Butter Chicken

I have never done a main course recipe on my blog till date and today that shall change! Presenting, the ever popular Indian main course Butter Chicken from BAM’s kitchen. We just had a long weekend and I had to make something to pamper Nabeel’s taste buds. Nabeel LOVES chicken and with some boneless chicken handy I decided to treat him (and the others too 🙂 ) to some Homemade Murg Makhani aka Butter Chicken.
The recipe I am sharing is not 100% authentic its has a few of my touches here and there…the reason being, ONE – I did not have few of the ingredients that an authentic recipe calls for and TWO – I can never follow a recipe as it is, without tweaking the recipe there is no joy.

So what was tweaked? I did not have fresh cream instead I decided to make the gravy using cashew nuts and onions which would impart the same richness as cream to the dish. I also omitted the Tandoori masala in the marination and cooked the chicken in a pan instead of the tandoor or the oven. Kasuri methi was not added due to non-availability thus I used coriander for the garnish. Yellow Butter replaces White Butter and Garam masala was omitted too since I usually avoid it in most recipes. The dish appears orangish instead of the usual red due to the fresh tomato puree added in place of readymade puree.
Also note that I did not prepare for the recipe in advance, I had clean cut boneless chicken ready and was wondering what to cook, Butter chicken came to my mind and the dish was prepared all in all 40 minutes flat. No overnight marination, no Tandoor flavour and no kasuri methi, yet the dish was as good as any Butter Chicken made by following the traditional recipe. Try it to believe it! Here goes the recipe…

Butter Chicken Recipe / Makhani Chicken / Chicken Makhanwala
The recipe is enough for 4 people

Ingredients
For the marination
500 grams Boneless Chicken, cubed
Salt, as required
1 tsp red chilli powder
2 pinches of red food colour
½ tablespoon Ginger Garlic Paste
¼ cup Fresh curds/ yogurt, whisked

For the gravy
2 medium tomatoes
1 small onion
½ tablespoon Ginger Garlic Paste
2 tablespoons cashew nuts, soaked in water for 15minutes

Other Ingredients
Lots of Butter – its butter chicken after all 
Fresh coriander leaves
Some cashew nuts for garnish

Step 1 – Rub salt, red chilli powder and red food colour on chicken. Keep aside for 10 minutes.
Step 2 – Add ginger garlic paste and yogurt to the chicken. Mix well and let it sit for another 15 minutes.

Marinated Butter Chicken

Step 3 – Meanwhile, boil 2 cups of water and add the whole tomatoes to it. Remove them in 5 minutes and cool. Peel the tomatoes and grind them to a smooth puree
Step 4 – Grind the onions, ginger garlic paste and cashew nuts to a fine paste using minimal water.
Step 5 – Heat a non-stick pan with lots of butter and cook chicken pieces in it along with the marination. Once cooked, keep aside.

Chicken being cooked in a pan

Step 6 – Simultaneously, in another pan / kadhai / wok heat butter, add the cashew paste and cook till the paste comes together and leaves butter from the sides.
Step 7 – Add the tomato puree to the cashew gravy and cook till all come together.
Step 8 – Finally add the cooked chicken pieces, mix well. Add some water to adjust the consistency of the gravy and simmer for 10 minutes.

Serve hot Butter Chicken topped with melted butter, chopped coriander leaves and some cashew nuts. The dish is best eaten with off the griddle rotis and parathas. Enjoy!

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Till then, love Being a Mommy!