Butter Chicken

Ingredients for Butter Chicken

• 900g boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

• 1 teaspoon red (Kashmiri) chilli powder

• 150g plain yoghurt

• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric

• 1 teaspoon garam masala

• 3 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

• 1 tablespoon sunflower or

• Vegetable oil

• 1 teaspoon sea salt

• 2 tablespoons butter, melted

• 60ml (1/2 stick) butter

• 2 whole cloves

• 4 green cardamom pods

• 1 black cardamom pod

• 1 (2-inch) piece cinnamon stick

• 8 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

• 1/2 teaspoons fenugreek seeds

• 1 or 2 red chillies, diced

• 40g tomato paste

• 1 (800g) can crushed tomatoes

• 1 teaspoon red (Kashmiri) chilli powder

• 725ml chicken stock

• 1 teaspoon sea salt

• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup

• 1 tablespoon crushed dried fenugreek leaves (find these at a specialty grocer or online)

• 240ml double cream

• 1 tablespoon garam masala

• Double cream

• Fresh coriander

• Sliced red chillies

• Rice or naan

Cut the chicken into 1-inch chunks and toss them with the lemon juice and chilli powder. Transfer to a container and refrigerate for 20 minutes.

In a small dish, combine the yoghurt, turmeric, garam masala, garlic, ginger, sunflower oil, and salt. Stir well. Massage the chicken with the yoghurt marinade, cover the container, and refrigerate overnight or for at least 12 hours. Dream about delicious curry all night long.

Preheat the oven to 204°C. Soak 10 to 12 bamboo skewers in cold water for about 20 minutes.

Thread the chicken onto the skewers and transfer to a rack set on a baking sheet. Bake the chicken skewers, turning halfway through, for 12 minutes, or until the juices run clear and the chicken is cooked through. Brush the chicken all over with the melted butter and set aside.

In a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the cloves, cardamom pods, and cinnamon stick and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until fragrant. Stir in the garlic, ginger, fenugreek seeds, chillies, and tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often. Stir in the tomatoes and chilli powder and cook, stirring often to keep the sauce from sticking to the pot, for 20 minutes.

Turn off the heat and purée the sauce directly in the pot with an immersion blender. (Alternatively, carefully transfer the sauce to a regular blender and purée—be careful when blending hot liquids.) Turn the heat to medium and stir in the stock and sea salt. Bring to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes, or until the sauce has started to thicken beautifully.

Remove the chicken pieces from the skewers and stir them into the curry, along with the maple syrup and dried fenugreek leaves. Cover and cook for 8 minutes. Turn the heat to medium- low and stir in the cream and garam masala. Simmer the sauce for a final 5 minutes.

Top each bowl of curry with a drizzle of cream, fresh coriander, and sliced red chillies, if you like it spicy. Serve with rice or naan. Immediately enter comfort food heaven.

Disclaimer

While every effort has been made to ensure the information is accurate and up to date, individual needs may vary and dietary requirements can differ based on personal health conditions. Always check food labels and allergen information before preparing or consuming any recipe. If you have specific health concerns, allergies, intolerances, or are following a medically prescribed diet, seek advice from your GP, pharmacist, or a registered dietitian before making significant changes to your diet or lifestyle.