Best Butter Chicken (Murgh Makhani) Recipe

Ingredients:

Marinade for chicken

• 1 and 1/4 cups whole milk yogurt
• 4 teaspoons coarse salt
• 1 tbsp finely grated ginger
• 2 cloves garlic, finely grated
• 8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs (about 1 kg)

Sauce

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter (see note)
• 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 green cardamom pods, split
• Cinnamon stick (7 cm)
• 1 whole clove
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp finely grated ginger
• 4 cloves garlic, finely grated
• 1.5 tsp. garam masala
• 1 tsp ground Kashmiri pepper (see note)
• 1 can (800 g) of canned whole peeled tomatoes
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• Chopped coriander leaves and soft stems, for serving
• Basmati rice, for serving
• Naan, for serving

Preparation:

1. Marinade:
   
   In a large bowl, combine the yogurt, salt, ginger, and garlic until well combined. Add the chicken and toss with the yogurt marinade to coat evenly. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours and up to 24 hours. Overnight is best.
2. Sauce:
   
   In a large Dutch oven or wide, heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add the fenugreek seeds, bay leaf, cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves and cook, stirring occasionally, until the spices darken slightly and become fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Add the onion, season with salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is golden and begins to caramelize, 8-10 minutes.
3. Add the ginger and garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant and the ginger is golden and sticking to the bottom of the pan, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garam masala and Kashmiri peppercorns and cook, stirring occasionally, until very fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, breaking them up with a spoon, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has reduced by half and the tomatoes are very soft, about 30 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and cinnamon stick from the pan (reserve the remaining whole spices).
4. Let the sauce cool for about 5 minutes, then pour it into a blender, filling it no more than halfway. Remove the center cap from the lid and place it on the blender. Cover the lid with a kitchen towel to prevent the sauce from splattering, and blend until smooth. If your blender is small, you may need to blend in several batches. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and the heavy cream to the blender and blend until creamy. Transfer to a clean saucepan and bring to a boil. Season with salt to taste.
5. Meanwhile, position a rack directly under the broiler in the oven and preheat the oven to broil. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and position the rack inside.
6. Place the chicken in a single layer on the grill. Grill until the chicken begins to brown in spots, 3-6 minutes per side (it will not be cooked through). Remove from the oven. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, cut it into 2.5 cm (1-inch) thick pieces. Add the chicken to the simmering sauce, cover, and simmer until cooked through, 8-10 minutes.
7. Add cilantro. Serve with rice and flatbread.
   
   Note
   
   Cultured butter adds a rich flavor to this dish. If you can't find it, substitute regular butter with 1 tablespoon of sour milk.
   
   Kashmiri red pepper has a mild flavor and a bright red color. Look for it in Indian and Asian markets.