Butter Chicken Warm Spices (Print Version)

# Ingredients:

→ Chicken Marinade Mix

01 - Boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breast (28 oz), diced
02 - Plain yogurt, half a cup
03 - Chopped garlic, 1½ tbsp
04 - Finely grated or chopped ginger, 1 tbsp
05 - Garam masala, 2 tsp
06 - Ground turmeric, 1 tsp
07 - Cumin powder, 1 tsp
08 - Red chili powder, 1 tsp
09 - Salt, 1 tsp

→ Sauce Ingredients

10 - Olive oil, 2 tbsp
11 - Ghee (or a mix of 1 tbsp butter + 1 tbsp oil), 2 tbsp
12 - Large onion, sliced or diced
13 - Minced garlic, 1½ tbsp
14 - Finely chopped or grated ginger, 1 tbsp
15 - Cumin powder, 1½ tsp
16 - Garam masala, 1½ tsp
17 - Coriander powder, 1 tsp
18 - Crushed tomatoes, 14 oz
19 - Red chili powder, 1 tsp (or less if needed)
20 - Salt, 1¼ tsp (adjust if necessary)
21 - Heavy cream or evaporated milk, 1 cup
22 - Sugar, 1 tbsp
23 - Kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves), ½ tsp

→ For Topping

24 - Chopped fresh cilantro

# Instructions:

01 - Grab a big bowl and toss in the chicken pieces along with all the marinade ingredients. Stir it up thoroughly so everything gets coated. Pop it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes (or even overnight for extra flavor magic).
02 - Put some olive oil into a large pan and let it heat up on medium-high. When it’s good and hot, lay the chicken pieces in batches (don’t crowd them!). Cook for about 3 minutes on each side until you see some browning, but no need to fully cook through yet. Put the chicken aside.
03 - Using the same pan, throw in the ghee or your butter-oil mix. Add onions and stir as they cook and soften over around 6 minutes. Scoop up those tasty browned bits stuck to the pan while stirring—it’s extra flavor!
04 - Toss in the garlic and ginger; cook for a minute while stirring until it smells amazing. Next, sprinkle in cumin, garam masala, and coriander. Keep stirring and let them cook just until fragrant, about 20 seconds.
05 - Add salt, red chili powder, and the crushed tomatoes. Mix everything well, then let the pan sit on low heat for 10–15 minutes, giving the sauce a chance to deepen in color and thicken up.
06 - Turn the stove off and transfer everything from the pan into a blender. Whiz it up until smooth—add a little water (up to ¼ cup) if it seems tricky to blend. Depending on your blender size, you may need to work in parts.
07 - Pour that beautifully blended sauce right back into the pan. Stir in heavy cream, sugar, and the dried fenugreek leaves (kasoori methi). Mix it up until everything’s combined nicely.
08 - Add those browned chicken pieces, along with any juices from the plate, back into the pan. Let everything simmer for 8–10 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is thick and bubbly.
09 - Sprinkle freshly cut cilantro on top before serving. Pair this with soft naan or fluffy rice, and you’re good to go!

# Notes:

01 - Dial down the heat by using less chili powder, or crank it up with green chilies or extra chili powder.
02 - If your sauce feels too thick while cooking, a splash of water or cream will fix it right up.
03 - Make the sauce the day before, and stash it in the fridge. Reheat it gently and add the chicken when you’re ready.
04 - For an authentic touch, include dried fenugreek leaves, or skip them if you can’t find any—it’ll still taste great!

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