India’s tapestry of cooking is amazing, mixing history, tradition and local ingredients to produce a wide variety of dishes. Indian butter chicken recipe is one such dish that has earned global love for being extra creamy and spicy-good. Indian cuisine is not just about food; it is an experience where spices are blended together in colourful hospitality. I am always fascinated by the richness as well as the diversity that comes with different tastes while enjoying Indian meals, but butter chicken happens to be my favourite.
Why I LOVE… This Recipe!
This butter chicken recipe is the love of my life, let me tell you why! First of all, it has got to be THE MOST FLAVORFUL thing in this entire world. Imagine juicy pieces of chicken swimming in a rich, SPICY gravy made with fragrant spices such as cumin, coriander and garam masala. It’s like there’s a party happening inside your mouth!
But what really does it for me is how CREAMY this dish is. I mean who can resist that velvety smooth sauce cloaking every soft morsel of chicken? It literally feels like a warm hug from within a bowl. And on top of everything else – IT’S SO SIMPLE TO MAKE! This alone makes it an absolute winner for me; just pop everything into a pot, let it stew away happily and hey presto – dinner is served!
Also let us not forget about its VERSATILITY either – fluffy naans would go down brilliantly with it or even some steamed rice…or crispy papadums…the possibilities are endless! So whether I want some proper comfort grub or if I’m entertaining friends at one of our many dinner parties here at my home then without fail every single time we try out this particular incarnation of butter chicken recipe trust me you’ll understand exactly what I’m saying
What exactly is this Dish called Butter Chicken?
Butter Chicken, which is also known in India as Murgh Makhani, refers to a type of rich and creamy curry made from boneless tandoori chicken cooked in tomato sauce added with lots of butter and cream. This flavoursome dish provides solace during cold weather due to its warmth coupled with the tenderness brought about by creaminess, hence becoming popular among people who like eating worldwide.
The special thing about butter chicken lies within its gravy – tomatoes, mixed onions, fried garlic, ground ginger, and other Indian spices simmered slowly until they formed a thick, velvety sauce packed full of flavour, then finally topped off with some more butter or ghee.
The Birth of Indian Butter Chicken Recipe
The story behind butter chicken recipe is just as interesting as its taste. It was created in a small restaurant called Moti Mahal, located within the narrow and busy streets of Old Delhi by Kundan Lal Gujral – an entrepreneurial Punjabi man during 1950s.
The community embraced the meal quickly; hence it didn’t take long before people started coming from all over just to have a taste for themselves. With time, murgh makhani became very famous locally and internationally too thus becoming a must-have menu item for every Indian eatery worldwide especially those situated around northern parts of India where tourists flock mostly.
What Makes Butter Chicken Recipe Special?
Butter chicken could be seen as the perfect combination when it comes down to flavours because, between acidity, sweetness, and spiciness, there lies creaminess, which acts like a magnet attracting one’s lips towards itself till they reach point no return, wanting more and more spoonfuls again forever, even if possible! This dish celebrates richness diversity found within Indian cooking while bringing these aspects together on your plate so that you can have taste buds experience whole India at once
My Best Chicken Tikka Recipe: Image Gallery
Chef Yogi’s Notes – Tips for Perfect Indian Butter Chicken Recipe
- Marinate The Chicken: Yogurt and spices are used in marinating chicken as they infuse flavors into it while also making it tender.
- Cook Tomatoes Well: Cook the tomatoes until they become soft and mushy. This will give your sauce a smoother texture and deeper flavor.
- Use Fresh Spices: Freshly ground spices have a stronger taste and aroma than pre-packed ones, so try using them where necessary during cooking.
- Finish With Butter And Cream: Adding butter towards the end together with cream gives the dish its signature creamy finish richness.
Ingredients
- 6 number Medium size Ripe Tomatoes 450 gm
- ½ Cup Cashews 75 gm
- ¼ piece Green Capsicum 30 gm
- 2 number Bay Leaves
- 1 piece Mace
- 8 number Green Cardamom pods
- 8 cloves of Peeled Garlic 10 gm
- 2 Inch piece of peeled Ginger 10 gm
- 1/2 tbsp Table Salt
- 250 ml Water
- 40 gm Yellow Salted/Unsalted Butter
- 3 Tbsp Red Chilli Powder Kashmiri( This variety is less hot & much brighter in color) alternatively use dry paprika powder
- 100 gm Cooking Cream
- 2 Tbsp Sugar
- 1 small Live Coal
- 6-8 number Cloves
- 1 tsp Ghee
- 50 ml Milk
- 100 ml Cooking Cream
- 500 gm Chicken Tikka or Chicken Cubes
- ½ tsp Crushed Kasoori Methi (dry fenugreek leaves)
Instructions
Making Tomato Paste:
- In a pressure cooker, combine tomatoes, cashews, green capsicum, bay leaves, mace, green cardamom, peeled garlic, ginger, table salt, and water.
- Cook on medium heat for 20 minutes and then remove from the flame.
- Allow it to cool completely, then transfer the mixture to a food processor.
- Grind into a fine puree.
Finishing the Base:
- In a thick-bottomed pot, add butter and stir in the red chilli powder.
- Immediately add the tomato puree, remaining butter & Sugar
- Simmer on a low flame for 10-15 minutes. Stir occasionally.
- Blend cooking cream mix well and switch off the flame
Smoking the Gravy:
- Take a small metal bowl and place a live piece of charcoal in it. Add cloves and ghee on top.
- Let the smoke release.
- Close the lid for 10 minutes. Remove the bowl.
Final Touch:
- The Makhani gravy is now ready
- Start by pouring milk into the gravy. Let it bubble up – that's where the richness comes from!
- Time to introduce your star ingredient- Chicken tikka or just some good soft & cooked chicken cubes. Pop 'em into the creamy goodness
- Sprinkle in about half a teaspoon of crushed Kasoori Methi (dry fenugreek leaves) to add that extra flavor punch. Finally, pour in cooking cream.
- And voila! You're all set to dig into your creamy, dreamy Paneer delight. Enjoy every bite!
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