Indian Butter Chicken (Chicken Makhani) Recipe

Indian Butter Chicken (Chicken Makhani) Recipe

  • 2 teaspoons garam masala
  • 2 teaspoons tandoori masala powder
  • 2 teaspoons Madras curry powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
  • salt and ground black pepper to taste
  • 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
  • 3 tablespoons butter, divided
  • 1 yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh ginger
  • 1 cup tomato puree
  • 1 cup half-and-half
  • 1/4 cup plain yogurt
  • 1/3 cup cashews
  • 1 bunch fresh cilantro, stems removed
  1. Mix garam masala, tandoori masala, curry, cumin, cardamom, cayenne, salt, and black pepper together in a small bowl to make spice mixture.
  2. Place chicken in a large bowl and add 1/2 the spice mixture; turn to coat evenly.
  3. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken; cook and stir until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
  4. Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion; cook and stir until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in remainder of the spice mixture, lemon juice, garlic, and ginger; cook and stir until combined, about 1 minute.
  5. Stir tomato puree into onion mixture and cook, stirring frequently, about 2 minutes. Pour in half-and-half and yogurt. Reduce heat to low and simmer sauce, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
  6. Blend cashews in a blender until finely ground. Add sauce to the blender; puree until smooth.
  7. Pour blended sauce over chicken in the skillet. Simmer until thickened, 10 to 15 minutes. Garnish with cilantro.