Butter Chicken, Weeknight
Ingredients
Marinade
- 1 1/2 lb (700 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1 inch (2.5 cm) chunks
- 2/3 cup (150 g) plain yogurt
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) lemon juice
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) garam masala
- 2 tsp (10 ml) ground cumin
- 2 tsp (10 ml) paprika
- 1 tsp (5 ml) salt
Sauce
- 3 tbsp (45 g) butter
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) grated ginger
- 14 oz (400 g) canned tomatoes
Finish
- 1 cup (250 ml) cream
- 1 tsp (5 ml) kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves), crushed
- Salt
- 1/4 cup (5 g) cilantro leaves
Steps
- Mix the chicken with the yogurt, lemon juice, garam masala, cumin, paprika, and salt. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hr.
- Melt the butter in a pot over medium heat. Cook the onion 8–10 min until golden, then the garlic and ginger 1 min. Add the tomatoes, crush them, and simmer 20–25 min until thick. Let cool a few minutes, then blend smooth.
- While the sauce simmers, heat the broiler on high with a rack about 4 inches (10 cm) below it. Wipe excess marinade off the chicken and set it on a wire rack over a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Broil 10–14 min, flipping once, until charred in spots; the yogurt chars fast, so watch it.
- Return the sauce to the pot and add the chicken and any juices. Simmer gently 6–8 min until the largest chunk reads at least 165°F (74°C).
- Off the heat, stir in the cream and kasuri methi. Do not boil after this. Season with salt and top with cilantro.
Notes
Serves 4. The original quick butter chicken, now with the chicken broiled separately for char, a longer tomato simmer, and kasuri methi at the end. The full version has a longer marinade, whole spices, and a strained sauce.
Pairings
- Wine: Off-dry Riesling – a little sweetness soothes the spice and cuts the cream; Viognier – floral and soft, matches the tomato-butter richness
- Beer: Hefeweizen – soft, low bitterness, banana and clove play with garam masala; Amber Lager – malt sweetness rounds off the sauce