Butter chicken
This butter chicken may take time – but the resulting tender, smoky meat and rich, flavourful sauce is so worth it.
Ingredients
For the tandoori chicken
- 4 chicken thighs, boneless and skin removed
- 50²µ/1¾´Ç³ú Greek-style yoghurt
- 1½ tsp mustard seed oil
- 25g/1oz ginger paste
- 25g/1oz garlic paste
- 1 tbsp Kashmiri red chilli paste or mild red chilli paste
- pinch ground cardamom
- ¼ tsp garam masala
- ½ tsp salt
- single cream, to serve
For the sauce
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 cloves
- 1 blade mace
- 1 black cardamom pod
- 4 green cardamom pods
- 1kg/2lb 4oz Roma or round tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 250g/9oz onions, roughly chopped
- 50²µ/1¾´Ç³ú garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- 60²µ/2¼´Ç³ú cashew nuts
- 1 tsp honey
- 150ml/5fl oz milk
- 1 tbsp ground coriander
- 1½ tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
- 2 tbsp fenugreek leaves
- 70²µ/2½´Ç³ú unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp double cream
For the tadka
- 40²µ/1½´Ç³ú butter
- 1½ tsp vegetable oil
- 70²µ/2½´Ç³ú onions, finely chopped
- 20²µ/¾´Ç³ú garlic cloves, finely chopped
- ½ tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
For the kasoori methi
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 4 tbsp fenugreek leaves
Method
To make the tandoori chicken, score the chicken crosswise before placing it and all of the other tandoori chickenÌýingredients into a bowl, mixingÌýwell to combine.ÌýMake sure the chicken is completely coated and the marinade has been pushed into the score lines on the meat. Cover and set aside in the fridge to marinate for at least 30 minutes.
To make the sauce, place the cinnamon, bay leaf, cloves, mace and cardamom pods in a square of muslin and tie up to form a parcel. Place the tomatoes, onion, garlic, cashews, honey, 150ml/5fl oz water, milk, coriander, Kashmiri chilli powder, fenugreek leaves, a pinch of salt, butter and the muslin spice parcel into a casserole. Cover with a lid and cook for 1 hour over a medium–high heat.ÌýRemove the muslin parcel and use a hand blender to purée the sauce until completely smooth.
Meanwhile, make the tadka so it is ready at the same time as the sauce. Heat the butter and oil in a saucepan. Add the onions and fry until just golden. Add the garlic and fry until they too begin to brown. Add the Kashmiri chilli powder and cook for a furtherÌýminute, then remove the pan from the heat. Pour into the blended sauce and stir to combine. Let the sauce simmer for 10–12 minutes until the colour changes to a deep orange. Set aside.
To make the kasoori methi, heat the oil in a frying pan, add the fenugreek leaves and cook until fragrant. Remove from the heat and reserve half in a bowl. Crush the remaining half between your palms into a separate bowl. Add two teaspoons of the crushed leaves to the sauce, then adjust to taste with extra crushed leaves if desired.
To cook the tandoori chicken, preheat a charcoal grill or barbecue. Thread the marinated chicken thighs onto twoÌýskewers, before placing themÌýonto the hot grill. Use tongs to turn the skewers occasionally and cook for 15–20 minutes or until slightly charred and cooked through. Remove from the grill,Ìýleave to cool slightly, then shredÌýthe chicken into small pieces.ÌýPlace in a small bowl and set aside.
Measure out 300g/10½oz sauce and place into a small saucepan over a low heat. Add 100g/3½oz shredded tandoori chicken to the sauce and simmer for 2–3 minutes until warm.
To serve, transfer the shredded chicken and sauce mixture into individual serving bowls, portioning out the remaining chicken between the bowls too. Drizzle with the cream and finish with the tadka and a sprinkle of the reserved kasoori methi.