Butter chicken or makhan murg is one of the easiest and most loved recipes. It always brings a smile to a non-vegetarian foodie.Here is an easy recipe which you can cook if you love your proteins. Once you understand how you like it, you will never depend on a takeaway or readymade packet. Nothing can substitute the freshness of a home made butter chicken with naan.
Why is it called murg makhani?
Some people also call it murg makhani or makhan murg. Protein is cooked in a creamy buttery/makhani gravy. Indian style butter chicken never disappoints. It is soft and tender. Curry is silky smooth and the pieces just melt into your mouth. Who can resist it?
How did butter chicken originate?
Here is the history of makhan murg. Kundan Lal Gujral and Kundan lal Jaggi invented this in his restaurant Moti Mahal at Delhi in 1950s. They left tandoori chicken accidentally in tomato gravy. Well, it was certainly been a dish the world was waiting for.This dish is one of the signature dishes of Punjabi cuisine. UK goes ga ga over tikka masala but Indians groove to this chicken makhani. Apparently one dish which makes the whole western world crazy about Indian cuisine.
Punjabi butter chicken curry made someone even break the quarantine rules in Australia. You can never say no to it,if you love your protein. It is a regular at all parties, receptions. You can also make it easily for dinner.
What to have with murg makhani?
You can have it with any of them -Basmati rice, Naan, Afghani bread from Costco tandoori roti. Serve some dal makhani or dal tadka and paneer butter masala and you have a perfect lunch menu for your party. Just finish the meal with some gulab jamuns and go have a good nap.You can never go wrong with this dish when non-veg lovers come over .It is one of the best recipes of Tandoori origin. It is available at all dhabas across India. Most Punjabi and Delhi restaurants serve it and all foodies are ready to lap it up.
Equipment
- whisk
- oven grill
- oil brush
- steamer
- blender
- sieve
- frying pan
Ingredients
Marinade:
- chicken curry cut
- ginger-garlic paste
- salt as per taste
- red chili powder or paprika
- lemon juice
- yogurt
- garam masala
- turmeric
- oil for brushing
Sauce:
- tomatoes
- ghee/oil
- ginger garlic paste
- coriander powder
- cumin powder
- garam masala
- turmeric
- chilli powder
- butter
- cooking cream
- dried fenugreek leaves /kasuri methi/kasoori methi
- Chopped coriander to garnish
How to make butter chicken?
Marination:
- Mix all the ingredients for marination. Use a whisk to make a smooth sauce and add chicken to it. Keep it aside for 4-6 hours.
- Grill it in an pre-heated fan-forced oven at 160 deg C(180 deg C for convection) for 10 minutes.
- Brush oil on the chicken and turn them over and grill again for 10 minutes.
Sauce:
- Steam the tomatoes in a steamer.
- Remove its skin. Puree and sieve it.
- In a pan, heat oil and add tomato sauce to it. Add spices to it and let it cook for 5 minutes.
- Now, add the grilled chicken to it and let it come to a boil. Cook for 5-7 minutes.
- Add cream and butter to it and stir well.
- Add dried fenugreek leaves and garnish with chopped coriander. Serve hot with tandoori roti or rice
Butter chicken recipe
Equipment
- whisk
- oven grill
- oil brush
- steamer
- Blender
- Sieve
- frying pan
Ingredients
Marinade:
- 400 g chicken curry cut
- 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
- salt as per taste
- 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ½ cup yogurt
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- 2 tablespoon oil for brushing
Sauce:
- 4 medium tomatoes
- 2 tablespoon ghee/oil
- 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste
- ½ teaspoon coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon red chilli powder
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 50 ml cooking cream
- 1 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves /kasuri methi/kasoori methi
- Chopped coriander to garnish
Instructions
Marination:
- Mix all the ingredients for marination and add chicken to it.
- Keep it aside for 4-6 hours.
- Grill it in an pre-heated fan-forced oven at 160 deg C(180 deg C for convection) for 10 minutes.
- Brush oil on the chicken and turn them over and grill again for 10 minutes.
Sauce:
- Steam the tomatoes,de-skin,puree and sieve it.
- In a pan, heat oil and add tomato sauce to it.
- Add spices to it and let it cook for 5 minutes.
- Now,add the grilled chicken to it and let it come to a boil,cook for 5-7 minutes.
- Add cream,butter to it and stir well.
- Add dried fenugreek leaves and garnish with chopped coriander.
- Serve hot with roti or rice.
Substitutions
If you are a vegetarian, you can add paneer instead of chicken in this recipe. You can also add soya chaap or tofu instead of protein.
Variations
If you like your food spicier, adjust the red chilli powder accordingly. You can reuse left over dish to make butter chicken pizza, butter chicken shawarma,butter chicken biryani and even butter chicken pie and butter chicken sandwiches.
Related links
If you still can't decide between chicken or egg? These recipes might help.
FAQs
Refrigerate the sauce for some time.
8-10 mins until the sauce thickens
Add a dash or lemon juice or some whisked yogurt. You can also add a paste of nuts.
Also, click here to watch more curry recipe videos.
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