Butter Chicken

Of all the recipes I’ve ever cooked, this one holds a special place in my heart, and for good reason. This isn’t your run-of-the-mill creamy, mildly sweet butter chicken. The sauce is rich, and it’s got a kick that will wake you up a bit. It doesn’t really fit the traditional butter chicken mould, and there isn’t a cashew in sight, but that’s what makes it so special. This recipe has left an indelible mark on my life and culinary journey, and it’s easily what I’ve become best known for, so naturally it was a must-have in this book.

MAKES: 6-8
TOTAL TIME: 25 MIN

INGREDIENTS

For the marinade:

• 150g plain full-fat yoghurt (must be full-fat!)
• juice of ½ a lemon
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• ½ tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• ½ tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp salt
• 800g boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces

For the garlic, ginger and chilli paste:

• 10 cloves of garlic, minced or grated
• A piece of ginger, minced or grated
• 6 green chillies, minced or grated

For the garlic, ginger and chilli paste:

• 150g butter or ghee
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 star anise
• 1 cinnamon stick (optional)
• 3-4 cloves (optional)
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp salt (to taste)
• 3 tbsp tomato purée
• 1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
• 2 tsp red chilli powder
• 250ml double cream
• 2 tbsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasoori methi) (optional)
• juice of ½ a lemon
• a small handful of fresh coriander
  
  

METHOD

1. Preheat the grill to the highest setting. Mix together the garlic/ginger/chilli paste ingredients in a small bowl. In a larger bowl, mix all the marinade ingredients, and stir in half the garlic/ginger/ chilli paste. Add the chicken and mix well. If you are making this ahead you can now cover and leave in the fridge until the next day. If not, carry on as below.

2. Place the marinated chicken on an oven tray and grill until it’s charred, about 5–6 minutes on each side. It doesn’t need to cook through at this stage.

3. In a large pan, melt the butter over a medium heat. Once it’s melted, add the finely chopped onions along with the optional star anise, the cinnamon stick, cloves and cumin seeds. Cook the onions for about 10 minutes, until they turn golden and caramelized. Then add the rest of the garlic/ginger/chilli paste, the ground spices, salt and the tomato purée. Cook for another 10 minutes, until the tomato purée separates from the oil.

4. Add the tinned tomatoes and cook for 15–20 minutes, until the sauce thickens and the oil separates from the tomato mixture, creating a rich sauce.

5. Add the grilled chicken, along with any cooking liquid. Stir in the double cream and add the dried fenugreek leaves, if using. Stir well and cook for about 5 minutes, until the chicken is fully cooked through.

6. Squeeze in the juice of ½ a lemon, taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

7. Garnish with fresh coriander and serve with rice and naan bread.
   
   

NOTE → Don’t stress about the whole spices – they’re optional. If you’ve got them, toss ’em in. But there’s no need to make a special trip to the store. What’s important, though, is to use good-quality chilli powder from the international foods aisle at your local supermarket. It really makes a difference!

VARIATION – MAKE IT VEGGIE → Swap the chicken and yoghurt for 400g of paneer and 50g of cornflour. Toss it with the same spices until well coated, then lift individual pieces of tofu into the pan and pan-fry it until it’s deliciously golden. Add it to the dish at the same point you’d include the chicken.