Butter Chicken (Murgh Makhani)

Ingredients

• boneless skinless chicken thighs1.5 lb, cut into chunks
• plain whole-milk yogurt1/2 cup
• garam masala2 tsp, divided
• Kashmiri chili powder1.5 tsp, divided
• ground turmeric1/2 tsp
• ground cumin1 tsp
• ginger-garlic paste2 tbsp, divided
• unsalted butter4 tbsp
• yellow onion1, finely diced
• tomato puree1 (15 oz) can
• heavy cream1/2 cup
• kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)1 tbsp, crushed
• neutral oil2 tbsp
• fresh cilantrosmall bunch, chopped

Steps

1. 1

   Marinate the chicken.

   Whisk the yogurt with 1 tsp garam masala, 1 tsp Kashmiri chili, turmeric, cumin, 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste, and salt. Toss with the chicken and marinate 20 minutes (or up to overnight).

2. 2

   Sear the chicken.

   Heat the oil in a wide skillet over high heat. Sear the chicken in batches until charred in spots, 3 minutes per side. Set aside.

3. 3

   Cook the onion and ginger-garlic paste.

   Reduce heat to medium. Melt 2 tbsp butter and cook the onion until deep golden, 8 minutes. Add the remaining ginger-garlic paste and cook 1 minute.

4. 4

   Simmer the tomato sauce.

   Stir in the remaining Kashmiri chili and tomato puree. Simmer, mashing, until the oil separates from the sauce, 10 minutes.

5. 5

   Blend sauce and add cream and spices.

   Blend the sauce smooth with an immersion blender. Return to the pan. Stir in the cream, remaining butter, kasuri methi, and remaining garam masala.

6. 6

   Simmer chicken in sauce and serve.

   Slip in the chicken and any juices. Simmer until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce clings, 8 minutes. Garnish with cilantro and serve with rice or naan.