Doesn’t look like much, right? And yet, that dish contains the most succulent, tender, rich, spicy-sweet-creamy-unctuous-indulgent butter chicken like pretty much ever.
Let me start by saying this post is WAY overdue. Not just that I’ve not written in a while, but also, I have a friend who has pressed me for this recipe since well before I even started this blog. I’m sorry for the delay, but I hope my reasonably decent measurements make up for it!
So, how do you get this deliciousness in your face? Cut up around 2 lbs of boneless, skinless chicken (I strongly prefer thighs, but I know many like white meat, wrong though they may be). In a big ziploc bag, add in around 1/2 cup of full fat Greek yogurt, a couple of tablespoons of lime juice (the bottled stuff is fine), a tablespoon of ginger paste, 3/4 tablespoon of garlic paste, and 1 1/2 heaped tablespoons of Shaan tandoori masala. Add in the chicken, and leave to marinade in the fridge overnight.
The next day, add 1 1/2 tablespoons of besan (chickpea flour, also called graham flour) into the bag and shake about. Empty the contents onto a foil-lined baking sheet, and put in a 375F oven for 30 minutes.
When the chicken is cooked, take 1 1/2 sticks of butter and melt in a pot. Add about 3/4 of a large tube of tomato paste into the melted butter, and cook on medium, incorporating it and letting it come to a sizzle. It will separate a little; keep stirring. Add in the cooked chicken, scraping in any pan liquids/bits. Stir through, and let the flavors mingle for a bit. Add in around 3/4 cup of heavy cream and around 1/2 teaspoon of sugar. Stir through, and let it gently warm through. Turn off the heat, and you’re done.
Now, you can shortcut this and use rotisserie or other cooked chicken, and just move to the butter part (add in your Shaan masala when you throw the chicken into the butter/tomato paste mix). It’s a decent alternative, and great when you do leftover Thanksgiving turkey this way.
However, when time permits, do try it the longer way– marinating the chicken gives a greater depth of flavor, the tartness from the yogurt and lime tenderize the chicken and offset the spiciness of the masala, and the besan adds a lovely coating to the meat as well as thickens the sauce.
Serve over fluffy white rice or with naan or roti for dipping, and keep a good cardiologist on speed dial if you make it often.