Everyone’s favorite creamy butter chicken, the star of Indian cuisine!
Chicken Makhani or Butter Chicken is the one dish that made Indian cuisine famous worldwide! It is on every north Indian restaurant menu. Its a favorite amongst kids. Luscious, slightly sweet, minimal spices, smooth buttery tomatoey gravy with chicken, perfect with naan or rice. Use the same heavenly gravy, easily switch out the chicken with paneer or vegetables for vegetarians!
Funny thing, it started as a way to use left over tandoori chicken at a restaurant. The chef created a creamy gravy and mixed in the chicken. The rest is history, it’s become the most famous dish all in itself. So many great inventions have come about by accident, including this finger licking Makhani gravy!
It’s butter chicken, so yes it will use butter! I have been making it for years without butter and sugar and just could not get the same restaurant taste at home. There is no way to get the same rich taste without the butter. If you are counting calories, this is not for you…maybe on your cheat day.
Kids love this dish, enjoyed with homemade soft and fluffy naan or rice. It is mild in spices so easy for kids and others to enjoy. This is one of those quintessential entertaining dishes, everyone cooking Indian food should know how to make. The same gravy can be used for chicken or with paneer. 3 simple steps: cook the chicken, make the gravy, mix together.
Makes 4-5 servings
Time: 50 mins
Ingredients for the gravy:
- 3 cups of fresh tomatoes (approx 6 medium sized), chopped into large dice
- 1 cup onion chopped into large dice
- 5 tbsps butter or ghee
- Optional: 1 dried red chili (byadgi preffered, mild but gives color, remove seeds for milder taste)
- 1/4 tsp red chili powder (if not using above)
- 1/2 cup cashews
- 1 tbsp tandoori masala powder (I like Kissan with red color in it)
- 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
- 1 tbsp Cumin Coriander powder
- 1/2 tsp Turmeric (haldi)
- 1/2 tsp Garam masala powder
- 4 tbsp Yogurt
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 green Cardamoms (elaichi)
- 3 Cloves (lavang)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp dried Kasuri Methi (optional)
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 3 tbsp sour cream or heavy whipping cream
- Optional garnish: chopped fresh coriander leaves, drizzle with yogurt or cream
- Optional: 1/8 tsp red food coloring
Ingredients for the chicken:
- 2 lbs of chicken (boneless skinless preferred). Cut into large 3″ pieces
- 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp tandoori masala (I like Kissan, red color)
- 3 tbsp plain whole milk yogurt
Method:
Make the chicken
- In a bowl, mix together all the marinate ingredients into a smooth paste.
- Add Chicken, stir till its fully coated. Let it marinate for 1 hour on the counter.
- Bake in oven on 375 degrees F for 45mins or till chicken is fully cooked. You can also BBQ the chicken if you like or pan cook it on the stove. Some chargrill marks will add extra flavor.
While the chicken is cooking, lets make the Gravy:
- In a pot, at medium high heat add 3 tbs butter, bay leaf, cardamom, cloves, whole red chili. Stir fry for about 2 mins.
- Add ginger garlic paste and stir fry for another min.
- Add chopped onion, tomato, cashews, all the powder spices, salt stir fry for 3 mins
- Add water, cover and cook for 10 mins on medium heat till tomatoes are soft and mashy.
- Remove bay leaf, using a jar or hand blender, blend the mixture till completely smooth. No chunks.
- You can strain the gravy if you like. This is an optional step to get a very smooth refined texture.
- On medium heat, add the chicken to the gravy
- Add 2 tbsp butter, sugar, kasuri methi. Cook for 5 mins to let everything come together.
- Garnish with chopped fresh chopped cilantro leaves. You can drizzle some whipped yogurt or cream on top.
- Enjoy with naan and rice.
Tips:
- If you like, add a bit of butter or drizzle some cream on top when serving.
- Don’t have time to deal with the chicken? Here is a great time saver trick: store bought cooked rotiserrie chicken. Peel the skin off and cut into pieces with the bone or take off large chunks of meat off the bone. Now you just have to make the gravy and add this chicken.
- Easily switch out the chicken for paneer. Be sure to lightly fry the paneer so it does not crumble in the gravy.
- It is very easy to freeze this curry, or any leftover BBQ tandoori chicken and add to this gravy when ready to use. Good for 6 months. Thaw and bring to a boil when ready to use.
- Ever noticed the color variation from restaurant to restaurant – it depends on how much red food color is used! You can make it as red as you like. Or without food color you will get more of a yellow or orange color. Does not impact the taste at all.