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Recipe Detail Page
Butter Chicken
Holiday 2008
Everyone’s favourite Indian dish, butter chicken is rich and tender. Serve on its own with rice or as part of an Indian meal.
Serves 6
1 tsp (5 mL) ginger paste
1 tsp (5 mL) garlic paste
Salt to taste
1 ½ tsp (7 mL) cayenne powder
2 tbsp (25 mL) lemon juice
1 lb (500 g) boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch (2.5-cm) pieces
½ cup (125 mL) plain yogurt
¼ tsp (1 mL) garam masala
Sauce
4 cups (1 L) chopped fresh tomatoes (or 2 cups/500 mL canned, without juice)
2 tsp (10 mL) ginger purée
2 tsp (10 mL) garlic purée
2 green cardamom pods
2 cloves
1 bay leaf
1 cup water (or chicken stock)
1 tsp (5 mL) cayenne¼ cup (50 mL) cold unsalted butter, diced
1 tsp (5 mL) ginger purée
1/3 cup (75 mL) whipping cream
To Finish
¼ cup (50 mL) dried fenugreek leaves, optional
½ tsp (2 mL) garam masala
2 tsp (10 mL) sugar
1. Combine ginger paste, garlic paste, salt, cayenne and lemon juice in a large bowl. Add chicken and toss to coat. Let chicken marinate for 20 minutes at room temperature. Add yoghurt and garam masala and let marinate for 20 minutes longer.
2. Preheat oven to 425ºF (230ºC).
3. Place chicken on a rack over a roasting pan and roast for 10 to 12 minutes or until cooked through. Reserve.
4. Combine tomatoes, ginger purée, garlic purée, cardamom, cloves, bay leaf and water in a large saucepan over medium high heat and bring to boil. Turn heat to medium-low and simmer for 25 minutes or until tomatoes have completely broken down. Purée in a blender and strain into a clean pan.
5. Bring sauce to a boil. Add cayenne and simmer until it begins to thicken, about 5 minutes. Gradually whisk in butter. Add the chicken and any juice and simmer for 5 minutes. Add ginger purée and cream and simmer another 5 minutes. Stir in fenugreek leaves, garam masala and sugar and season with salt to taste.
Serves 6
