• We unashamedly dub this as the best butter chicken ever! It’s one of our all-time favourite recipes to whip up when it’s chilly outside.

    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

    1

    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.

    2

    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.

    3

    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.

    4

    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.

    Notes

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

    ALSO SEE: Winter comforts: Try this Samp and Mutton Curry recipe

    Winter comforts: Try this Samp and Mutton Curry recipe

    Recipe by Claire Ferrandi

    Photograph by Dylan Swart

    Imka Webb
    Author

    Imka Webb is a freelance digital marketing expert and the digital editor of Food & Home Entertaining magazine.  www.imkawebb.com