Butter Chicken | Easy Indian Butter Chicken | Murgh Makhani
Butter Chicken also known as Murgh Makhani is one such dish which sums up Indian food in its true spirit. This is a dish that contains succulent and spiced chicken pieces that is prepared in a reddish/orange colored gravy that is prepared from tomatoes and the smoothness of butter gives the dish its richness.
It is delicious in taste due to the use of spices, cream and butter, the dish is very popular in Indian homes and restaurants across the globe.
The Butter Chicken recipe originated from Royalties of Delhi. It is a well known dish that originated in the Moti Mahal restaurant in Delhi , during the 1950s.
The story has it that in a bid to minimize wastage, the chefs took to reusing the tandoori chicken and slowly cooked it in a tomato sauce, and supplemented this with butter and cream. In the process, they ended up making a masterpiece which eventually resulted in the induction of what was later to be known as Butter Chicken. This recipe is popular not only in India but in the entire world.
How To Make Perfect Indian Butter Chicken
To prepare perfect Indian butter chicken as it is done by some of the best chefs, then some of the following factors have to be considered.
- Quality Ingredients: It is also important to start with the right ingredients that include good quality and fresh chicken, ripe tomatoes along with good quality butter and cream which go long way in making the difference in the dish.
2. Marination: Seasoning the chicken is important to flavor it and before this a marinating process is done. Marinade in yogurt, lemon juice, garam masala, turmeric, chili powder and ginger-garlic paste. Allow the chicken to marinate for a few hours, prefer ably overnight since this intensifies the flavors. This not only softens the chicken but enables the spices to get deep into it.
3.Cooking the Chicken: Typically the chicken is roasted in tandoor over coal fire, but you can barbecue it or even bake it. The key is to cook it on high heat so that the exterior gets slightly charred, adding a smoky flavor to the dish.
4. The Sauce: The Butter Chicken is rather notable for its sauce which constitutes the main component of the dish. Start by sauteing onions, ginger, and garlic in butter until they turn golden brown. Stir in tomato puree and let it cook until the oil separates. This step is important for making the sauce thick and rich and Then, stir in cumin, coriander, garam masala. Finally, stir in cream and a generous amount of butter to form a rich texture.
5. Balancing Flavors: Butter Chicken as we know is all about balancing the ingredients. The cream and butter used in the sauce should not be too thick and must complement the tomatoes which are slightly acidic and a hint of sweetness achieved by adding a small amount of sugar.
6. Finishing Touches: To finish Buttery Chicken, you can add fresh cream on top garnished by powder garam masala and chopped coriander leaves. You can consume this dish hot with naans or rice making it a perfect meal.
What To Serve With Butter Chicken
Butter chicken goes well with the following Foods:
- Naan: Soft and fluffy naan bread is an ideal accompaniment.
- Rice: Another traditional side dish that is served is steamed basmati rice. You can use long grain rice or any other rice of your choice.
- Roti or Chapati: However, for a low GI variant, Butter chicken can be accompanied with whole wheat roti or chapati. Both of these flat breads are tender, with a slight chewiness that works well against the creaminess of the sauce.
Tips for Marinating Chicken
Marination is a very important process in the preparation of Butter Chicken and if done to the best of perfection, it is sure to take your dish to another level. Here are some tips:
- Use Full-Fat Yogurt: Yogurt not only softens the food but also imparts a sour taste that goes well with the entire range of spices. Original or full fat yogurt is however recommended since it contains more cream.
- Spice Blend: Several spices which must be present in a good marinade are mentioned below. Some of the popular spices are also garam masala, tumeric, chilli powder, cumin, and coriander spices. Oh yes, the ginger garlic paste that you generally use in most of your gravies must be added.
- Marination Time: Another important procedure is marinating where longer marination is actually better for the taste of the chicken. However, it is better to marinate it through the night.
- Coat Evenly: The chicken pieces should be fully coated with the marinade so that each piece gets the flavor. It is better to marinate with the help of a zip-lock bag where the marinade spreads evenly on the portions of chicken.
Butter Chicken Video Recipe
Butter Chicken vs Chicken Tikka Masala
Both Butter Chicken and Chicken Tikka Masala are beloved dishes in Indian cuisine, yet they often cause confusion due to their similarities. It is unusual because both dishes are thick curries based on tomatoes and generous amounts of green spices; nevertheless, the idea, ingredients, and flavors of the two sauces are different. Below is a summary of what makes each dish unique.
1.Origin:
Essentially, Butter Chicken was first prepared in Delhi, Northern India in the 1950’s in a restaurant known as Moti Mahal. The chef wished to reuse the leftover tandoori chicken by adding tomato and butter to it.
The origin of Chicken Tikka Masala is still a mystery – this dish is attributed to have been invented in India and in Great Britain, where Indian chefs tried to introduce their cooking traditions to the local population. The most famous version claims that it started in a British Indian restaurant either in the 1960s or the 1970s when a customer requested sauce to be served with chicken tikka. In addition to the above, the chef included tomatoes, cream and spices to get Chicken Tikka Masala which is a famous Indian main course.
2. Ingredients:
The key ingredient used in butter chicken sauce is butter mixed with tomatoes, while chicken tikka masala is tomato based. Tikka masala usually contains more tomatoes and spices, whereas other cuisines may contain more butter and spices.
3.Summary:
Butter chicken and Chicken Tikka Masala are somewhat similar but the former and the latter were designed for different taste buds. Butter Chicken is the best dish in case one wants some creamy mild curry but if an individual wants a gravy with a strong tangy and spicy flavor, then Chicken Tikka Masala is recommended.
Summary
Butter Chicken is a popular culinary delicacy that was founded in the city of Delhi in India, this is a tomato-based chicken gravy dish.
It is believed to have evolved in the Moti Mahal restaurant in the 1950s when excess tandoori chicken was reused to prepare this dish with butter and cream. The dish is said to be a perfect combination of butter and cream and a good measure of tanginess from tomatoes and the warmth of spices.
Another key point that is important in order to prepare the most delicious Butter Chicken is the process of marinating and preparation of the sauce.
It goes very well with naan, rice or any Indian side dish and it’s an easy to prepare chicken recipe at home. Over time, this accidental creation became one of the most iconic dishes in Indian cuisine.
Butter Chicken | Easy Indian Butter Chicken | Murgh Makhani
Ingredients
- 250 Grams Boneless chicken
- 2 Nos Onions finely sliced
- Puree of two tomatoes
- 10-12 Cashews
- 1 Tbsp Ginger garlic paste
- 1/2 Tsp Turmeric powder
- 1 Tsp Red chilli powder
- 1 Tsp Garam masala powder
- 1 Tsp Cumin powder
- 1/2 Tsp Tandoori chicken masala
- 2 Tbsp Fresh cream
- 1 Tsp Fenugreek powder
- 1 Tsp Gram flour
- 1/2 Tsp Sugar
- Salt to taste
- 2 Nos Green cardamom
- 2 Tbsp Oil
- 40-50 Grams Butter
Marinating the chicken
- First Marinate the chicken with salt
- Add 1/2 tsp cumin powder, 1/2 tsp tandoori chicken masala, 1 Tsp gram flour, 1/2 tsp garam masala, 1/2 tsp ginger garlic paste.
- Now mix all the ingredients well.
- Rest the marination for 15-20 minutes.
How To make a smooth paste of onions and cashews
- Heat oil in a pan on medium flame.
- Once heated, add onions and fry for two minutes.
- When onions turn translucent add cashews and fry again for 2 minutes.
- Once the onions are fried, remove it in a blending jar and let it cool.
- Once cooled down make a smooth paste of onions and cashews.
Fying the chicken
- Heat the pan on a medium flame and add butter.
- Once the butter melts down, add the pieces of chicken.
- Fry the chicken pieces on a high flame for a minute.
- Lower the flame and cover the pan with a lid - Cook the chicken for 2-3 minutes.
- Check after 2-3 minutes, if the chicken is fried, remove it in a paper towel.
How to prepare butter chicken gravy.
- Heat the pan on a medium flame.
- Add butter, once the butter melts down add green cardamom and Fry for a few seconds.
- Add ginger garlic paste and fry again.
- Add cumin powder, red chilli powder, garam masala, turmeric powder and mix well.
- Add tomato puree.
- Mix all the ingredients well with tomato puree for a minute.
- Add onions and cashews paste and mix on a low flame for 1-2 minutes.
- Add salt, fenugreek powder and sugar and mix well.
- Add water - cover it with a lid and let it cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Add fresh cream and little fenugreek powder and mix.
- Add chicken pieces and mix well with the gravy.
- Butter chicken is ready, remove it in a bowl and garnish it with fenugreek powder and fresh cream.
- Serve it with roti, paratha, naan or rice.
FAQ's (Frequently Asked Questions)
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Hello friends, I am Ann (Sonia Panjwani) – living in Mumbai, India. Cooking is something that every indian women loves……
