Buttery Butter Chicken | Murgh Makhani

Butter Chicken is hands down my favourite chicken dish! I think I can say that is true for many Indians, a delicious Murgh Makhani makes a good night a great one! A firm favourite in India, this dish has now also become quite popular in the UK. I’ve recently noticed seeing this dish in the ready-food aisle in British supermarkets! A nice change from the usual Chicken Tikka Masala! And super convenient for anyone craving some Butter Chicken, although nothing really beats a well made home cooked one.

For me Butter Chicken reminds of my childhood with Dad. When he’d come home on holiday from sailing (being a Captain in the Merchant Navy), he’d often order this dish with butter naans and we’d sit listening to him tell us stories and incidents of the time when he was sailing. Growing up, I also remember this dish being one of my first few introductions to non-vegetarian food. Tandoori chicken was my absolute favourite. I remember Dad feeding me morsels of the chicken and that was the only way I’d eat it. I wouldn’t want to get stuck in as I’d often find eating chicken on the bone difficult – guess all children are that way.

When I moved to the UK, butter chicken was one dish that I’d crave for often but get put off because I always thought it was very complicated and not something I’d be able to cook by myself at home. Do you think this dish is easy enough to be made at home?! Turns out it is easy enough to make. Don’t let the list of ingredients put you off, you mostly just have to chuck all the spices together and you only need tomatoes and onions for this dish. And the delicious bits – cream and butter.

If you are staying away from heavy food, then perhaps make this dish on your cheat day. This is one dish you want to eat after a week of being good.. There are no substitutes for butter and cream, don’t ask me for those please.

Serve this buttery Butter Chicken with parathas or naans and slices of onions and wedges of lemon. Happy Days!

Print Recipe

Buttery Butter Chicken | Murgh Makhani

Buttery Butter Chicken in a tomatoey spiced curry

Course

Main Dish

Cuisine

Indian

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

40 mins

Servings

people

Ingredients

For the Tandoori Chicken

• 500 gms skinless boneless chicken thighs cut to bite sizes
• 3 tbsp Greek yogurt
• 3-4 cloves garlic peeled and finely chopped
• 1 inch Ginger peeled and finely chopped
• 1 green chilli finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp mild chilli powder - Kashmiri variety
• 1 tsp smoked paprika powder optional
• 1-2 strands saffron crushed
• 1 tsp garam masala powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• PInch cinnamon powder optional
• 1 tsp Chaat Masala or rock salt
• 2 tbsp gram flour or besan
• 1/2 lemon
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil or butter
• Salt to taste

For the Butter Chicken curry

• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 inch cinnamon stick
• 1 tbsp green cardamon powder
• 5 cloves cloves
• 2 medium onions finely chopped
• 1/2 inch Ginger grated
• 2 Green Chillies slit
• 1 200gm tin of tomato puree or pasta
• 1 tsp garam masala powder
• 1/2 tsp coriander powder
• 2 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
• Salt to taste
• 150 gm double cream or creme fraiche
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 tbsp Fenugreek leaves or kasuri methi
• Handful Coriander leaves +stems - finely chopped

Course Main Dish Cuisine Indian Prep Time 20 mins Cook Time 40 mins Servings people Ingredients For the Tandoori Chicken 500 gms skinless boneless chicken thighs cut to bite sizes 3 tbsp Greek yogurt 3-4 cloves garlic peeled and finely chopped 1 inch Ginger peeled and finely chopped 1 green chilli finely chopped 1/2 tsp turmeric powder 1 tsp mild chilli powder - Kashmiri variety 1 tsp smoked paprika powder optional 1-2 strands saffron crushed 1 tsp garam masala powder 1 tsp cumin powder 1 tsp coriander powder PInch cinnamon powder optional 1 tsp Chaat Masala or rock salt 2 tbsp gram flour or besan 1/2 lemon 2 tbsp vegetable oil or butter Salt to taste For the Butter Chicken curry 2 tbsp butter 1 inch cinnamon stick 1 tbsp green cardamon powder 5 cloves cloves 2 medium onions finely chopped 1/2 inch Ginger grated 2 Green Chillies slit 1 200gm tin of tomato puree or pasta 1 tsp garam masala powder 1/2 tsp coriander powder 2 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder Salt to taste 150 gm double cream or creme fraiche 1 tsp honey 1 tbsp Fenugreek leaves or kasuri methi Handful Coriander leaves +stems - finely chopped

Recipe Notes

For the Tandoori chicken

1. In a large bowl, tip in the yogurt and whisk it lightly.
2. Add in all the spices, and then make a coarse ginger garlic and green chilli paste. Add this paste into the yogurt spice mix and mix everything thoroughly.
3. Make bite size pieces of the chicken thighs and then tip into the yogurt spice marinade.
4. Squeeze the lemon juice, season with salt and make sure that the marinade covers the chicken all over.
5. Marinate for at least 2 hours or best overnight.
6. Preheat the grill to medium.
7. On a large baking tray, line with baking paper or foil. Cover with a few drops of oil or butter.
8. Space the marinated chicken pieces along the baking tray and then keep under the grill until golden brown. It should take about 20 minutes or so. Keep checking on the chicken - if they char a little that’s fine.
9. Tandoori marinated chicken is ready.

For the Butter Chicken curry

1. Heat butter in a heavy bottomed pan, add to it the cinnamon, cloves and the green cardamon powder. Sauté until aromatic.
2. Add in the onions and some salt. Sauté until the onions turn translucent. 
3. Add the green chillies and the ginger, stir everything and try for a couple of minutes. 
4. Next to go in is the red chilli powder, coriander powder and Garam Masala powder along with the tomato puree. 
5. Stir everything, cover and cook until the tomato puree starts releasing oil.
6. Add some water while still keeping the curry thick.  Simmer and cook for about 5 minutes with the lid on.
7. Next to go in is the Tandoori chicken pieces. Mix the curry well so that the curry coats the chicken pieces. 
8. Now add the cream or the creme fraiche slowly whilst constantly stirring. 
9. Time to add the fenugreek leaves and honey. Stir everything together and adjust the water and seasoning. Cook for another 10 minutes.
10. Garnish with coriander leaves and then serve with rotis and some raita.

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