Butter Chicken Curry from Scratch (serves four)

Butter chicken is a delightfully flavourful curry which falls on the milder side of the curry spectrum. This recipe for butter chicken is a relatively simple variation of the traditional kind but tastes just as good, and of course, you can spice it up as you please.  The perfect comfort food to warm you up on cold winter nights and one of few meals that are great for lunch the next day, this recipe is a great addition to your collection.

This recipe comes in two parts, the chicken marinade, and the sauce.

Ingredients:

Marinade:

• 650g of boneless, skinless chicken breast or chicken thighs (cubed)
• The juice of half a lemon
• 1 tsp. of crushed garlic
• 1 tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. turmeric powder
• ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper powder
• ¼ tsp. cinnamon
• ½ tsp. paprika powder
• ½ tsp. coriander powder
• A good grind of black pepper

Sauce:

• 1 large onion finely diced
• 1 tsp. crushed garlic
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. turmeric powder
• ½  tsp. cayenne pepper powder
• ½  tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. paprika powder
• 1 tsp. coriander powder
• A good grind of black pepper
• 2cm of finely diced ginger root
• 4 green chilies finely diced (tip, remove the seeds while dicing for a milder curry)
• 1 Tbsp. coconut, olive, or sunflower oil
• 3 Tbsp. butter
• ½ cup of full fat Greek yoghurt
• 1 can of tomato puree

Method:

1. Mix the ingredients thoroughly together for the marinade, pouring into an airtight container or zip lock bag, and placing the chicken pieces inside, ensuring they are well coated. Leave in the fridge for two hours.
2. Heat the oil in a large saucepan, adding the onions to cook through until soft and golden throughout. Add the garlic, diced chilies, and diced ginger and cook for a further two minutes. Add all the powder spices and cook while stirring for another few minutes.
3. Add in the can of tomato puree and using a hand-held blender (or standing blender), carefully blend the sauce until completely smooth.
4. Return the sauce to the saucepan and bring to a low simmer. Add in the yoghurt, the chicken pieces, and all the collective juices so no flavour is lost. Cover the saucepan and allow to cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
5. Remove from heat and stir in the butter before serving.
6. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve with a rice of your choice.

Remember, there are no laws against changing up a recipe! Take away ingredients you don’t like or add in whatever you feel will work well, as long as you are able to enjoy good food with good people, that’s what counts. Share with us on Facebook what you thought of this winter warmer recipe.