Recipe of the day: Indian butter chicken

Indulge in the rich and creamy flavours of Indian butter chicken, a dish that combines tender, marinated chicken with spiced tomato-cream sauce.

Perfectly balanced with aromatic spices and a hint of citrus, this recipe is sure to warm you up and bring the authentic taste of Indian cuisine to your home.

ALSO READ: Recipe of the day: Orange roasted chicken with sweet potato and sage gnocchi

Indian butter chicken

Ingredients

Chicken marinade

• 1,5 g chicken breasts, cut into large cubes – you can also use deboned and cubed thighs
• 1 kg Double thick plain yoghurt
• 4 Garlic cloves, minced
• 8 cm piece fresh ginger, grated
• 30 ml garam masala
• 30 ml Coriander seeds
• 15 ml cumin seeds
• 30 ml chilli powder
• 15 ml Hinds turmeric
• 1 tin Rhodes quality peeled and chopped tomatoes
• Juice of 2 lemons
• Some butter and canola oil for frying

Sauce

• 50 g Butter
• 50 ml Willow Creek blood orange flavoured olive oil
• 3 Onions, peeled and chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
• 8 cm piece ginger, peeled and chopped
• 1 red pepper, cut into large chunks
• 1 yellow pepper, cut into large chunks
• 15 ml garam masala
• 15 ml Coriander seeds
• 10 ml cumin seeds
• 10 ml Hinds turmeric
• 1 tin Rhodes quality peeled and chopped tomatoes
• 1 1/2 cup cream
• Salt and sugar to taste
• A large handful of fresh coriander

Method

Chicken marinade

1. Place the coriander and cumin seeds into a frying pan and toast for a few minutes.
2. Place in a pestle and mortar or food processor and grind until a fine powder.
3. Mix the yoghurt, garlic, ginger, masala, ground coriander cumin, chilli, turmeric tomato, and lemon juice and add the chicken pieces.
4. Mix through and place in the fridge for 4 hours or overnight.
5. Remove the chicken from the marinade and discard the marinade.
6. Heat some butter and olive oil in a large pan and fry the chicken pieces until browned. Keep aside.

Sauce

1. Place the coriander and cumin seeds into a frying pan and toast for a few minutes.
2. Place in a pestle and mortar or food processor and grind until a fine powder.
3. Heat the butter and olive oil together and fry the onion, garlic, ginger, and peppers until browned.
4. Add the garam masala, ground coriander cumin, and turmeric and fry until fragrant.
5. Add the tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes.
6. Add the browned chicken pieces and cook for 15-20 minutes or until cooked.
7. Add the cream and cook until the sauce has thickened.
8. Season to taste with sugar and salt, stir in the coriander, and serve with raita, sambal, and fresh rotis.

*This recipe was sourced from Mynhardt Joubert with permission.

Indian butter chicken

• Author: Mynhardt Joubert
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 50 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour
• Category: Lunch, Dinner
• Method: Cook
• Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Chicken marinade

• • 1,5 g chicken breasts, cut into large cubes – you can also use deboned and cubed thighs

• • 1 kg Double thick plain yogurt

• • 4 Garlic cloves, minced

• • 8 cm piece fresh ginger, grated

• • 30 ml garam masala

• • 30 ml Coriander seeds

• • 15 ml cumin seeds

• • 30 ml chilli powder

• • 15 ml Hinds turmeric

• • 1 tin Rhodes quality peeled and chopped tomatoes

• • Juice of 2 lemons

• • Some butter and canola oil for frying

Sauce

• • 50 g Butter

• • 50 ml Willow Creek blood orange flavoured olive oil

• • 3 Onions, peeled and chopped

• • 6 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped

• • 8 cm piece ginger, peeled and chopped

• • 1 red pepper, cut into large chunks

• • 1 yellow pepper, cut into large chunks

• • 15 ml garam masala

• • 15 ml Coriander seeds

• • 10 ml cumin seeds

• • 10 ml Hinds turmeric

• • 1 tin Rhodes quality peeled and chopped tomatoes

• • 1 1/2 cup cream

• • Salt and sugar to taste

• • A large handful of fresh coriander

Instructions

Chicken marinade

1. Place the coriander and cumin seeds into a frying pan and toast for a few minutes.
2. Place in a pestle and mortar or food processor and grind until a fine powder.
3. Mix the yoghurt, garlic, ginger, masala, ground coriander cumin, chilli, turmeric tomato, and lemon juice and add the chicken pieces.
4. Mix through and place in the fridge for 4 hours or overnight.
5. Remove the chicken from the marinade and discard the marinade.
6. Heat some butter and olive oil in a large pan and fry the chicken pieces until browned. Keep aside.

Sauce

1. Place the coriander and cumin seeds into a frying pan and toast for a few minutes.
2. Place in a pestle and mortar or food processor and grind until a fine powder.
3. Heat the butter and olive oil together and fry the onion, garlic, ginger, and peppers until browned.
4. Add the garam masala, ground coriander cumin, and turmeric and fry until fragrant.
5. Add the tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes.
6. Add the browned chicken pieces and cook for 15-20 minutes or until cooked.
7. Add the cream and cook until the sauce has thickened.
8. Season to taste with sugar and salt, stir in the coriander, and serve with raita, sambal, and fresh rotis.

NOW READ: Sunday dessert: Candy’s cheesecake