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Simple Recipes for Every Day

Butter Chicken

homemade butter chicken in a bowl served with rice, naan and cilantro
  • Serves:  6
  • Prep Time:  15 min
  • Cook Time:  25 min

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • ¼ cup grated yellow onion, (from 1 small onion)
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tablespoons grated ginger
  • 2 tablespoons salted butter
  • ¾ cup chicken stock
  • 8 ounces tomato paste
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons cumin
  • 2 teaspoons garam masala
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 2 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 2-inch cubes
  • 1 ½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice, (from 2 lemons)
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • Fresh cilantro, for serving
  • 6 cups cooked basmati rice, for serving

Method

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is glistening, add the onion, garlic, and ginger. Cook, stirring often, until the onion is softened and the garlic and ginger are fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes.
  2. Stir in the butter, chicken stock, tomato paste, cinnamon, salt, cumin, garam masala and turmeric until combined. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then stir in the chicken until coated. Cover and cook for 15 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.
  3. Stir in the lemon juice and heavy cream. Return to a simmer and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes more.
  4. Divide the rice between 6 bowls. Serve the butter chicken over the rice and sprinkle with cilantro.

Notes

To make this dish dairy-free, use coconut oil in place of butter and full-fat coconut milk in place of heavy cream.