Butter Chicken

This butter chicken is one of my favorite things to make because it tastes just like the version I’d order at my favorite restaurant. The sauce is smooth, rich, and perfectly spiced without being overwhelming. I know my method isn’t traditional, but it gives me that same comforting, slightly spicy, creamy flavor I’m looking for. It feels special, but it’s simple enough to make at home without overcomplicating it.

Sauce:

• 1 TB butter or ghee

• 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped

• 10 medium cloves garlic, minced

• 1 TB fresh ginger juice (or finely grated ginger)

• 24 oz tomato passata

• ¼ cup Pran hot tomato sauce

• 1 TB garlic chutney

• Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Yogurt Spice Mixture:

• ½ cup plain whole milk yogurt

• 1 tablespoon garam masala

• 1 teaspoon ground coriander

• 1 teaspoon turmeric

• 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1 tsp crushed fenugreek leaves

• Squeeze of fresh lemon juice

Chicken:

• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces

• Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Heat ghee or butter in a pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 6–8 minutes. Add garlic and ginger and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.

2. Stir in the tomato passata, hot tomato sauce, and garlic chutney. Simmer 5–8 minutes until slightly thickened. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.

3. In a bowl, whisk together the yogurt, garam masala, coriander, turmeric, Kashmiri chili powder, cumin, and lemon juice until smooth.

4. Transfer the warm (not boiling) tomato mixture to a blender. Add the yogurt mixture and blend just until smooth and creamy. Blending while the sauce is warm, but not too hot, helps prevent the yogurt from separating. Set aside.

5. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the chicken until fully cooked through and browned to your liking, about 8–10 minutes, or until it reaches 165°F internally.

6. Reduce heat to medium-low. Pour the blended sauce over the fully cooked chicken and stir gently. Simmer 2-3 minutes to warm through. Do not boil aggressively to prevent the yogurt from separating.

7. Serve hot with basmati rice, jeera rice, or naan. Garnish with fresh cilantro and spoon over tamarind chutney if desired.