Butter Chicken, also known as Chicken Makhani, is among the most well-known Indian dishes around the world. In the United States, Butter Chicken is on the menu at most lunch buffets and, therefore, most patrons of Indian restaurants are familiar with it. It is often confused with Chicken Tikka Masala, its Anglo cousin, that incidentally is the British national dish. Both dishes are delicious and have similar recipes – the key difference being that Butter Chicken is a Tomato-based sauce, which is strained and smooth, whereas Chicken Tikka Masala is an Onion-Tomato-based sauce. A subtle, yet key, difference between the dishes.
Ingredients
2 pounds Chicken Breast (cut into 1″ cubes)
Makhani Sauce (see recipe)
Chopped Cilantro for garnish
Marinade for Chicken
1 cup Yogurt (preferably full fat)
1 tbsp Ginger-Garlic Paste
1 tsp Kashmiri Red Chili Powder
½ tsp Turmeric
½ tsp Garam Masala
1 tbsp Oil
1 tbsp Lemon Juice
Instructions
In a bowl, mix together all the ingredients for the marinade. Add the Chicken to the marinade and mix well so that all the Chicken pieces are coated with the marinade. Let it marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes; for best results, marinate overnight.
Spread the chicken on a lined baking sheet; poke some slits in the aluminum foil so that the water released by the Chicken can drip into the pan. Bake at 350 F for around 20 minutes, until fully cooked. Cut up any of the larger pieces as needed, so the pieces are relatively uniform in size.
Cook or if prepared in advance, heat the Makhani Sauce in a pan, add the Chicken and mix well.
The Butter Chicken is ready. Garnish with finely chopped Cilantro and serve with Naan or rice.
Notes
Refer to the Makhani Sauce recipe for details on cooking the sauce. The quantity of chicken in the Butter Chicken recipe is for the quantity of the sauce produced by the Makhani Sauce recipe.
Recipe by PURE CURRY at https://www.purecurry.com/butter-chicken/