Facebook Proper Butter Chicken Recipe | The Spice Tailor

Proper Butter Chicken

A classic butter chicken is the harmonious interplay between the ripe tomatoes, fresh spices and simple Indian flavours and some butter and cream with cashew nuts adding some body. You can leave some bits if this feels a bit too indulgent, or make a vegan version, but this dish doesn’t fully earn its keep without the characteristic velvety consistency. A proper butter chicken would use tandoori chicken, so we improvise here with a quick and easy marinade and grilled the chicken for that smoky char, but you can leave that step out if you are in a hurry. Enjoy! Can be doubled.
  • 2serves
  • 5mins prep
  • 30mins cook
A classic butter chicken is the harmonious interplay between the ripe tomatoes, fresh spices and simple Indian flavours and some butter and cream with cashew nuts adding some body. You can leave some bits if this feels a bit too indulgent, or make a vegan version, but this dish doesn’t fully earn its keep without the characteristic velvety consistency. A proper butter chicken would use tandoori chicken, so we improvise here with a quick and easy marinade and grilled the chicken for that smoky char, but you can leave that step out if you are in a hurry. Enjoy! Can be doubled.
Made with
Butter Chicken Paste

Butter Chicken Paste

4.6 (63)

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Ingredients

  • 50g of The Spice Tailor Butter Chicken Paste
  • 1 tbs. each vegetable oil and butter
  • ½ a medium-large onion, finely chopped
  • 1 large tomato, quartered
  • 1 tbsp. tomato purée
  • 25g cashew nuts
  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 2 tbsp. double cream
  • 200g chicken thigh fillets, diced if not grilling first
  • Optional – 1-2 tbs. fresh chopped coriander to serve

Optional step of grilling chicken

  • 20g Butter Chicken paste
  • 50g plain full fat yoghurt

Method

  1. Meanwhile, heat the oil and butter in a non-stick saucepan. Add the onion, season lightly and fry until soft and golden at the edges.
  2. Meanwhile, blend the tomatoes and cashews until smooth, you can add a little water if it seems dry.
  3. Add garlic to the onions to the pan and cook gently for 40-50 seconds or until the garlic smells cooked.
  4. Add the blended tomatoes and nuts and a splash of water, turn up the heat and cook until thick and little oil droplets release back into the pan- about 6-8 minutes.
  5. Add the chicken, butter chicken paste and tomato purée and 150ml water and bring to a simmer and cook until the chicken is cooked through, 7-9 minutes.
  6. Add extra boiling water if it is too thick. Stir in the double cream, taste and adjust seasoning.
  7. Finish with the coriander and serve.

For added step

Stir together the paste and the yoghurt and season lightly. Add in the whole chicken fillets (ideally at room temperature) and coat well. Place on an oiled baking tray and grill for 8 minutes or until the upper surface is lightly charred in places. Tear or chop into large pieces and add to the curry as above, but with less water and only cook for 3-4 minutes or until cooked through.

TO SERVE:

  • Naan with melted butter and finely chopped coriander
  • Red pickled onions on the side
  • Garnish with finely chopped coriander

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