What makes this recipe extra special is my eldest daughter Sameen executed the preparation perfectly. She followed my guidance and instructions to every last detail and made her Mamma extremely proud! This was sort of her initiation into cooking recipe and she gets a 10/10. Indeed she inherited the family cooking gene and I was smiling ear to ear when I took that first bite. So so good!
I was recently organizing my closets and making a pile of my favorite random things (that, for whatever reason, I would like to hold on to), and quite frankly I was humming the song we learned in elementary school which went something like this “….raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens, bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens, brown paper packages tied up with strings, these are a few of my favorite things….”
And to this list of my favorite things, I feel obligated to add butter chicken! In particular, this spicy and sweet version. It is so luscious, so dreamy and just so delicious, it will become your go-to butter chicken recipe. As you may have noticed in my recipes, there are certain spices that I routinely use. Rajah Tandoori Masala is the essential spice in this recipe. I should also make note that not all Tandoori masalas are created equal or the same. This Rajah brand seasoning includes ground coriander, cumin, cinnamon, chili, celery, lemon, cardamom, garlic, ginger, onion, black pepper and bay leaves. And it is THE perfect blend for so many recipes, including this one! As if the ingredients and spices in this dish are not mouthwatering enough, I decided that a drizzle of honey will elevate this butter chicken a bit more, taming the spices and cultivating some desired sweetness. Amazing!
Spicy and Sweet Butter Chicken
Ingredients
For Chicken Marinade
- 3 lbs chicken breasts boneless, skinless, cut into small cubes
- 1.5 tsp fresh ginger paste
- 1.5 tsp fresh garlic paste
- 1.5 tsp garam masala powder
- 1 tsp Kosher salt *or to taste
- 1.5 tsp coriander powder
- 1.5 tsp cumin powder
- 1/2 tsp Kashmiri Lal Mirch powder
- 2 tsp Tandoori masala powder *Rajah brand
- 1 cup whole milk yogurt *can substitute with Greek Yogurt
- 2 tbsp lemon juice *freshly squeezed or from concentrate
- 2 tbsp grape seed oil
For Gravy
- 1.5 cups fried onions
- 3 medium fresh tomatoes *diced
- 12 oz plum tomatoes *cannned with juice
- 1 tsp fresh ginger paste
- 1 tsp fresh garlic paste
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 3/4 tsp Kosher salt *or to taste
- 1.5 tsp coriander powder
- 1.5 tsp cumin powder
- 1/2 tsp Kashmiri Lal Mirch powder
- 1 tsp garam masala *Rajah brand
- 1.5 tsp Tandoori masala powder *Rajah brand
- 1.5 tsp Fenugreek leaves *dried and crushed
- 1.5 cups heavy cream
- 1.5 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp grape seed oil
- 2 tbsp desi ghee
- 1 tbsp butter
Instructions
For Chicken Marination
- In a large mixing bowl, add the cut chicken pieces (small cubes). Add the fresh ginger and garlic paste and all the spices (Tandoori Masala, cumin, coriander, garam masala, Kashmiri Lal Mirch), add Kosher salt, lemon juice and yogurt. Mix well to incorporate spices into chicken pieces, cover with saran wrap and let rest in fridge for at least 30 minutes.
- Heat 3 tbsp grape seed oil in large cooking pot (or Dutch oven) on medium high heat. *Use a pot that can be placed in oven as final dish will be baked.* Once oil is hot, add the marinated chicken, mix well and cook for 2-3 minutes. Now turn heat to medium and cook for an additional 5 minutes until chicken changes color. Now cover pot, turn heat to medium low and cook chicken for 15-20 minutes (until almost cooked-chicken will finish cooking in gravy in oven).
For 'Makhni'-Gravy
- While chicken is cooking, make the gravy. In another pot, heat 2 tbsp of grape seed oil on medium high heat. Once oil is hot, add fresh ginger and garlic paste, mix well and cook for 1-2 minutes. Now turn heat to medium and add diced fresh tomatoes. Cook for 5-7 minutes and mix, as needed. Now add the spices (cumin, coriander, garam masala, Kashmiri Lal Mirch and Tandoori masala) and mix well. Add 2 tbsp of water as needed, add the fried onions, mix to incorporate, cover pot, turn heat to medium low and continue to cook for 5 minutes, until tomatoes are soft and oils are released. Turn heat to medium, uncover pot, add tomato paste, 1 tbsp water (as needed), mix well, cook for 1-2 minutes. Then add plum tomatoes with juice, Kosher salt (3/4 tsp or to taste) and mix all ingredients well. Break plum tomatoes using a wooden spoon and continue to cook on medium heat for 5-7 minutes. Now cover pot, turn heat to low and simmer gravy for 25 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Once gravy has simmered, add to blender and carefully blend gravy into a smooth paste. Now add this blended gravy to the chicken pot. Add crushed Fenugreek leaves, honey, heavy cream, ghee and butter. Gently mix to combine, cover pot with aluminum foil to seal and then lid on top. Bake Butter Chicken in oven for 30 minutes. Remove pot from oven and let rest, covered for 10-12 minutes.
- Decadently spicy and sweet Butter Chicken is now ready to serve. Tastes awesome with Garlic Butter Naan or tempered Cashew rice (will post these recipes too), or plain Basmati rice. I do believe this version is my all-time favorite butter chicken recipe. Enjoy. Nosh Farma'aiye!