Butter Chicken

Butter Chicken 

Butter chicken is a great, ever-evolving, cross-continental dish found in Delhi, London, New York, Perth and most points in between. In its purest form, it is yogurt-and-spice-marinated chicken dressed in a velvety red bath comprising butter, onions, ginger and tomatoes scented with garam masala, cumin and turmeric, with a cinnamon tang. This version was adapted from Amandeep Sharma, a young kitchen hand at the restaurant Attica, in Melbourne, Australia, who used to make it for staff meal. It is wildly luxurious. Serve with basmati rice and mango chutney, with papadums or naan if you can find them, with extra rice if you cannot. —Sam Sifton

Yield: 6 servings

1½ cups full-fat Greek yogurt

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1½ tablespoons ground turmeric

2 tablespoons ground cumin

1 tablespoon garam masala

3 pounds chicken thighs, on the bone

¼ pound unsalted butter

4 teaspoons neutral oil, like vegetable or canola oil

2 medium-size yellow onions, peeled and diced

4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

3 tablespoons fresh ginger, peeled and grated or finely diced

1 tablespoon cumin seeds

1 cinnamon stick

2 medium-size tomatoes, diced

2 red chiles, like Anaheim, or 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced

Kosher salt to taste

⅔ cup chicken stock, low-sodium or homemade

1½ cups cream

1½ teaspoons tomato paste

3 tablespoons ground almonds, or finely chopped almonds, optional

½ bunch cilantro leaves, stems removed.

Whisk together the yogurt, lemon juice, turmeric, cumin and garam masala in a large bowl. Put the chicken in, and coat with the marinade. Cover, and refrigerate (for up to a day).

In a large pan over medium heat, melt the butter in the oil until it starts to foam. Add the onions, and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent. Add the garlic, ginger and cumin seeds, and cook until the onions start to brown.

Add the cinnamon stick, tomatoes, chiles and salt, and cook until the chiles are soft, about 10 minutes.

Add the chicken and marinade to the pan, and cook for 5 minutes, then add the chicken stock. Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, for approximately 30 minutes.

Stir in the cream and tomato paste, and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, approximately 10 to 15 minutes.

Add the almonds, if using, cook for an additional 5 minutes and remove from the heat. Garnish with the cilantro leaves.

TIP: I'm an experienced Indian cook, and this is the best butter chicken I have ever had. Some modifications necessary: never leave skin on for curry recipes; and increase cooking time in first part of step 4 to get a nice "bhuna" brown. Takes moving around and scraping the bottom, as the yoghurt will stick. If adding breast meat as well (cut each half bone-in and skinless breast into 2-3 pieces), increase the cooking in stock to about an hour, which will require extra stock or water.

Hi I am an Indian cook, who teaches authentic Indian and northern Pakistani cooking, the amount of garam masala sounds completely inaccurate. Garam masal is a very pungent, strong combination of spices , even 1 TBS would be over doing it. This explains why some of the readers found it bitter abd felt the need to add sugar. The proportions of spices and balance can completely alter the taste.

I have used this recipe a number of times and really enjoy it! I don't use any butter at all and just enough oil to cook the onions, substitute light cream for full cream and I also add 2 cinnamon sticks right when I start cooking the onions for more sweetness. I feel this cuts out a lot of fat and calories but turns out awesome!! Be sure to marinate at least overnight and don't be tempted to add any more tomato or tomato paste than the recipe calls for or you will ruin the dish

It's an excellent dish. I agree with Maggie, a dash of sugar. As I mixed the marinade, I thought so as well. I added the sugar during the last phase. Right, taste early and taste often, as in Cook County voting rules.

The fat is important in this recipe. It carries the flavor. I spent the afternoon climbing the Watchung hills on a bike, so I have no guilt. Plus, this is a recipe one doesn't eat every day. We're obsessed with guilt, and nutritional guilt. Chill out and enjoy.

In America, we're obsessed with 'boneless, skinless' poultry. Cooking meat and poultry on the bone gives a depth of flavor you can't get any other way. We've been fortunate in the Chicago area this summer to have bone-in thighs on sale for only 59 cents a pound. 2018 I used those and tried the recipe with cream once and coconut milk (as they do in another part of India) another time. DELICIOUS, is my verdict for both!

This is a great recipe and was a great hit with my friends at a recent dinner party. I would suggest though for a more authentic flavour to reduce the garam masala -- 2 tbs was just short of overpowering the dish.