Butter Chicken - Restaurant Style

Step 1: Marinate the Chicken

In a bowl, combine 200 gms of boneless chicken with pounded ginger & garlic, hung curd, lemon juice, Kashmiri chili powder, garam masala, and salt. Mix everything together thoroughly to coat the chicken. Let it marinate for 30 minutes.

Step 2: Cook the Chicken

Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a pan. Add the marinated chicken and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through. Once cooked, remove the chicken from the pan and set it aside.

Step 3: Prepare the Gravy Base

In a separate, larger pan, heat 1 tbsp of butter and 1 tbsp of oil. Add 2 finely chopped onions and sauté until they turn a light golden brown.

Step 4: Cook the Masala

Add 1 tsp of pounded ginger & garlic to the onions and sauté for a minute. Then, add 3 chopped tomatoes, 3 whole dried Kashmiri red chilies, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp cumin powder, 1/2 tsp coriander powder, and 1 tsp garam masala. Mix well.

Step 5: Simmer and Add Cashews

Pour in 2 tbsp of water and cook the mixture until the raw smell disappears and the tomatoes become soft and mushy. Add 10 cashew nuts and continue to sauté for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let the mixture cool down completely.

Step 6: Blend the Gravy

Transfer the cooled masala mixture to a blender jar. Add 1/4 cup of water and grind to a very smooth and fine paste.

Step 7: Temper and Combine Gravy

In the same pan, melt 2 tbsp of butter on low heat. Add 1 tsp of Kashmiri chili powder and immediately pour in the ground masala paste to prevent the chili from burning. Stir well to combine.

Step 8: Add Chicken and Simmer

Rinse the blender jar with about 1/2 cup of water and add it to the pan to adjust the gravy's consistency. Bring the gravy to a simmer for 2-3 minutes, then add the cooked chicken pieces. Mix well to coat the chicken in the gravy.

Step 9: Finish with Cream

Pour in 1/4 cup of fresh cream and stir it into the gravy. Cover the pan with a lid and let it simmer on low heat for 10 minutes.

Step 10: Garnish and Serve

Turn off the heat. Crush Kasuri Methi between your palms and sprinkle it over the gravy. Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves. Mix gently and serve the delicious butter chicken hot.

• For a silky smooth gravy, pass the ground masala paste through a sieve if it feels coarse.

• Keep the flame on low when adding chili powder to the butter to prevent it from burning and turning bitter.