Butter Chicken

Butter chicken is a famous dish from Punjab. It is made with the tandoori chicken pieces. I came across the story how this dish was derived. In a restaurant, lots of tandoori chicken pieces was left over and the person wanted to use it in some way or the other. So he made a tomato gravy and added the chicken pieces. It seems that's how this dish was invented :) 
 

 
I always wanted to try this dish, but in some way or the other, it missed out from my mind whenever i buy chicken. This time, i remembered and made this dish. Its really yummy and lip-smacking. I must say that the taste is excellent. Try it out or else, i would say that you are missing a wonderful dish.

Ingredients

400 gms Tandoori Chicken pieces (cut into medium sized pieces)

OR

400 gms Chicken pieces (cut into medium sized pieces)

Method to make Tandoori Chicken without tandoori masala

First Marinade:

1 tsp Lemon juice
Salt to taste
1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
1 tsp Ginger garlic paste

Second Marinade:

1/2 cup Hung Curd
4 tsp Ginger garlic paste
1 tsp Red chilli powder
1/2 tsp Garam masala powder
2 tsp Mustard oil or 1 tsp Mustard powder + 2 tsp Vegetable Oil


Method:

• Clean, wash and pat dry the chicken pieces. Add lemon juice, salt, kashmiri red chilli powder and ginger garlic paste.
• Mix well and keep it in the fridge for about 15 minutes.
• In a bowl, add hung curd, ginger garlic paste, red chilli powder, salt (if needed) and garam masala powder. 
• Mix well and put in the first marinated chicken pieces. Add mustard oil or mustard powder+vegetable oil.
• Mix well so that each piece is nicely coated with the marinade.
• Keep this in the fridge for 1/2 an hour, preferably 2 hours.
• Pre heat oven in convection mode at 200 degree Celsius.
• Place the chicken pieces on a baking tray.
• Put it in the pre heated oven for 20 - 30 minutes.
• When it turns its colour, turn the other side and let it cook for 10 - 15 minutes.
• Take off from the oven.

In the mean time, prepare the gravy.

For gravy:

12 Tomatoes (medium sized, chopped)
4 tbsp Butter
4 Green Cardamom
1 gm Mace/Javitri
2 tsp Ginger garlic paste
1 tsp Red chilli powder
1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
Salt to taste
1/4 tsp Kasoori methi
1 tbsp Honey
3 1/2 tbsp Fresh Cream
1/2 tsp Garam masala powder


Method

• Blend tomatoes into a fine puree. Keep this aside.
• In a non stick pan, heat 2 tbsp butter.
• Add green cardamom, mace/javitri. Mix well.
• Now add the blended tomatoes. Mix well and let it simmer for some time - covered.
• Add kasoori methi and honey. Mix well.
• Now add 2 tbsp butter. Mix well.
• Let it simmer for some time. Cover and let it cook.
• Later, add fresh cream and garam masala powder, mix well.
• Cover and let it cook for some more time.
• Now, put the tandoori chicken pieces in the gravy and let it simmer for another 5 - 10 minutes. 
• Serve it hot with roti or naan.

 Note:

1. I prepared the tandoori chicken without tandoori masala, as per the recipe mentioned above.  If you wish, you can try out another recipe of Tandoori chicken with tandoori masala here.
2. In this recipe, mustard oil is a must. If you don't have it, no worries, add mustard powder or paste and any vegetable oil. I did that.
3. Butter is a must for this dish...as the name says its "Butter Chicken". But if you don't want to add all of those butter, cook with oil and add about 1 or 2 tbsp of butter in the gravy.
4. You can use with bones or boneless chicken for this recipe.

* I usually take the quantity of the ingredients as per my taste. So you can always adjust the spices as per your taste*



Thanks for visiting

Happy Cooking!!