Best Butter Chicken!


We’ve had a lot of great Indian food, and of course we need to share these recipes with you, our faithful readers!

Of the meals we have had here, I have really enjoyed the Butter Chicken that our host-with-the-most, Anju made for us.  Here’s her secret recipe!

Preparing the Chicken

1 full head of garlic (8-10 cloves)
1 whole chicken – cut in pieces and skinned
3-4 hot chili peppers according to taste and level of spice

1. Puree garlic and chilies together and make a paste

2. Use ½ of the mixture to coat the chicken, and add salt to taste (< 1 tsp)

A-salt that chicken!
A-salt that chicken!

3. Add 3-4 tbsp of plain yogurt and mix

Add yogurt, mix it all together, let it marinade for about 30 mins.
Add yogurt, mix it all together, let it marinade for about 30 mins.

4. Let let the chicken marinade for around 30 minutes

5. Pour the chicken and marinade into a saucepan, cook on medium heat and allow it to simmer until the chicken is cooked through.

Prepare the sauce in a separate saucepan while the chicken is cooking.

Preparing the Sauce

8-10 medium sized tomatoes
Chopped Onions (optional, as much as you’d like)
1/3 c olive oil
1c cream (18%)
2c milk

  1. Puree around 8-10 tomatoes in a food processor
Getting ready to puree like nobody’s business!

 

2. Fry some onions in olive oil until the onions begin to become translucent.  Note, adding onions is optional.  Add the tomato puree once you are satisfied with the onions.

3. Simmer over medium heat until the liquid in the puree is reduced and the oil separates from the tomatoes.

Oil and tomatoes...you gotta keep them separated!
Oil and tomatoes…you gotta keep them separated!

4. Add the rest of the garlic paste and mix together, allow to simmer for 5-10 minutes.  Add cream (1c) and milk (2c)

5. Add 1/4 tsp garam masala (here’s a recipe if you cannot find a pre-mix)

6. Add chicken masala blend – sprinkle on top and mix (here’s a recipe if you cannot find a pre-mix)

Delicious mix of spices

 

7. Add around 2 tbsp of ketchup

8. Mix chicken with the sauce, heat it together for a few minutes, and serve!

Creamy, spicy goodness!

If you’re in a hurry, the chicken can also be eaten just cooked in the marinade, it’s quite tasty!

As you can tell by reading the recipe, this is not a low-fat meal.  You can easily make a lighter version of this meal by substituting the milk, cream, and yogurt for low- or no-fat versions.

 


About the Author


Comments

11 responses to “Best Butter Chicken!”

  1. I am thinking that with some of these recipes, perhaps many of the women are stay at home homemakers? The shopping and cooking must take a lot of time!

    1. Hi Herta,

      I think you are right, that culturally a lot of women here in India do stay home. It is a lot of work, and in terms of food shopping I know there are a number of ways for this to occur – sometimes people go and do shopping, but there are also food delivery services. You call up your local butcher and order some chicken and it is delivered to your house. This would make it somewhat easier to manage the shopping!

  2. Hey Oliver…..car blogs and food blogs….yep, sounds like you’ve found your niche! This Butter Chicken looks amazing! Can’t wait to try it.

    1. Hot cars and hot food…what better combination!

      For the record, I HAVE done some other blog posts you know! Just because they’re not as awesome as Mikhaila and Zoe’s blogs… 🙂

  3. This authentic butter chicken looks amazing. One of the advantages of being retired during the Canadian winter is having the time to cook labourious recipes and thereby avoid going outside 🙂

    1. Hi Chris,

      I can see the benefit of eating very hot food during a very cold winter!

  4. Hi Ollie,

    This looks yummy and spicy!!!! The way I like my food!!!! Thanks for sharing. Mom P,/Baba

    1. Hi Mom,

      It was really delicious, but seeing all that cream go into it was a bit shocking! We’re not used to it (but it was soooo good!) and when we make it at home I’d definitely use lighter cream/milk/yogurt. But keep the spice the same!

  5. Gail Lawlor Avatar
    Gail Lawlor

    I love butter chicken but only buy it in a jar or when at an Indian restaurant. I will definitely try this recipe !

    I am so loving reading about your travels – from all four perspectives, I get behind and then love to read a ton and get caught up. I really appreciate the effort all of you put into sharing your travels with us!! thank you !!

    Cheers, Gail

    1. Hi Gail,

      The Butter chicken is delicious, and it’s really not all that hard to make. Let us know how your Butter Chicken experiment goes!

      We are really enjoying sharing our travels with everyone. We’re glad you are enjoying reading along as we go!

  6. Wow, looks really yummy!