Indian Butter Chicken

Indian butter chicken is a flavorful curry of chicken and tomato sauce with garlic, onions, cashews, ginger, coconut milk, butter, cream and seasonings. It's a dish you'll want to make and eat again and again!

Ingredient Notes

• Chicken. Chicken is the protein and main ingredient in this Indian entrée dish. 
• Garlic cloves. Garlic gives depth of flavor to this recipe. It’s used in the chicken marinade and again in the butter chicken sauce. 
• Kashmiri chili powder. Kashmiri chili powder gives a signature red color, smoky flavor and mild heat to the recipe. It’s used twice: in the chicken marinade and again in the red sauce.
• Fresh ginger. Ginger is a flowering plant called Zingiber Officinale. The fresh ginger we use is the root structure of the plant. Ginger adds a slightly sweet, and peppery flavor to the recipe. Again it’s used both in the marinade and the sauce. It’s important to peel the ginger root before using it.
• Salt. As flavor enhancer, salt brings out the flavor in the marinade and also in the sauce. 
• Olive oil. Olive oil helps sear the chicken pieces and provides flavor, texture and body to the butter chicken sauce.
• Red onion. Red onion adds a little spice and a bit of color to the sauce.
• Tomatoes. Tomatoes form the base of the sauce. They add color, liquid and rich flavor. They also help thicken the sauce. Tomato flesh is soft and we like to leave the skin on the tomato which is eventually pureed into the sauce.
• Raw cashew nuts. The pureed nuts add creaminess and a touch of sweetness to Indian butter chicken, without making the dish heavy. They also add nutrients to the dish, mellow the spices and thickens the sauce. If you can’t find raw cashews, you can use roasted cashews. Just note that the flavor with be slightly roasted and it might not be quite as creamy.
• Garam Masala Powder. Garam masala is an aromatic blend of Indian spices. “Garam” means “hot” and “Masala” means “spices.” It’s not a spicy hot, but rather a combo of warm flavors. Traditionally the spices are roasted and ground to create the mixture. You can find garam masala in most supermarkets. The spice blend has some variations, but usually you’ll find it’s made from a variety of spices like cinnamon, mace, peppercorns, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, cardamon pods, cloves, fennel seeds, star anise, nutmeg and bay leaf.
• Unsweetened Coconut milk. Coconut milk is the liquid extracted from the meat of a ripe coconut. It’s dairy-free and gives flavor and creaminess to the butter chicken sauce. Some Indian butter chicken recipes use cream, others use coconut milk. We like adding both coconut milk and cream. A touch of coconut gives depth and a slight sweetness.  
• Cream. This recipe has only a small amount of cream. It gives flavor and velvety texture to the sauce and is used as a garnish to finish the butter chicken with a swirl.
• Butter. Butter adds flavor and smooth texture to the sauce.
• Cilantro. Cilantro is the leaf of the coriander plant. In this recipe, it’s used as a garnish and adds a touch of freshness to the finished dish.

How to Make this Recipe

1. Place chicken pieces in a medium bowl. Press fresh garlic; divide and add part to chicken.
2. Add Kashmiri chili powder to the bowl.
3. Peel off the skin and grate fresh ginger; divide.
4. Add fresh ginger and salt, then gently combine ingredients. Set aside to marinade at least 15 minutes.

5. Heat oil in a large frying pan to medium heat. Place marinated chicken pieces in frying pan and stir fry chicken pieces until they are cooked through. Place in a clean bowl.
6. Chop red onion.
7. Dice fresh tomatoes.
8. Soak raw or roasted cashews in water to create a creamy texture. (See recipe instructions on how to soak.) Lightly chop cashews.

9. For butter chicken sauce, Pour 1 Tablespoon oil in a large skillet. Heat to medium and sauté onions and garlic.
10. Add tomatoes, cashew nuts, and salt.
11. Stir over heat until blended.
12. Add Garam Masala, Kashmiri chili powder, and ginger. Continue stirring.

13. Add water and coconut milk.
14. Stir and simmer 15-20 minutes.
15. Use an immersion blender (or you can pour mixture into your standing blender) and puree until smooth.
16. Add chicken pieces to butter chicken sauce.

17. Add butter and cream.
18. Stir butter chicken sauce and let simmer 5- 7 minutes.
19. Serve over rice and garnish with cilantro.

History

Indian butter chicken originated in 1948 in an Old Delhi area restaurant in northern India. Right after India’s independence in 1947, two Punjabi Hindu migrants from Peshawar (now Pakistan) created this butter chicken curry dish known as “murgh makhani” (chicken with butter.) It’s said that these men, Gujral and Jaggi, were trying to make the tandoori chicken less dry. Butter chicken is now a a beloved dish in India, and it’s a staple of most Indian restaurants around the world.

All About Kashmiri Chili

Kashmiri chili  or “deggi mirch” powder, comes from a type of chile pepper that's native to India's Kashmir region. It’s a long, thin pepper which is more mild than a jalapeno. The chile is dried and ground to make Kashmiri chili powder. To make Indian butter chicken more or less spicy, decrease or increase the amount of chili you add to the recipe.

Kashmiri chili adds a rich flavor and spicy kick to food. It has a mild flavor, and its red color is brighter than any red food coloring! Health benefits from eating Kashmiri chili come from its nutrients: vitamin C, vitamin B complex, antioxidants, iron, potassium, copper, and manganese.

Kashmiri Chili Substitute

You can find Kashmiri chili online and at Indian grocery stores. If you can't find it, substitute with a small amount of paprika and cayenne pepper. Cayenne is more similar to Kashmiri chili than traditional American chili powder. To substitute, make a mixture of paprika and cayenne pepper (3 parts smoked paprika to 1 part cayenne pepper.) You can use this blend 1:1 as a substitute for Kashmiri chili powder.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Serving and Storage Tips

• Serve with hot Basmati rice (or rice of your choice), and Naan bread, then garnish with cilantro for a flavor-filled meal.
• Let the garlic butter chicken cool completely, then store in an airtight container. Then serve the following day. Butter chicken actually gets better with time as the flavors develop. Store in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days.
• To freeze, cool the curry completely, and place in an airtight container like a freezer bag or a food storage container. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Try These Recipes Next!