Butter Chicken

We’ve been in a bit of a dinner rut and I decided to give a couple new recipes a try. We have never had any Indian food before, but I thought Butter Chicken might be an easy to dip our toes into trying a new cuisine. This recipe was very easy to make and I only need to grab a couple of new ingredients to make it.

We all really enjoyed it and I loved the flavor of it. I didn’t have time to make naan and couldn’t find it at our grocery store – so we enjoyed it with pita bread. I definitely want to try making naan at home. If you have a tried and true recipe – please share it with me! We’re going to try some other Indian foods and see what else we like.

2 lbs chicken thighs or chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces

1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt

6 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tbsp fresh grated ginger

2 tsp plus 1 Tbsp garam masala

2 tsp cumin

1 tsp turmeric

1-2 tsp cayenne pepper, to taste

salt & fresh ground pepper

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

4 Tbsp butter

1 large yellow onion, chopped

1-2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, to taste

1/2 cup tomato paste

14 oz full-fat coconut milk

1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

In a medium bowl, combine the yogurt, 3 garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon ginger, 2 teaspoon garam masala, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric, 1/2 to 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper and 1 teaspoon salt. Add in the chicken and stir to fully coat chicken. Let sit 5-10 minutes to quickly marinate.

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and sear on both sides until browned, approximately 2 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of butter and coat the chicken. Transfer the chicken to a plate. In the same skillet, add the chopped onion and cook until softened. Add 2 tablespoons of butter, remaining garlic and ginger, 1 tablespoon garam masala, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric, 1/2 – 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper and chili flakes. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for another 5 minutes until fragrant. Add the tomato paste and cook for another 3-4 minutes.

Reduce the heat to low and stir in 1 cup of water and the coconut milk (or sub for cream). Allow the mixture to simmer and cook for 5 minutes or until the sauce starts to thicken. Add in the remaining tablespoon of butter and melt. Add in the chicken and cook through. The sauce will continue to thicken. Remove from heat and season with cilantro. Season with salt and fresh ground pepper if needed. Serve over rice with a side of naan.

Source: Half Baked Harvest