Make Chicken Butter Masala

Butter chicken, murg makhani, and chicken butter masala are titles all referring to the same dish. Like chicken tikka or tandoori chicken, this Indian dish is a popular one the world over. When making this dish at home, you're not likely to have a tandoor oven, however the pan fried version still tastes delicious!

Ingredients

Marinade for chicken:

  • 500 grams/17.6 oz chicken (cut into small pieces)
  • 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste
  • Salt (to taste)
  • 1 teaspoon red chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

Sauce:

  • 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste
  • Fresh cream
  • 4 tablespoons khoya (an Indian whole mill style of whey; ricotta cheese can be substituted)
  • 2 teaspoons Kashmiri red chili powder
  • 2 tablespoons kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
  • 1 teaspoon cumin powder
  • 1 teaspoon coriander (cilantro) powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon grams masala powder
  • 4-5 tomatoes, very ripe
  • Crushed fried onion
  • Salt and sugar to taste
  • 3 tablespoons unmelted, soft butter
  • Fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves (to garnish)

Steps

Marinating the Chicken

  1. Mix the chicken, yogurt, half a teaspoon of the ginger-garlic paste, salt, turmeric powder and red chili powder in a large bowl. Marinade overnight. (Marination makes the chicken juicy and tender, so overnight marination is recommended. However, if you're in hurry, then marinate for at least an hour.)

Cooking the Chicken

  1. After marinating the chicken, heat the butter in a pan. Add only the chicken pieces––don't add the spice mixture just yet. Fry until the skin of the chicken becomes golden brown, in the same manner that you see for chicken tikka. Cook on medium-high heat for 10 minutes by turning over the side. Then cook slowly for another 10 minutes until the chicken is done.

Making the Sauce

  1. In a large mixing bowl, mix the spices. Add another half teaspoon of the ginger-garlic paste, cumin powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder, kasuri methi or dry fenugreek leaves, kashmiri red chili powder and leftover spice mix. Also add the fried onion, salt and sugar to taste, and water.
  2. Mix gently. The spice paste is ready to use.
  3. In another pan, add butter to heat gently. Do not brown.
  4. Add the prepared spice paste to the heated butter. Mix. Cook for 3-4 minutes on medium-high heat until the oil floats up.
  5. Add the khoya and mix. Slowly cook for another 3-4 minutes.

Adding the Tomatoes

  1. Put the ripe tomatoes in hot, boiling water. Then transfer them to cold water. Once cooled enough to handle, you can easily remove the skin and stem. Make a tomato puree out of this using a blender or processor.
  2. Add the tomato puree to the khoya mix. Mix and slowly cook for 5-6 minutes with the lid on.

Finishing the Cooking

  1. Add the chicken pieces. Also add any sauce that remains on the chicken.
  2. Add fresh cream. Cook until the cream is well stirred into the mixture.
  3. Add a burnt butter garnish.
    • Take a small pan and add butter to it. Stir continuously and try to get the butter burnt. This most likely will cause a flame, so be careful when handling.
    • Put this burnt butter on the top of the chicken makhani. Mix and cover it.
  4. Cover the dish until it served. If you don't cover it, the flavor may escape. You're now ready to serve!
  5. Finished.



Tips

  • For a smokey flavor: When the butter chicken is cooked, make a small bowl shape with aluminum foil and place it on top of the curry ('floating' on it). Heat a briquette of charcoal on an open flame until red hot, and gently put the charcoal in to the aluminum foil bowl. Cover the dish immediately. Remove the cover just before serving, discard the foil bowl, and charcoal and serve. The curry will be infused with a smokey flavor!

Things You'll Need

  • Mixing bowls
  • Frying pans
  • Saucepan
  • Stirring implements
  • Blender or food processor
  • Serving plates or bowls

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