4 Videos | Photo: Butter Chicken
(Indian Chicken in Tomato Cream Sauce) Recipe
A rotisserie chicken stands in quite well for the original tandoori chicken in this version of the simple north Indian dish. In just a few simple steps with a handful of spices, an ordinary chicken become an exotic, family-pleasing meal with a richly spiced sauce that melds right into the chicken. The dish is done when the meat is ? as Indian cookbook author Julie Sahni describes it ? "meltingly tender." Serve with spinach, quickly cooked in oil and garlic to complete the meal.
Ingredients
Spice Blend:
- 1 tablespoon garam masala seasoning
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
Sauce:
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 large onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
- 2 teaspoons jarred minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes in juice
- 1 skinless rotisserie chicken, boned out and pulled into 1 1/2 by 1/2-inch chunks
- 1 (10-ounce) box frozen peas, placed in a colander and run under hot water to thaw
- 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
- Hot basmati rice, for serving
- Pita bread, warmed according to package directions, for serving
Directions
To make the spice blend: Stir the ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside.
To make the sauce: Melt the butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until the pieces just begin to turn gold, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, tomato paste and spice blend, and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly to prevent burning. The spices will be fragrant. Add the tomato sauce and diced tomatoes and stir will. Add the chicken pieces, spoon the sauce over the top and bring to a simmer. Turn the heat to low and cook, uncovered, until the chicken is warmed through and the sauce is flavorful, about 10 minutes. Stir frequently. Remove the chicken to a serving dish and cover to keep warm.
Shake any excess water from the peas. Add the peas and cream to the sauce in the pan, stir well and heat through. Do not boil. Spoon the sauce over the chicken. Serve with rice and warmed pita bread.
Variation: If you prefer shreds of chicken to whole pieces, remove the skin from the chicken and pull the meat into large chunks by hand. Add to the pan along with the garlic, tomato paste and spice blend. Cook for 3 minutes and then add the tomato sauce and continue with the recipe. Serve over basmati rice.
Review This Recipe
You must be logged in to review this recipe.
or Sign Up to Review
Newest Ratings and Reviews
Read all 105 reviews
By deananicole
Reston
on September 01, 2010
Flag
Flag This Review?
Please provide the reason why you think this review is inappropriate.
or Cancel
This dish was one of the best meals I've ever made! It tastes just like the butter chicken my boyfriend and I order for take out. I did make a couple adjustments from recommendations from other reviewers. I used 6 tbsp of butter, and only 1/4 tsp of cinnamon, since there's cinnamon in the garam masala, it really doesn't need more. I was able to find the garam masala easily in my grocery store as McCormick makes it as part of their gourmet collection. I also added 1/4 tsp of curry powder, since i omitted half the cinnamon and omitted the peas because I didn't have any. I used greek yogurt instead of the cream as others suggested. Next time I think i'll try the cream because the sauce wasn't as creamy as regular butter chicken and was a dark red color instead of the pink that i'm used to. I will also drain the can of tomatoes next time to make the sauce thicker.This was so so easy! Now that I have the garam masala on hand I will be making this dish on the regular. I served this with rice and garlic naan and my boyfriend and I loved it! If you like butter chicken, you will love this recipe!!
By nicki1010_11733912
Reading, PA
on June 15, 2010
Flag
Flag This Review?
Please provide the reason why you think this review is inappropriate.
or Cancel
My husband talked me into going to an Indian buffet a few years ago - my first venture into Indian food - where I first had Butter Chicken, and after that I was hooked. This is the first recipe I found and the only one I use. The flavor is unbelieveable, with heat but not too spicy. I leave out the peas because I don't like them and it gives the dish a different flavor. When guests try this at my house they always ask for the recipe. Garam Masala is sold at gourmet food markets and farmers markets. If you like in eastern Pennsylvania, they sell it at Reading China and Glass.
By nathan.cherry_1...
Arlington, 86
on May 06, 2010
Flag
Flag This Review?
Please provide the reason why you think this review is inappropriate.
or Cancel
Good recipe, and we really enjoyed it - but something, don't know exactly what, just isn't perfect... Here are my tweaks, all of which worked out very nicely:
1 Used 5 TBS butter - great
2 Substituted 7oz greek yogurt for cream - great (I think this cuts down tomato flavor a bit - great
3 Eliminated the tomato paste - great
4 Grated fresh (frozen ginger instead of dry ground ginger - mmm, much better
5 Used half the cinnamon it calls for - great (could even use slightly less?
6 Used cubed raw chicken tenderloins and just cooked it in the sauce... - awesome and easy.
Read all 105 reviews