Butter Chicken

By The Canadian Living Test Kitchen

458 people added this to their Recipe Box


This recipe makes 8 servings

Re-create this rich, velvety, Indian restaurant favourite at home. Serve with pappadams. These crisp savoury crackers are available in supermarkets and South Asian grocery stores.






Ingredients  2 cups Balkan-style plain yogurt [490 g]
6 cloves garlic , minced
1 piece (1-inch/2.5 cm) gingerroot , minced
1 tbsp garam masala
1 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp medium curry paste
2 tsp mild paprika
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp salt
8 air chilled chicken breasts , with wings if desired
Butter Sauce:
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion , chopped
1 tbsp garam masala
2 tsp mild paprika
2 tsp medium curry paste
1 can (28 oz/796 ml) tomatoes
3/4 cup whipping cream
1/3 cup cold butter , cubed [75 g]
1/4 cup chopped fresh coriander
Preparation 1- Line sieve with cheesecloth; set over bowl. Add yogurt; drain in refrigerator for 1 hour. Discard liquid; place yogurt in large bowl. Whisk in garlic, ginger, garam masala, lime juice, curry paste, paprika, cumin, coriander and salt.

2- Add chicken to bowl and turn to coat; cover and refrigerate for 24 hours, turning occasionally. Place chicken, skin side up, on rack in large shallow roasting pan; spoon yogurt mixture over top. Roast in 400°F (200°C) oven until no longer pink inside, about 45 minutes. Transfer to platter and tent with foil; let stand for 10 minutes. Skim fat from pan juices, reserving juices in pan.

3- Butter Sauce: Meanwhile, in large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Fry onion until browned, about 10 minutes. Add garam masala, paprika and curry paste; cook, stirring often, until fragrant and beginning to stick to pan, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and scrape up brown bits from bottom of pan; mash tomatoes. Simmer until spoon or spatula pulled across bottom of pan leaves gap that fills in slowly, about 15 minutes. Let cool slightly. In food processor or blender, purée until smooth. (Make-ahead: Let cool; cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.)

4- Pour sauce into roasting pan; bring to boil over medium heat, scraping up any brown bits. Add cream and butter, a few pieces at a time, cooking just until each is melted. Pour over chicken. Garnish with coriander.

Additional information :
Garam Masala:
1 tbsp (15 mL) each broken cinnamon sticks, cardamom pods, peppercorns, whole cloves and fennel seeds.

In small skillet over medium-low heat, toast cinnamon, cardamom, peppercorns and cloves until fragrant and lightly coloured, about 5 minutes. Add fennel seeds; toast for 1 minute. Transfer to spice grinder or mortar and pestle; grind to fine powder. (Make-ahead: Store in airtight container for up to 1 month.)

Makes1/4 cup (50 mL).

Source : Canadian Living Magazine: October 2005