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The best-ever butter chicken

Name: The best-ever butter chicken
Yield: 4
Ingredients: MARINADE; 500g skinless chicken breasts, cubed; salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste; zest and juice of 1 lemon; 1 tsp cumin seeds; 1 tsp garam masala; 1 tsp ground turmeric; 80g full-cream Greek/plain yoghurt; SAUCE; olive oil, to fry; 4 tbsp butter; 1 onion, peeled and chopped; 5 garlic cloves, peeled and minced; 20g fresh ginger, unpeeled and finely grated; ½ tsp fenugreek seeds/methi seeds (optional); ½ tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp ground coriander + extra, to serve; 2 tsp masala/curry powder/smoked paprika; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 500ml (2 cups) tomato purée; 250ml (1 cup) fresh cream; handful chopped fresh coriander, to serve; naan bread/cooked; basmati rice, to serve

June 1, 2020 (Last Updated: May 30, 2020)

The chicken marinade can be prepared the day before making this dish

Recipe by Claire Ferrandi

Photograph by Dylan Swart

Print Recipe

The best-ever butter chicken

Serves: 4

Total Time: 1 hr + 4 hrs, to marinate

Ingredients

MARINADE
500g skinless chicken breasts, cubed
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp ground turmeric
80g full-cream Greek/plain yoghurt
SAUCE
olive oil, to fry
4 tbsp butter
1 onion, peeled and chopped
5 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
20g fresh ginger, unpeeled and finely grated
½ tsp fenugreek seeds/methi seeds (optional)
½ tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander + extra, to serve
2 tsp masala/curry powder/smoked paprika
2 tbsp tomato paste
500ml (2 cups) tomato purée
250ml (1 cup) fresh cream
handful chopped fresh coriander, to serve
naan bread/cooked
basmati rice, to serve

Instructions

For the marinade, combine all the marinade ingredients in a bowl, cover with cling film and refrigerate to marinate, at least 4 hours or overnight for best results.

For the sauce, drizzle a little olive oil into a large pot over medium heat. Add 2 tbsp of the butter. Once the butter has melted, sauté the chopped onion, garlic, ginger and fenugreek/methi seeds (if using) in the pot until the onion is translucent. Add the spices and stir to combine, then add the tomato paste and allow to cook, 5 – 10 minutes. Add the tomato purée and cook for 20 – 30 minutes, then stir in the cream and remaining 2 tbsp butter. Remove from the heat and set aside in the pot.

In a frying pan, heat a drizzle of olive oil over high heat and fry the chicken pieces for 5 – 10 minutes until golden brown. Add the browned chicken to the sauce and combine gently.

Place the butter chicken in a serving bowl and sprinkle the chopped coriander and a little ground coriander over. Serve with naan bread or basmati rice alongside.