Homemade Chicken Makhani ~ Butter Chicken to Give the Restaurant Version a Kick in the Pants!

Your average restaurant version Butter Chicken is usually a dish with just one beat - sweet.

It lacks the palimpsest of flavors, the real melody, form and complexity that comes when this dish is made well and made at home.

Makhani gravy which directly translates into cream gravy, as the name implies has some cream in the gravy but is mainly a tomato based gravy.To this gravy, succulent pieces of freshly made, boneless tandoori chicken is simmered.

A handful of ingredients come together and like in so many dishes when the ingredients are few, the quality plays an ever important role. Simple ingredients like the ginger-garlic paste, should be freshly made in the grinder or food processor (like a Magic Bullet) capable of preparing smooth pastes.

Also, none of the ingredients should be omitted especially the kasuri methi which is basically dried fenugreek leaves that adds that vital flavor that carries ordinary Makhani gravy into the realm of extraordinary.

Restaurant versions also use food coloring while making the gravy but especially while making the tandoori chicken. There is simply no need for this. Why would you want to ingest red dye with your food?

So leave that to the restaurants and keep your homemade Butter Chicken, pure, honest and lip smackingly delicious!

Gather the ingredients,

5 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

Marinade:

 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt, 1-1/2" fresh ginger root (to yield 1/4 cup roughly chopped), 1/2 tsp red chilly powder, 1 tsp ground turmeric & 1/2 tbs salt

Makhani gravy:

 2" long cinnamon stick, 3 whole cardamom pods, 4 cloves, 2 tbs vegetable oil, 1-1/2 cup canned Tomato sauce, 1 tbs tomato paste - canned, 2 tbs honey, 1/2 cup heavy cream, 1-1/2 tbs kasuri methi (DO NOT omit), 4-5 cloves garlic, peeled, 2 tbs roughly chopped fresh ginger root, 1-1/4 tsp salt & 1/2 cup water

Prepare the ingredients,

• Chicken: Cut away excess fat and dice into 1-1/2" squares.
• Ginger: Roughly chop and place in grinder or food processor. Add 1/4 cup water. Grind to a smooth paste.
• Marinade: To a large mixing bowl, add the chicken along with the ginger paste, salt,  ground turmeric and red chilly powder. Stir to throughly combine and coat the chicken. Add the yogurt and combine to thoroughly coat the chicken. Set aside for 1 hour or so on the counter top or refrigerator if marinating longer.
• Ginger garlic paste: Roughly chop the ginger and garlic cloves. Place in the grinder or food processor with 1/4 cup water. Pulverize to a smooth paste.
• Preheat the oven to 400 deg F
• Line a jelly roll pan or baking tray with Aluminum foil. Place the chicken pieces in a single layer and grill in the oven for 20 minutes.
• Turn up the oven to broil.
• Broil (place under broiler if using a gas oven) for 5 minutes or so until chicken has some brown edges. Remove and set aside.

Makhani gravy:

• In a kadhai or sauce pan, heat the oil on medium-high. Add the cinnamon, cardamom pods, cloves and ginger garlic paste and saute for a minute or so till it gets fragrant & the paste begins to stick to the bottom of the pan.
• Add the tomato paste and water and saute for a minute or so. Add the tomato sauce, honey, salt, ground turmeric, red chilly powder, kasuri methi & green chilly. Stir and Simmer on medium-low heat for minute or so.
• Add the heavy cream and  stir. Simmer for a few minutes stirring regularly. Taste and adjust seasonings especially the sweetness and salt.
• Add the chicken along with all the pan juices. Stir to combine. Cover the pan with a lid and simmer on low heat for about 3-4 minutes.
• Taste and adjust seasonings a final time. The gravy should be slightly sweet with a distinct flavor from the kasuri methi.
• Sprinkle with chopped cilantro leaves and serve immediately with Naan, phulkas,  rotis or pita bread in a pinch.

Recipe for

Homemade Chicken Makhani a.k.a Butter Chicken

Preparation time - 15 minutes

Inactive Marination time: 1 hour

Baking & Cooking time - 35 minutes 

Serves 4

Shopping list

5 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

Marinade:

3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt

1-1/2" fresh ginger root (to yield 1/4 cup roughly chopped) 

1/2 tsp red chilly powder 

1 tsp ground turmeric 

1/2 tbs salt

Makhani gravy:

2" long cinnamon stick

3 whole cardamom pods

4 cloves

2 tbs vegetable oil

1-1/2 cup canned Tomato sauce

1 tbs tomato paste

2 tbs honey

1/2 cup heavy cream

1-1/2 tbs kasuri methi (DO NOT omit)

4-5 cloves garlic, peeled

2 tbs roughly chopped fresh ginger root

1-1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup water

Method:

Chicken: Cut away excess fat and dice into 1-1/2" squares.

Ginger: Roughly chop and place in grinder or food processor. Add 1/4 cup water. Grind to a smooth paste.

Marinade: To a large mixing bowl, add the chicken along with the ginger paste, salt,  ground turmeric and red chilly powder. Stir to throughly combine and coat the chicken. Add the yogurt and combine to thoroughly coat the chicken. Set aside for 1 hour or so on the counter top or refrigerator if marinating longer.

Ginger garlic paste: Roughly chop the ginger and garlic cloves. Place in the grinder or food processor with 1/4 cup water. Pulverize to a smooth paste.

Preheat the oven to 400 deg F

Line a jelly roll pan or baking tray with Aluminum foil. Place the chicken pieces in a single layer and grill in the oven for 20 minutes.

Turn up the oven to broil.

Broil (place under broiler if using a gas oven) for 5 minutes or so until chicken has some brown edges. Remove and set aside.

Makhani gravy:

In a kadhai or sauce pan, heat the oil on medium-high.

Add the cinnamon, cardamom pods, cloves and ginger garlic paste and saute for a minute or so till it gets fragrant & the paste begins to stick to the bottom of the pan.

Add the tomato paste and water and saute for a minute or so.

Add the tomato sauce, honey, salt, ground turmeric, red chilly powder, kasuri methi & green chilly. Stir and Simmer on medium-low heat for minute or so.

Add the heavy cream and  stir. Simmer for a few minutes stirring regularly.

Taste and adjust seasonings especially the sweetness and salt.

Add the chicken along with all the pan juices. Stir to combine.

Cover the pan with a lid and simmer on low heat for about 3-4 minutes.

Taste and adjust seasonings a final time. The gravy should be slightly sweet with a distinct flavor from the kasuri methi.

Sprinkle with chopped cilantro leaves and serve immediately with Naan, phulkas,  rotis or pita bread in a pinch.

Enjoy!