk. Mix well.

   Time: PT2M

   Temperature: Medium heat

8. Add Cashews

   Stir in 1 cup whole cashews (you can use the whole container if you like).

   Time: PT1M

   Temperature: Medium heat

9. Simmer

   Reduce heat to low and let the mixture simmer gently for 25‑30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and turns a deep burgundy color.

   Time: PT30M

   Temperature: Low heat

10. Finish with Lime Juice

    Squeeze the juice of one lime (about 2 Tbsp) into the pot, stir to incorporate, and taste for final seasoning.

    Time: PT1M

11. Serve

    Serve the butter chicken over cooked white rice (plain or spiced). Garnish with toasted coconut flakes if desired.

    Time: PT2M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

520

Protein

30 g

Carbohydrates

15 g

Fat

35 g

Fiber

3 g