Butter Chicken (Murgh Makhani)

Method

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1. Marinate the chicken in the yogurt, garlic, ginger, lemon juice, spices and salt for at least 4 hours, or overnight.

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2. Grill the chicken on skewers under the highest heat for 12 to 14 minutes, turning once, until charred at the edges. Reserve every scrap and juice from the tray.

   Mark done Start 12 min timer

3. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a heavy pan and cook the onion, garlic, ginger and cashews over medium heat for 10 minutes until the onion is soft and golden.

   Mark done Start 10 min timer

4. Add the tomatoes, Kashmiri chilli powder and salt with 200 ml of water. Simmer, partly covered, for 20 minutes until everything is soft and the tomatoes have broken down.

   Mark done Start 20 min timer

5. Blend to a completely smooth purée — take the extra minute — then pass through a sieve back into the pan.

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6. Simmer for 10 minutes until the sauce thickens and darkens to a deep orange-red.

   Mark done Start 10 min timer

7. Add the grilled chicken and its juices, the honey and the garam masala. Simmer gently for 8 minutes.

   Mark done Start 8 min timer

8. Take the pan off the heat. Stir in the cream, then beat in the cold butter a cube at a time until glossy.

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9. Crush the kasuri methi between your palms over the pan and stir it through. Rest 5 minutes before serving.

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Chef’s Tips

• Kashmiri chilli powder gives colour without much heat — it is what makes butter chicken red rather than brown.
• Sieving the sauce is the single biggest upgrade you can make to the texture.
• Kasuri methi is worth seeking out. Nothing else produces that particular savoury-sweet aroma.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• Double cream won't whip if you swap it, but for the cooking itself, full-fat crème fraîche or a lower-fat single cream works in its place.
• A quarter-teaspoon of ground ginger per tablespoon of fresh is the standard ratio if you are working from the spice rack rather than a fresh root.
• An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the usual stand-in when you are out of fresh garlic — it will not caramelise the same way, but it carries the flavour.

Pairing Suggestions

• A Gewürztraminer or a wheat beer
• Garlic naan is essential; basmati rice optional
• Finish with gulab jamun

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerate 3 days, freeze 3 months without the cream and butter, adding them fresh on reheating for the best texture.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.