India's most popular creamy and unique tasting punjabi murgh makhani recipe (butter chicken)
butter chicken recipe – learn how to make butter chicken with step by step photos. punjabi murgh makhani known as butter chicken has gained much popularity across the globe. Paired with butter naan or kulcha is a delight which most Indians love during their restaurant visits. I have made butter chicken countless number of times since kids have a special liking towards it as it is not very hot and spicy like the typical South Indian chicken curry.What is Butter chicken?
Chunks of grilled chicken (tandoori chicken) cooked in a smooth buttery & creamy tomato based gravy is known as Butter chicken or murgh makhani. It was invented by Kundan lal Gujral, who was the owner of a popular restaurant named Moti Mahal in Delhi. The restaurant which had large orders of tandoori chicken throughout the day would typically end up with lot of leftovers which were turned into this amazing rich gravy the next day.
To make an authentic butter chicken recipe, we need to grill the chicken either in a pan or in oven first and then cook it up in the rich gravy.
Chunks of grilled chicken (tandoori chicken) cooked in a smooth buttery & creamy tomato based gravy is known as Butter chicken or murgh makhani. It was invented by Kundan lal Gujral, who was the owner of a popular restaurant named Moti Mahal in Delhi. The restaurant which had large orders of tandoori chicken throughout the day would typically end up with lot of leftovers which were turned into this amazing rich gravy the next day.
To make an authentic butter chicken recipe, we need to grill the chicken either in a pan or in oven first and then cook it up in the rich gravy.
Make ahead (you can make these on the previous day if you feel the butter chicken recipe is elaborate. I made it on the same day):
1. Marinate the chicken and refrigerate.
2. Make the Punjabi garam masala powder.
3. Puree the tomatoes in a blender and filter through a colander to remove the skin and seeds and refrigerate.
4. Make a smooth paste of the almonds (or cashew nuts or magaz seeds)
The color of your gravy may differ based on your red chili powder. i used kashmiri chili powder.
Author: Mridul
1. Marinate the chicken and refrigerate.
2. Make the Punjabi garam masala powder.
3. Puree the tomatoes in a blender and filter through a colander to remove the skin and seeds and refrigerate.
4. Make a smooth paste of the almonds (or cashew nuts or magaz seeds)
The color of your gravy may differ based on your red chili powder. i used kashmiri chili powder.
Author: Mridul
Recipe type: Main
Cuisine: North Indian, Indian
Yield / Serves: 3 to 4
Ingredients (240 ml cup used)
First marination
- 450 grams to ½ kg chicken (or 1 lb.)
- ¾ tbsp. lemon juice
- ¼ tsp. Salt
- ½ tsp. Red chili powder
Second marination
- ¾ tsp. kasuri methi
- ⅛ tsp. turmeric
- ½ tsp. garam masala powder
- ¾ tbsp. oil
- 1 tbsp. ginger garlic paste
- ½ cup thick curd/ hung yogurt (or greek yogurt, refer notes)
Makhani masala (gravy)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tsp. ginger garlic paste
- One thin 2 inch cinnamon stick
- 2 green cardamoms
- 2 cloves
- Generous pinch of methi powder (fenugreek seeds powder)(optional)
- 1 to 2 green chilies slit
- 4 large tomatoes (pureed in the blender and filtered to remove skin and seeds) or tinned puree as needed
- 1 tsp red chili powder (adjust to suit your taste and color)
- 8 cashew nuts or blanched soaked almonds (refer notes)
- ½ tsp. garam masala powder (refer notes)
- ½ tbsp. kasuri methi
- ¼ tbsp. sugar
- 80 to 100 ml chilled cream (refer the notes)
- Coriander leaves for garnishing
step by step photos on how to make indian butter chicken recipe
1. Wash and pat dry chicken. Make sure there is no excess water in the chicken. Marinate with lemon juice, chili powder and salt. Set this aside for 15 to 20 minutes.
2. Go ahead with the second marination. Marinate with yogurt, ginger garlic paste, kasuri methi, oil, turmeric and garam masala. Marinate and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes. 3 hours is better but overnight does wonders. The longer it is marinated, the meat turns softer and just melts in the mouth.
3. Grill the chicken in the oven or stove top. For grilling in oven, preheat the oven to 240 C for at least 15 minutes. Skew the chicken on to soaked wooden skewers or place on a greased tray and grill for 20 to 30 minutes. In between you will have to flip to the undone side.
4. If grilling chicken on tawa. Add one tsp. butter and fry on high. Moisture begins to ooze out, this is very common. Keep stirring don’t burn and do not over cook.
5. Cook till the chicken is just done and all the moisture evaporates. Set this aside. You can even saute till the chunks turn lightly golden.
6. Heat butter in a pan, add cinnamon, cloves and cardamom. Saute for a min or two. Add ginger garlic paste, green chilies and fry for 2 to 3 minutes till the raw smell goes off. (I did not use green chilies since my kids still cannot tolerate the heat.)
7. Pour the tomato puree, add red chili powder and salt.
8. Mix and cook till the tomato puree becomes thick and begins to leave the sides.
9. Pour 1 cup water and add methi powder, almond paste (it’s supposed to be almond paste, but became almond milk while blending).Let it come to a boil and then simmer for 3 to 5 minutes. You can add kasuri methi and garam masala now, but I prefer to add at a later step for the best aroma.
10. Add chicken and simmer for about 5 to 7 minutes till it becomes tender. (The cook time may vary depending on how tender your meat is). I check with a fork, the piece just breaks upon piercing.
11. Add garam masala and kasuri methi . Mix well and simmer for about 2 to 3 minutes. Then add chilled cream. Switch off the stove. or take a small portion of hot gravy and add it to the cream first and then pour the cream to the curry. This prevents cream from curdling. Take care not to cook longer after adding cream.
2. Go ahead with the second marination. Marinate with yogurt, ginger garlic paste, kasuri methi, oil, turmeric and garam masala. Marinate and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes. 3 hours is better but overnight does wonders. The longer it is marinated, the meat turns softer and just melts in the mouth.
3. Grill the chicken in the oven or stove top. For grilling in oven, preheat the oven to 240 C for at least 15 minutes. Skew the chicken on to soaked wooden skewers or place on a greased tray and grill for 20 to 30 minutes. In between you will have to flip to the undone side.
4. If grilling chicken on tawa. Add one tsp. butter and fry on high. Moisture begins to ooze out, this is very common. Keep stirring don’t burn and do not over cook.
5. Cook till the chicken is just done and all the moisture evaporates. Set this aside. You can even saute till the chunks turn lightly golden.
6. Heat butter in a pan, add cinnamon, cloves and cardamom. Saute for a min or two. Add ginger garlic paste, green chilies and fry for 2 to 3 minutes till the raw smell goes off. (I did not use green chilies since my kids still cannot tolerate the heat.)
7. Pour the tomato puree, add red chili powder and salt.
8. Mix and cook till the tomato puree becomes thick and begins to leave the sides.
9. Pour 1 cup water and add methi powder, almond paste (it’s supposed to be almond paste, but became almond milk while blending).Let it come to a boil and then simmer for 3 to 5 minutes. You can add kasuri methi and garam masala now, but I prefer to add at a later step for the best aroma.
10. Add chicken and simmer for about 5 to 7 minutes till it becomes tender. (The cook time may vary depending on how tender your meat is). I check with a fork, the piece just breaks upon piercing.
11. Add garam masala and kasuri methi . Mix well and simmer for about 2 to 3 minutes. Then add chilled cream. Switch off the stove. or take a small portion of hot gravy and add it to the cream first and then pour the cream to the curry. This prevents cream from curdling. Take care not to cook longer after adding cream.
12. Serve it..
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