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Authentic butter chicken

Honestly the marinaded chicken alone is incredible, the gravy just takes it to another level.

Authentic butter chicken

Ingredients

  • 1.2kg chicken tenders
  • 200g yoghurt
  • 7 cloves of garlic
  • 1.5 tbsp ginger powder
  • 4 tsp garam masala
  • 2 tsp turmeric
  • 2 tsp cumin
  • 2 tsp chilli powder
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp MSG (optional)

Gravy

  • 4 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 2 medium onions, sliced
  • 7 cloves of garlic
  • 1.5 tbsp ginger powder
  • 2 tsp garam masala
  • 2 tsp cumin
  • 800g crushed tomatoes
  • 2 tsp chilli powder
  • 1.5 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp MSG (optional)
  • 1.5 cups of cream
  • 1.5 tbsp sugar

Method

  1. 1Cut up the chicken tenders into bite sized pieces, and place into a large bowl
  2. 2Add all other marinade ingredients, and mix well
  3. 3Place in fridge for 30 minutes (the longer the better, overnight is best)
  4. 4Heat oil in a large skillet or pot over medium-high heat.
  5. 5When sizzling, add chicken pieces in batches of two or three, making sure not to crowd the pan.
  6. 6Fry until browned for only 3 minutes on each side. Set aside and keep warm. (You will finish cooking the chicken in the sauce.)
  7. 7Heat butter and gravy oil in the same pan. Fry the onions until they start to sweat (about 6 minutes) while scraping up any browned bits stuck on the bottom of the pan.
  8. 8Add garlic and ginger and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant, then add cumin and garam masala.
  9. 9Let cook for about 20 seconds until fragrant, while stirring occasionally.
  10. 10Add crushed tomatoes, chili powder and salt. Let simmer for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally until sauce thickens and becomes a deep brown red colour.
  11. 11Remove from heat, scoop mixture into a blender and blend until smooth. You may need to add a couple tablespoons of water to help it blend (up to 1/4 cup). Work in batches depending on the size of your blender.
  12. 12Pour the puréed sauce back into the pan.
  13. 13Stir the cream and sugar into the sauce. Add the chicken with juices back into the pan and cook for an additional 8-10 minutes until chicken is cooked through and the sauce is thick and bubbling.