Butter Chicken Masala

Butter Chicken Masala is a famous Indian curry from Punjab to West Bengal, especially at the roadside dhabas. Basically, Butter Chicken Masala is a cashew and tomato based curry. It goes very well with naan, chapatis, and parathas and also with any puloa. It tastes so awesome! So try this butter chicken masala and share your comments!

You may also like Chicken Curry, Paneer Lababdar, and Paneer Butter Masala.

Furthermore, I would like to give some suggestions for perfect butter chicken masala. Firstly, in this recipe, I have used chicken breasts instead of thigh pieces. Butter chicken masala is similar to the Punjabi murgh makhani. But there are some variations in making both the dishes. In Punjabi murgh makhani, chicken is marinated in yogurt and then grilled. Then it is cooked in tomato gravy without using any onions. Finally, they add cream to that recipe.

But butter chicken masala is made with onion, tomato and cashew gravy. The marinated chicken is simply stir-fried and then added to the onion tomato gravy.

You can also use butter instead of olive oil to stir-fry chicken.

Butter Chicken Masala 2017-10-25 05:25:33

Butter Chicken Masala

Serves 2
Prep Time: 00:35
Cook Time: 00:30
Total Time: 01:05

Ingredients

• 2 (300 g), cut into 1 inch pieces boneless chicken breasts
• 1 tsp ginger and garlic paste
• 3/4 tsp red chili powder
• 1/8 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/4 tsp garam masala powder
• 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tbsp to stir fry olive oil
• to taste salt
• 3 tsp olive oil
• 1 medium sized (75 g), roughly chopped onion
• 150g, roughly chopped tomatoes
• 1 & 1/2 tsp ginger and garlic paste
• 1/2 tsp red chili powder
• 1/8 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/4 tsp garam masala powder
• 8 nos whole cashews
• 1 to 2 tbsp as per your taste (I used 1 tbsp of butter) butter
• 4 cloves
• 1 inch cinnamon stick
• 1/2 bay leaves
• 2 cardamom pods
• 1 tsp, crushed dried fenugreek leaves
• some, finely chopped for garnishing fresh coriander leaves

Instructions

• In a bowl, mix together the chicken pieces with the ingredients given under 'For Marination' until well coated and set aside for about 30 mins.
• Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat, add 1 tbsp of oil, when oil heats up, add onion and saute until it turns translucent.
• Then add ginger and garlic paste, chopped tomatoes, all spices and cashews, one by one and saute well until raw smell leaves and tomatoes turn tender.
• Remove from the heat and cool it down and then place it in a blender, blend it to smooth paste and keep it aside.
• Heat a pan with 1 tbsp of olive oil over medium heat, add marinated chicken pieces and stir-fry for 3 mins or until it turns into light golden brown in color and keeps it aside.
• Meanwhile, heat a separate pan with butter, add all the ingredients given under 'To Temper', saute until spluttering.
• Further add the ground paste and saute until the oil separates from the masala over medium heat.
• Then add the cooked chicken and give a good stir.
• Add 1 cup of water, mix well and bring it to boil then reduce to the simmer, cover and cook until it becomes a thick gravy.
• Also add 1 tsp of crushed fenugreek leaves and cook for another 1 minute.
• Finally, sprinkle some fresh coriander leaves.

By Santhi Therese
The Indian Claypot

Serves 2                                

Prep Time   00:35        Cook Time   00:30        Total Time   01:05         

For Marination

1. 2 boneless chicken breasts (300 g), cut into 1 inch pieces
2. 1 tsp ginger and garlic paste
3. 3/4 tsp red chili powder
4. 1/8 tsp turmeric powder
5. 1/4 tsp garam masala powder
6. 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
7. 1 tbsp olive oil to stir fry
8. salt to taste          

To Grind

1. 3 tsp olive oil
2. 1 medium sized onion (75 g), roughly chopped
3. 150g tomatoes, roughly chopped
4. 1 & 1/2 tsp ginger and garlic paste
5. 1/2 tsp red chili powder
6. 1/8 tsp turmeric powder
7. 1/4 tsp garam masala powder
8. 8 nos whole cashews          

To Temper

1. 1 to 2 tbsp butter as per your taste (I used 1 tbsp of butter)
2. 4 cloves
3. 1 inch cinnamon stick
4. 1/2 bay leaves
5. 2 cardamom pods
6. 1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves, crushed
7. some fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped for garnishing          

Instructions

1. In a bowl, mix together the chicken pieces with the ingredients given under 'For Marination' until well coated and set aside for about 30 mins.
2. Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat, add 1 tbsp of oil, when oil heats up, add onion and saute until it turns translucent.
3. Then add ginger and garlic paste, chopped tomatoes, all spices and cashews, one by one and saute well until raw smell leaves and tomatoes turn tender.
4. Remove from the heat and cool it down and then place it in a blender, blend it to smooth paste and keep it aside.
5. Heat a pan with 1 tbsp of olive oil over medium heat, add marinated chicken pieces and stir-fry for 3 mins or until it turns into light golden brown in color and keeps it aside.
6. Meanwhile, heat a separate pan with butter, add all the ingredients given under 'To Temper', saute until spluttering.
7. Further add the ground paste and saute until the oil separates from the masala over medium heat.
8. Then add the cooked chicken and give a good stir.
9. Add 1 cup of water, mix well and bring it to boil then reduce to the simmer, cover and cook until it becomes a thick gravy.
10. Also add 1 tsp of crushed fenugreek leaves and cook for another 1 minute.
11. Finally, sprinkle some fresh coriander leaves.         

By Santhi Therese    

The Indian Claypot  https://theindianclaypot.com/