Butter Chicken

prep 35 min, cook 30 min
× 6
This is a fairly simple Indian dish which turns out a large amount of amazingly spiced chicken with fairly little effort. Our first time, we doubled the recipe and used pre-cut chunks of chicken, but it tasty both the day of and for several days afterward.

1

  • 1½ cups
    greek yogurt (full-fat)
  • 2 tbsp
    lemon juice
  • 1½ tbsp
    tumeric (ground)
  • 2 tbsp
    garam masala
  • 2 tbsp
    cumin (ground)
  • 3 lbs
    chicken thighs, on the bone
Whisk together the yogurt, lemon juice, tumeric, garam masala, and cumin in a large bowl. Add the chicken and coat throughly with the marinade. Cover and place in the refrigerator overnight.

2

  • ¼ lb
    butter (unsalted)
  • 4 tsp
    vegetable oil
  • 2
    onions (yellow, diced)
  • 4 cloves
    garlic (minced)
  • 3 tbsp
    ginger (peeled, grated)
  • 1 tbsp
    cumin seeds
In a large pan over medium heat, melt the butter until it starts to foam. Add the onions and cook until translucent. Add garlic, ginger, and cumin seeds. Continue to cook until the onions start to brown.

3

  • 1
    cinnamon stick
  • 2
    tomatoes (diced)
  • 2
    red chilies (e.g., jalapeño)
  • ~
    kosher salt
Add the cinnamon stick, tomatoes, chiles, and salt. Cook until the chilis are soft.

4

  • ⅔ cups
    chicken stock
Add the chicken and marinade to the pan, and cook until heated through. Add the chicken stock, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes.

5

  • 1½ cups
    cream
  • 1½ tsp
    tomato paste
Stir in the cream and tomato paste. Simmer until completely mixed and heated through.

6

  • 3 tbsp
    almonds (slivered)
  • ½ cup
    cilantro (minced)
Add the almonds and cook until softened. Add the cilantro as a garnish and serve.
Sam Sifton, NYTimes Cooking Section, https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1016754-butter-chicken