Equipment
Ingredients
Chicken Marinade
- 600 g boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 4cm pieces
- 120 g plain whole milk yogurt
- 15 g garlic paste
- 15 g ginger paste
- 8 g kashmiri chili powder
- 5 g garam masala
- 5 g fine sea salt
- 15 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
Makhani Sauce
- 60 g unsalted butter
- 150 g yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 15 g garlic paste
- 15 g ginger paste
- 800 g canned crushed tomatoes
- 40 g raw cashews
- 120 ml water
- 6 g garam masala
- 12 g sugar
- 120 ml heavy cream, room temperature
- 3 g dried fenugreek leaves, crushed
Basmati Rice
- 300 g basmati rice, rinsed until water runs clear
- 450 ml water
- 3 g fine sea salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 692 kcal
- Protein
- 41 g
- Carbohydrates
- 53 g
- Fat
- 36 g
- Fiber
- 8 g
- Sugar
- 17 g
- Sodium
- 1426 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 18 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 11 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Cholesterol
- 211 mg
- Potassium
- 1382 mg
- Calcium
- 181 mg
- Iron
- 5.7 mg
- Magnesium
- 125 mg
- Phosphorus
- 482 mg
- Zinc
- 4.3 mg
- Vitamin A
- 318 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 28 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.5 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.8 mg
- Vitamin K
- 12 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.9 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 1.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.24 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.46 mg
- Niacin
- 8.9 mg
- Folate
- 22 mcg
- Water
- 351 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
In a large mixing bowl, combine yogurt, garlic paste, ginger paste, kashmiri chili powder, garam masala, salt, and lemon juice. Add the chicken pieces and mix thoroughly until every piece is coated.
Cover the bowl and marinate the chicken in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, or up to overnight for maximum flavor penetration.
In a medium saucepan, combine the rinsed basmati rice, water, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat at approximately 100 degrees Celsius or 212 degrees Fahrenheit.
Once boiling, reduce the heat to the lowest setting, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and simmer undisturbed until the water is fully absorbed.
Remove the rice from heat and let it rest, covered, while preparing the chicken.
Heat a heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat. Add the marinated chicken pieces in a single layer, shaking off excess marinade. Sear until nicely charred on the outside.
Remove the partially cooked chicken from the pan and set aside on a clean plate.
In the same pan, reduce heat to medium. Melt the butter, then add the chopped onion. Cook until softened and translucent, scraping up any browned bits from the chicken.
Add the garlic paste and ginger paste to the onions. Cook for one minute until fragrant, then pour in the crushed tomatoes, cashews, and water. Bring to a gentle simmer.
Carefully transfer the hot tomato mixture to a high-speed blender. Blend on high until entirely smooth.
Pass the blended sauce through a fine mesh sieve back into the cooking pan, using a ladle or spatula to press the liquid through while discarding any fibrous solids.
Place the pan back over medium-low heat. Stir in the garam masala and sugar. Return the chicken and its resting juices to the sauce. Simmer gently until the chicken reaches a safe internal temperature of 74 degrees Celsius or 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Turn off the heat. Stir in the heavy cream and the crushed dried fenugreek leaves. Taste and adjust salt if necessary.
Fluff the rested basmati rice with a fork. Spoon the hot rice onto plates and generously ladle the butter chicken and sauce over the top.
Chef's Notes
- Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) is the absolute secret ingredient for authentic restaurant-style butter chicken. It provides an unmistakable earthy aroma that balances the rich cream and sweet tomatoes.
- Do not skip the straining step. The hallmark of a true Murgh Makhani is an impossibly velvety, smooth sauce, which is achieved by forcing the blended cashew and tomato base through a fine mesh sieve.
- Kashmiri chili powder is prized for its vibrant red color rather than extreme heat. If substituting with standard cayenne pepper, drastically reduce the quantity to avoid overpowering the delicate creaminess of the dish.
- Using boneless skinless chicken thighs instead of breasts ensures the meat remains juicy and tender even after simmering in the rich gravy.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store rice and chicken separately if possible to maintain rice texture.
Freezer: 3 months — Butter chicken freezes exceptionally well. Rice can be frozen but may slightly change texture upon thawing.
Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat, adding a splash of water if the sauce has thickened too much.
Troubleshooting
The sauce is grainy or gritty
Cause: The cashews and tomatoes were not blended thoroughly, or the straining step was skipped.
Fix: Pass the finished sauce through a sieve again before adding the chicken back into the pan.
Prevention: Ensure you blend the sauce on high speed for a full 2 minutes and do not skip pushing the mixture through a fine mesh sieve.
The cream curdled or separated when added
Cause: The cream was cold and added while the sauce was boiling too vigorously.
Fix: Cannot be completely fixed once fully separated, but vigorously whisking in a splash of warm water might temporarily re-emulsify it.
Prevention: Remove the pan from the heat completely before stirring in room temperature cream.
The flavor is too acidic or sharp
Cause: The canned tomatoes were highly acidic, or they were not simmered long enough to mellow out.
Fix: Stir in an additional pinch of sugar and a small splash of cream to balance the acidity.
Prevention: Simmer the tomato base patiently before blending to cook out the raw acidity.
Cultural Context
Murgh Makhani, globally known as Butter Chicken, was created in the 1950s at the Moti Mahal restaurant in Delhi, India. The dish was famously born out of necessity when the chefs needed a way to repurpose leftover tandoori chicken to prevent it from drying out. They simmered the charred meat in a rich, buttery tomato gravy, inadvertently inventing one of the most beloved and internationally recognized Indian dishes in history.
