Recipe of the month: Indian Butter Chicken Curry

The first recipe of the month for 2017 is the ever popular Indian butter chicken (also known as chicken makhani), a deliciously rich and flavoursome traditional dish. Whether you like mild curries or aren’t afraid of a bit of spice, butter chicken can be adapted to the tastes of you and your family – while keeping that excellent flavour. Served with basmati rice, perhaps a little bit of yoghurt, and some hot naan or paratha to scoop it all up with.

Here is an easy, yet delicious butter chicken recipe to get started with:

Easy Butter Chicken

Ingredients:

Marinade

• 500g of breast or thigh chicken fillets
• ½ cup of plain yoghurt (Greek yoghurt from your local supermarket will work!)
• 2 garlic cloves
• 3cm piece of ginger (peeled and grated) or 1 tbsp of ginger paste
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp garam masala
• ½ teaspoon chilli powder
• ¾ tbsp lemon juice

Gravy

• Vegetable oil (for frying)
• 20g butter
• 1 brown onion, sliced
• 410g tomato puree or 4 large tomatoes peeled and pureed
• ½ cup chicken stock
• ½ cup thickened cooking cream

To serve

• Basmati rice
• Greek yoghurt
• Naan or paratha bread

Directions:

1. Cut your chicken into small pieces and place it in a glass bowl with all of the marinade ingredients. Mix to cover the chicken well, cover with glad wrap and let it sit in the fridge for at least two hours.
2. Heat the oil and butter in a saucepan or deep frying pan over medium to high heat. Cook onion until it has softened, then add your chicken mixture to the pan. Cook for around 5 minutes until chicken is sealed and add the tomato puree and chicken stock.
3. Cover your pan and bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Simmer for 10-15 minutes until your mixture has thickened a little, then stir in the cream and let it simmer for another 5-10 minutes.
4. Serve with rice, yoghurt and naan. Enjoy!

Hints and Tips

• Add in a little more chilli powder or paste for a spicier curry, or have some stir-in chilli paste on hand to add into individual bowls at serving time
• If you are cooking rice to go with your curry, add a few drops of oil or butter to the saucepan so that your rice doesn’t stick. Or, think about picking up a rice cooker for big batches and ease of use
• To keep your ginger fresh and make it easier to grate, keep it in the freezer!
• Plan ahead: curries keep extremely well, and you can easily make a curry during the day or even the day before for a delicious meal later

Want someone else to make the butter chicken for you? Don’t always have the time or energy to cook up a delicious curry? Make a reservation online today to experience Royal India’s authentic butter chicken curry and enjoy the best Indian food in Perth!