Butter chicken
Spiced, yogurt-marinated chicken roasted until charred, then folded into a smooth, buttery tomato sauce enriched with cashews and cream.
Method
- 1
In a large bowl, mix the yogurt, lemon juice, 3 cloves of garlic, 15 g of ginger, 2 tsp chili powder, 1 tsp garam masala and 1 tsp salt.
- 2
Add the chicken and turn until every piece is coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours.
- 3
Put the cashews in a small bowl, cover them with boiling water and leave them to soften.
- 4
Heat the oven to 240°C. Spread the chicken on a wire rack set over a lined tray and roast until charred at the edges and just cooked through.
- 5
Meanwhile, melt 20 g of the butter with the oil in a large deep frying pan over medium heat. Add the cardamom and the remaining garlic and ginger and stir until fragrant.
- 6
Stir in the remaining chili powder, then the passata, and simmer, stirring often, until the sauce thickens and darkens a shade.
- 7
Drain the cashews and add them with the water, sugar and remaining salt. Simmer until the nuts are very soft.
- 8
Fish out the cardamom pods and blend the sauce with a stick blender until completely smooth.
- 9
Set the pan over low heat and stir in the remaining butter, a piece at a time, until the sauce turns glossy.
- 10
Stir in the cream and the remaining garam masala, then crush the fenugreek leaves between your palms over the pan.
- 11
Add the roasted chicken and its juices and simmer gently until the sauce clings to every piece.
- 12
Taste and adjust the salt and sugar, then serve with naan or rice.
Notes
- The sauce should taste rich and gently tangy with only mild heat. If the tomatoes are sharp, add a little more sugar.
- A hot grill works in place of the oven. Turn the chicken once and watch it closely so it chars without drying out.
- Make the sauce a day ahead if you like. Reheat it gently and add the freshly roasted chicken at the end.
Equipment
Mixing bowl, Roasting tray with a wire rack, Large deep frying pan, Stick blender