Indian Butter Chicken

Chicken Marinade

• 2-3 lbs of chicken breasts (cut into small pieces)
• 1⁄4 cup plain Greek yogurt
• Spoonful of minced garlic
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon red chili powder
• 1 teaspoon sea salt

Cook the Chicken

1. In a large bowl, combine sauce ingredients: yogurt, garlic, garam masala, turmeric, cumin, chili powder and salt. Mix well. Add chicken pieces and toss to coat.
2. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 24 hours (I usually do 1-2 hours, it’s not as good if you wait 24 hours but you can)
3. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When oil is sizzling hot, add chicken pieces, discard extra marinade. Cook until brown and flip. You might need to cook in 2 batches. (I usually do about 2 minutes on each side and check the biggest piece to make sure it’s cooked – it cooks in the sauce later)
4. Remove the chicken from heat and set aside.

Sauce Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons of Kerrygold butter
• Spoonful of minced garlic
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoon cumin
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoon garam masala
• 14 oz tomato sauce (I think it tastes better if you buy pasta sauce and I measure out 1 cup plus just a tad bit more)
• 1 teaspoon red chili powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
•  1⁄2 tsp sea salt
• 1 cup of heavy cream

Sauce Preparation

1. Combine cumin, garam masala, chili powder, and cayenne pepper in a small bowl and set to the side (this will make it easier later).
2. Heat the butter in the pan. Add the garlic. Sauté for a minute or until fragrant.
3. Add cumin, garam masala, chili powder and cayenne pepper to the hot pan. Stir for about 30 seconds. Do not let it sit too long, because the spices will burn quickly.
4. Add the tomato sauce and salt. Use a silicone spatula or wooden spoon to scrape the bottom of the pan and get all the spices mixed into the tomato sauce. Reduce heat to simmer for about 5 minutes to allow flavors to combine. Stir occasionally.
5. Reduce heat to low. Slowly pour in the heavy cream, whisking to combine as you pour.
6. Add the chicken with juices back into the pan and cook for 8-10 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is thick and bubbling. If the sauce is too thick, add 1 tablespoon of ghee or butter. Stir to combine.
7. Remove from heat and serve with rice.

Tips

★ Start cooking the rice at the same time as you start browning the chicken. The rice will be finished prior to the butter chicken.