Butter Chicken (or Murgh Makhani) Recipe

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Indulge in this delicious Butter Chicken recipe from Chef Nidhi of the Indian cookery school Meri Rasoi perfect for Diwali, or as a comforting meal during the autumn and winter months. Serves 4 -5

INGREDIENTS:

For the Tandoori marinade:

Chicken, cut into chunks – 800g (skinless and boneless)
Lemon juice – 1.5 tbsp
Greek yoghurt – 100g
Ginger & garlic paste - 1 tbsp
Chickpea or Gram flour - 1 tbsp
Kashmiri chilli powder (mild) – 1 tbsp
Garam masala powder – 1 tsp
Salt – to taste
Vegetable oil - 1 tbsp

Ingredients for spice blend:

1 tsp mild Kashmiri chilli powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
3 tbsp Greek yoghurt
30g butter

Ingredients for tempering:

3 tbsp ghee
2 bay leaves
3 green cardamoms
4 whole cloves
2 cm piece cinnamon stick

For the sauce :

1 green chilli, whole
20g ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
2 medium brown onions, thinly sliced
2 Kashmiri chilli whole, deseeded
2 tbsp cashews
1 can of tomatoes (400g) or 5 large ripe tomatoes on the vine
1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder

To serve :

30g butter
2 tbsp Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
1-2 tbsp runny honey
10g finely chopped fresh coriander
2-3 tbsp fresh double cream

METHOD:

Step 1:

Cook the marinated chicken in a pre-heated oven around 200-220 degrees for 25-30 mins until charred and cooked. Start by making the spice blend and combine all ingredients listed above, mix well and set aside.

Step 2:

For the tempering, start by adding ghee to a pan and once hot add all the following whole spices listed above and allow them to sizzle for a minute on medium heat.

Step 3:

In the same pan, we continue to make the sauce. Add green chilli, chopped ginger garlic, sliced onions and fry on a medium heat until onions turn light golden.

Step 4:

Then add the spice blend made in step 1 to the onion mixture and continue to fry until the fats starts to separate which takes about 5-7 minutes on medium heat. Now add whole Kashmiri chillies and cashews, continue to fry on medium heat for another 5 minutes.

Step 5:

Now add tomatoes to the pan, 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder, salt and 150mls of water. Bring to a gentle boil and cover to cook for 10-12 minutes on low to medium heat. Stir half through to ensure nothing is catching at the bottom of the pan.

Step 6:

Allow this to mixture to cool down slightly, remove whole spices (cinnamon, bay leaves, green cardamom and whole cloves) and then blend to a smooth paste.

Step 7:

In a same pan, heat butter and add the blended paste. Cook on a low-medium heat for 15-20 minutes and add some water if required to adjust consistency.

Step 8:

Lastly add honey, Kasuri methi and chopped coriander to finish the sauce. Add cooked tandoori chicken and garnish with fresh cream right at the end just before serving.

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