India: Chicken Makhani (Butter Chicken)

Chicken Makhani, also known as Butter Chicken, is a popular and flavourful Indian dish that has gained popularity worldwide. Its origins can be traced back to the mid-20th century in India, specifically in the city of Delhi.

The story goes that Chicken Makhani was created accidentally in the 1950s by a man named Kundan Lal Gujral, who ran a restaurant called Moti Mahal in Delhi. Gujral was a chef at the time and was experimenting with different recipes to utilise leftover tandoori chicken (chicken cooked in a clay oven called a tandoor) that would often become dry and tough when reheated.

To salvage the leftover tandoori chicken, he decided to simmer it in a tomato-based gravy, adding some cream and spices to enhance the flavour and tenderise the meat. The result was a rich, creamy, and delicious chicken dish that instantly became a hit among his customers. It was a combination of the tandoori cooking method and the smooth, buttery gravy that gave birth to the dish’s name, “Butter Chicken.”

The success of Butter Chicken at Moti Mahal led to its inclusion in the restaurant’s regular menu and subsequently gained popularity not just in Delhi but all over India. As the fame of this delectable dish grew, it also found its way to Indian restaurants in other countries and became a favourite among people worldwide.

Today, Chicken Makhani or Butter Chicken is a staple in Indian restaurants around the world, known for its creamy, tangy, and mildly spiced tomato-based gravy. It is typically served with naan (Indian flatbread) or rice and is enjoyed by people of all backgrounds for its rich and comforting taste.

To start this recipe we will prep the following ingredients:

Chicken Makhani

For the chicken:

• 1 kg of chicken thighs – Diced into thick cubes
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 3 tbsp tandoori masala
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 tbsp garlic minced
• ½ tbsp salt
• ½ cup whole milk yogurt
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp ginger minced

For the makhani sauce:

• 3 tbsp ghee
• 1 tsp jeera/cumin seeds
• 1 inch Cinnamon
• 3 cloves
• 3 green cardamom
• 2 cup onion, chopped
• 1 tbsp ginger & 1tbsp garlic
• 2 cup tomato, chopped
• 3 tsp salt; adjust to taste
• 3 dried Kashmiri Chillies
• 15 whole cashews
• ½ tsp dhaniya/coriander powder
• 1 tsp lal mirch/red chili powder
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 tbsp dried fenugreek
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1/4 cup heavy cream and more for Garnishing

First we want to combine all the Chicken Marinade ingredients and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours.

Traditionally this is then grilled on a tandoor but unfortunately i dont have this so i broiled this on 200 degrees for 45 minutes. You want a nice char on this for that extra smokey flavour.

Now in a pot you want to add 3 tbsp of ghee to a pot and heat that on medium high heat into the Ghee turns into a hot liquid.

Then you want to add the following spices and fry them for 5 minutes or until fragrant.

• 1 tsp jeera/cumin seeds
• 1 inch Cinnamon
• 3 cloves
• 3 green cardamom

Then add your Onions and fry for 5 minutes (or until translucent) and then add tomatoes, Garlic and Ginger and cook for another 5 minutes.

Now add the following ingredients and cook covered on medium heat for 40 minutes.

• 3 tsp salt; adjust to taste
• 15 whole cashews
• ½ tsp dhaniya/coriander powder
• 1 tsp lal mirch/red chili powder
• 3 dried Kashmiri Chillies

Now you want to get an immersion blender and blend this until you have a smooth sauce. This may take up to 10 minutes but you want to ensure that all the spices are ground.

Now add 1 cup of water to thin the sauce along with

• 1 tbsp dried fenugreek
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1/4 cup heavy cream and more for Garnishing
• Cooked chicken

And now cook this covered for 15 minutes on medium heat, Stirring every 5 minutes.

Now youre ready to serve! Serve this with Naan and garnish your Chicken Makhani with more double cream and Coriander (to make it look pretty)