Classic Butter Chicken (Murgh Makhani)

Ingredients

For 4 portions

• 🍗 700g chicken thigh, without skin (raw, boneless)
• 🥛 100ml yogurt
• 🧄 15g garlic
• 🪴 15g ginger
• 🌿 2 Tsp chilli powder
• 🪴 0.5 Tsp turmeric
• 🌿 2 Tsp garam masala
• 🧂 1.5 Tsp salt
• 🏺 1 Tbsp sunflower oil
• 🧈 50g butter
• 🧅 120g onions
• 🥫 400g canned tomatoes
• 🍚 1 Tsp sugar
• 🥤 100ml tap water
• 🥛 100ml heavy cream
• 🌿 1 Tsp kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
• 🌿 10g fresh coriander

Method

1. Marinate: cut the chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces. Grate the garlic and ginger. Mix the chicken with the yogurt, half the garlic and ginger, 1 tsp chilli powder, the turmeric, 1 tsp garam masala and 1 tsp salt. Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes, or overnight for the best flavour.
2. Cook the chicken: heat the oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer (in batches if needed) and sear for 6–8 minutes, turning, until charred in spots and cooked through – no pink inside. Set aside.
3. Gravy: melt 30 g of the butter in the same pan over medium heat. Cook the finely chopped onion for 6–8 minutes until soft and golden. Add the remaining garlic and ginger and cook 1 minute.
4. Add the canned tomatoes, the remaining chilli powder and garam masala, the sugar, the remaining salt and the water. Simmer for 12–15 minutes, stirring, until thick and the butter starts to separate at the edges.
5. Blend the sauce until completely smooth (a stick blender in the pan is easiest) for the classic silky texture.
6. Return the sauce to the pan over low heat. Stir in the cream and the chicken and simmer gently for 5–8 minutes. Don't boil hard once the cream is in.
7. Crush the kasuri methi between your palms and stir it in with the last 20 g of butter.
8. Taste for salt and serve hot with naan, roti or rice, garnished with a swirl of cream and chopped coriander.