Murgh Makhani (Butter Chicken) Restaurant Style

Name: Murgh Makhani (Butter Chicken) Restaurant Style
Prep time: 300 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 360 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Mughlai (Delhi & Lahore)
Ingredients: 500 g boneless chicken thighs; 0.25 cup yogurt; 0.5 tsp salt; 1 tsp kashmiri chili powder; 5 garlic cloves; 3 tbsp grated ginger; 1 tsp garam masala; 3 tbsp oil; 4 cinnamon sticks; 5 green cardamom pods; 2 bay leaves; green chili pepper; 750 g ripe tomatoes; 0.5 tsp kashmiri chili powder; 2 tbsp chopped ginger; 0.5 cup cashew nuts; 1 tbsp honey; 0.5 tbsp tomato paste; 2 tsp fenugreek leaves; 0.25 cup butter; 0.25 cup whipping cream; 3 tbsp oil; wooden skewer; 100 ml water

A South Asian dish of chicken, yogurt and tomatoes, seasoned with chilli and ginger and grilled. Serve with rice or naan.

6 hr · Serves 4 · Takes some skill

Method

Start cooking mode

Time: Prep 300 min · Cook 60 min · 360 min total
Difficulty: hard

1
Stage 1: Prepare the chicken and marinade (approx 4.5 hours). Grill Method:. Crush/grate garlic and ginger into a paste.
270 min
2
Place chicken in a large metal or other non-porous bowl and add ginger-garlic paste. Thoroughly mix the chicken, 1/2 tsp salt, and the ginger-garlic paste together (ensure the chicken is evenly coated).
3
In another bowl, mix the yogurt and 1/2 Tbsp Kashmiri chill powder with a whisk until evenly mixed 5. Add the yogurt mixture, along with 1Tbsp oil, to the bowl with the chicken and ginger-garlic paste.
4
Mix thoroughly, and then cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours. Oven Bake method:.
240 min
5
Crush/grate garlic and ginger into a paste. Cut chicken into cubes. Place chicken in a large metal or other non-porous bowl and add ginger-garlic paste.
6
Thoroughly mix the chicken, 1/2 tsp salt, and the ginger-garlic paste together (ensure the chicken is evenly coated).
7
In another bowl, mix the yogurt and 1/2 Tbsp Kashmiri chill powder with a whisk until evenly mixed 6. Add the yogurt mixture, along with 1Tbsp oil, to the bowl with the chicken and ginger-garlic paste.
8
Mix thoroughly, and then cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours. Soak wooden skewers in water while chicken is marinading.
240 min
9
Stage 2: Grill or Oven-Bake Chicken. Grill Method:. Remove chicken from refrigerator and place chicken on wax paper in a grill or BBQ safe sheet. grill or BBQ on medium heat for 10-15 minutes.
15 min
10
Remove chicken from grill and let cool. Cut chicken into cubes, and then return chicken to refrigerator (until the sauce is ready).
11
Remove chicken from oven and let cool. Place in refrigerator until sauce is ready. Oven-Bake Method:.
12
Preheat oven to 400F (200C). Remove chicken from refrigerator and place chicken on the wooden skewers.
13
Stage 3: Prepare Makhani Sauce. If using 750g whole tomatoes:. Peel and finely chop ginger.
14
Heat 3 Tbsp oil in a medium saucepan on medium to medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the cinnamon sticks, cloves, cardamom pods, and bay leaves, and stir for 2 minutes.
2 min
15
Add chopped ginger and cook for 1 minute. Reduce the heat to low, add the diced green chiles and 750g tomatoes, along with 100ml water.
1 min
16
Simmer on low heat for 25 minutes. Remove the whole spices (cinnamon, cardamom and cloves), and then pour the sauce into a blender to puree until smooth.
25 min
17
Sieve the pureed mixture to remove any lumps, and return to saucepan. Place ~2/3 of the cashews in a blender, and grind into powder. Add a SMALL amount of water, and mix into a paste.
18
Add 1 Tbsp of tomato paste, along with cashew paste to the makhani sauce (you will likely need to add a small amount of water to the blender in order to get all of the cashew paste out of the blender).
19
Add 1/2 tsp of chill powder, and 1 Tbsp honey. Stir for ~3 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup of butter, and stir until it melts.
3 min
20
Add 1/2 tsp of salt (optional), and 1 tsp fenugreek leaves, then simmer for a further 20 minutes.
20 min
21
In a large frypan, melt a small amount of butter, and add remaining 1/3 of the cashews, along with the cooked chicken. Cook for ~3 minutes on medium-high.
3 min
22
Reduce heat to low. Pour the sauce over the chicken and cashews, and then add 1/4 cup of whipping cream. Stir for ~ 3 minutes.
3 min
23
If using 2 cups canned crushed tomatoes:. Peel and finely chop ginger. Heat 3 Tbsp oil on medium to medium-high heat.
24
When the oil is hot, add the cinnamon sticks, cloves, cardamom pods, and bay leaves, and stir for 2 minutes.
2 min
25
Add chopped ginger and cook for 1 minute. Reduce the heat to low, add the diced green chiles and 2 cups canned crushed tomatoes.
1 min
26
Simmer on low heat for 25 minutes. Remove the whole spices (cinnamon, cardamom and cloves)’.
25 min
27
Place ~2/3 of the cashews in a blender, and grind into powder. Add a SMALL amount of water, and mix into a paste.
28
Add 1 Tbsp of tomato paste, along with cashew paste to the makhani sauce (you will likely need to add a small amount of water to the blender in order to get all of the cashew paste out of the blender).
29
Add 1/2 tsp of chill powder, and 1 Tbsp honey. Stir for ~3 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup of butter, and stir until it melts.
3 min
30
Add 1/2 tsp of salt (optional), and 1 tsp fenugreek leaves, then simmer for a further 20 minutes.
20 min
31
In a large frypan, melt a small amount of butter, and add remaining 1/3 of the cashews, along with the cooked chicken. Cook for ~3 minutes on medium-high.
3 min
32
Reduce heat to low. Pour the sauce over the chicken and cashews, and then add 1/4 cup of whipping cream. Stir for ~ 3 minutes. Serve with rice and/or naan.
3 min