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Recipe Detail Page
Weekday Butter Chicken
Early Summer 2017
A great butter chicken is one of life’s true joys—gently spiced chicken bathed in a fragrant, rich sauce. It’s where exotic meets approachable, and now you can make it yourself with a handful of ingredients that can be found at the supermarket. I’ve added one habanero for a gentle heat but feel free to spice it up as you please.
Serves 4
MARINADE
2 lbs (1 kg) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced into 1 inch (2.5 cm) pieces
Juice of 1 lime
3 garlic cloves, peeled and grated on a rasp
1 piece of ginger, 2 inches (5 cm), peeled and grated on a rasp
1 tbsp (15 mL) ground coriander seed
1 tsp (5 mL) garam masala
SAUCE
¼ cup (60 mL) unsalted butter
1 small onion, peeled and grated
2 tbsp (30 mL) tomato paste
1 habanero chili, stemmed, seeded and minced
1 tsp (5 mL) sweet paprika
⅔ cup (150 mL) whipping cream
Salt and pepper to taste
¼ cup (60 mL) toasted slivered almonds (optional)
¼ cup (60 mL) fresh cilantro leaves (optional)
4 pieces warm naan bread
1. Toss chicken with lime juice, garlic, ginger, ground coriander and garam masala. Set aside to marinate for 30 minutes.
2. For the sauce, heat the butter in a medium pot over medium-low heat, then add grated onion and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until softened. Add tomato paste, chili and paprika and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often. Reduce heat to a simmer, whisk in cream, and then add the chicken and marinating juices to the pot. Stir to coat with sauce and partially cover pot. Cook, stirring every so often, for 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Season generously with salt and pepper.
3. Pour butter chicken into a serving dish, top with almonds and cilantro, and serve with warm naan.
Serves 4
