Indian Butter Chicken

Growing up, I never ate Indian food. Never ate curry, tikka masala, paneer, dosa, or tandoori. It just wasn't something my family ever cooked, nor was it very prevalent in the city where I grew up.

When I moved to the DFW area for college, however, my boyfriend (now husband) introduced me to the wonders of Indian food. There were many cheap and delicious restaurants in the area surrounding our school. After graduating, I got a job in the IT department of a nearby company, where many of my coworkers are Indian. They have introduced me to many more delicious varieties of their native cuisine.

Despite the plethora of authentic Indian food surrounding me, I still like to cook my own. Mainly because it is cheaper than eating out, but also because I can control the spice level in the food! One of my coworkers shared their lunch with me the other day. I asked them if it was spicy, and they said no, it's very mild. After eating it though, I thought I might start breathing fire. So when I make my own, I can give it a little kick, but not overwhelm myself with heat.

Last night I made some Indian butter chicken (aka chicken makhani). It was a recipe I'd pinned months ago and never got around to making. (You can find the original here). Now that I've made it, I'm sorry that I waited so long. I think this is going to be a new regular in my kitchen. I made a few changes, of course, based on what I had on hand and some suggestions I read in the comments, but overall I followed the recipe.

So without further ado.... I present my version of Butter Chicken. Make it this week- it's that good!

Indian Butter Chicken

Makes 6 servings

For Sauce:

1 TB olive oil

2 shallots, diced (The original recipe called for them and I had these on hand but you could probably just use onions instead)

1/2 onion, diced

5 TB butter

4 tsp lemon juice

2 TB garlic paste (I found this at the Indian grocery store, but you could just use a couple of cloves of fresh garlic instead)

1 TB fresh grated ginger

2 tsp garam masala (found in spice aisle)

2 tsp chili powder

2 tsp cumin

2 bay leaves

2/3 cup PLAIN greek yogurt

2 cup dairy liquid of choice (I used whey, which I had leftover from making cheese. The original recipe called for half and half. I think it would be delicious with coconut milk as well)

1 can tomato paste

salt and pepper to taste

For Chicken:

1 1/2 - 2 lbs cubed chicken (breasts or thighs will work)

2 tsp garam masala

1 tsp cayenne pepper

Instructions:

Start by heating some olive oil in a large skillet or saucepan on medium high heat. Cook the onions and shallots until they start to become tender. Then mix in the butter, lemon juice, garlic, ginger, and other spices. Next add the can of tomato paste and mix everything well. It will seem like it needs some liquid but don't worry, that part is coming! After about two minutes stir in your milk product of choice and the yogurt. Mix it up well until there are no big chunks of yogurt or tomato paste and it has a creamy consistency. Now turn the heat down and let it simmer.

While it's simmering, start cooking the diced chicken. Season with salt, pepper, garam masala and cayenne and cook on the stove on medium heat. When the chicken is cooked, transfer to the sauce. Make sure you leave any juices behind, otherwise they will make your sauce too watery. Let it simmer for a few more minutes on the stove before serving. 

I served with some white rice, it would also be delicious with some fresh naan bread. I hope you enjoy!