Okay, obviously I know that Butter chicken isn’t from New Zealand.  But, it is something that I would always eat growing up in NZ and I feel like the Butter Chicken here in London or UK is very different so have been searching for a recipe that mimics how I remember Butter Chicken.

For those who are curious Butter Chicken or Murg Makhani is a dish, originating in the Indian subcontinent, of chicken in a mildly spiced tomato sauce – and it is delicious.

This Butter Chicken recipe is one of the best you will try! You will love how easy it is to make in the comfort of your own home, especially with garlic butter rice.

I’ve not included measurements below, because I’ve found I can scale up and down depending on how many people you wish to serve and your own personal taste.

Ingredients:

Marinade for Chicken

• Chicken Thighs
• Chilli Powder
• Fresh Ginger (grated)
• Fresh Garlic (finely chopped)
• Salt
• Yogurt

Butter Chicken Sauce

• Yellow / White Onion (chopped)
• Vegetable oil
• 1tbs of Butter (to fry in)
• Double Cream
• Chopped Tomatos
• Cashew Nuts
• 1/2 cup water
• Garlic
• Salt
• Malt Vinegar
• Sugar
• Garam Masala Powder
• Chilli Powder
• Fenugreek seeds / Methi (I often skip this if I can’t find in store)

Method:

Cut chicken thighs into chunky pieces and add to a bowl.  Mix together, chilli powder, garlic, ginger, salt and yogurt and add it to the bowl with your chicken.  Refrigerate for a min of 30min, but ideally overnight.

Fry chicken in oiled pan and then remove from head and set aside while making the Butter Chicken sauce.

Roughly chop onions, and add to pan with oil & spoonful of butter (or ghee). Sweat the onions before adding chopped tomatoes, fry for 1-min and then add the cashew nuts. Add 1/2 cup of water (more if you’re cooking for the whole family).  Along with this, add your garlic, salt, malt vinegar, sugar, garam masala powder and chilli powder (this is what gives your butter chicken that vibrant orange colour) and simmer for 15-20min.  Allow to cool slightly before blending into a smooth sauce.  Strain to remove the tomato skins to get a silky smooth sauce.  Add butter and cream – mix together.  Add chicken to the sauce and sprinkle in your methi and heat for 5-6 minutes.  Serve with steamed rice (add butter & garlic to rice if you want to be extra fancy).

Enjoy!