1 HRS
Known in India as murgh makhana, butter chicken gets its name from the delicious spiced tomato and butter (or ghee) sauce that coats the chicken. Every restaurant in India has its own version; here’s mine – a little sweet and a little spicy but mild enough for all tastes. It’s full of flavour and after just a little prep, the dish simmers away and looks after itself.
Ingredients
Marinade
Curry sauce
Method
Put all the marinade ingredients in a large bowl and mix well to combine. Add the halved chicken thighs and stir well so that all the chicken is coated in the spiced yogurt mixture. Leave to marinate for around 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven with grill to 200C fan.
Meanwhile, make the curry sauce. Place a large non-stick pan over a high heat and add the butter or ghee. When it has melted, add the onion and cook for 7-8 minutes, stirring regularly, until the onion begins to caramelise. Next add the cardamom, cinnamon stick, ginger and garlic and stir for 1-2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low before adding the remaining spices and salt. Stir well for another 1-2 minutes.
Stir in the tomato puree and cook for a further minute, then add the passata, single cream, boiling water and the fenugreek leaves. Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook gently for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, take two large oven trays and place a cooling rack on each one. Once the chicken has marinated, lay the pieces of chicken on both racks. Place one tray under the grill for 10-12 minutes or until the chicken is cooked and browned well. Repeat with the second tray. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, gently remove it from the racks.
Bring the curry sauce back up to a simmer and place the chicken pieces in. Stir well and cook for a further 5 minutes. Taste the sauce for seasoning and add a little sugar to balance out the acidity of the tomatoes if you like.
