Butter Chicken

Some people get confused between Butter Chicken and Chicken Tikka Masala. The two might look and taste similar to some. The main difference is in the preparation.

Butter chicken uses actually a lot of butter (hence the name) while chicken tikka masala uses a spice blend called "tikka masala" comprised of coriander, paprika, black and green cardamom, cinnamon, and turmeric. Butter chicken is sweeter and chicken tikka masala is spicier.

Origins

Butter chicken originated in India, while Chicken Tikka Masala was invented in the United Kingdom, but became famous all over the world.

Today you can also find all variations everywhere in the world.

Frying or boiling the chicken?

In different recipes the chicken is also cooked differently. In some recipes the chicken is cooked directly in the sauce, in others the chicken is first fried. I am for the second version, which admittedly leads to more dirt in the kitchen, but also to more taste in the chicken itself.

Of course, this recipe is also gluten-free.

Ingredients

for 6 persons

1,2 kg chicken thighs without bone (alternatively chicken breast)

For the marinade

500 g full-fat Greek yogurt

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 ½ tablespoons ground turmeric

2 tablespoons garam masala

2 tablespoons ground cumin

125 g unsalted butter

4 teaspoons of neutral oil, like vegetable or canola oil

2 medium-size yellow onions, peeled and diced

4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 ½ teaspoons tomato paste

3 tablespoons of fresh ginger, peeled and grated or finely diced

1 tablespoon cumin seeds

1 cinnamon stick

1 can of diced tomatoes (approx. 400 g)

2 red chiles, seeded and diced

300 ml chicken stock

250 ml cream

some cilantro leaves, stems removed

salt and pepper, if needed

Preparation

Whisk together the yogurt, lemon juice, turmeric, garam masala and cumin in a large bowl. Cut the chicken in bite-sized pieces and put it in the bowl and coat with the marinade. Cover it and refrigerate for at least a couple of hours or up to a day.

In a large pan, heat up the the oil and fry the chicken pieces in batches until nice and browned. Do not overdo the chicken, it will still cook a bit in the stew. Put the chicken on the side.

Use the empty pan to cook the sauce. Over medium heat, melt the butter in some oil until it starts to foam. Add the onions, and cook, stirring them until they are translucent. Add the garlic, ginger and cumin seeds, and tomato paste. Cook until the onions start to brown. Add the cinnamon stick, tomatoes, chiles and salt and bring to a soft boil. Add the chicken stock and cook for about 15 minutes. Stir in the cream.

Add the chicken to the pan and cook for 5 to 7 minutes.

Garnish with the cilantro leaves.