Murgh Makhani Sauce (Butter Chicken)
Tandoori chicken pieces in a rich buttery and flavour-packed smooth gravy.
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 459.46kcal
Ingredients
For the Chicken tandoori (marinate and roast)
- 700 grams Chicken whole legs or use 500 grams of boneless chicken thighs
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
- 1 teaspoon cooking oil mustard oil or any cooking oil
- 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon kasuri methi dried fenugreek leaves
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- 4 tablespoons yoghurt
- salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon butter to roast or pan fry
For the Makhani sauce (cook and blend)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 green cardamom
- 1 black cardamom optional
- 1 inch cinnamon stick
- 3 cloves
- ½ teaspoon fenugreek seeds
- 10 whole cashews whole
- 2 teaspoon ginger garlic paste
- 2 to 4 green chillies slit
- 1 large onion roughly chopped
- 3 medium-sized tomatoes roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon Kashmiri red chilli powder
- salt to taste
Final additions for makhani
- 1 cup water
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons kasuri methi dried fenugreek leaves
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- 2 to 3 tablespoons cream heavy or thick
- Fresh coriander leaves to garnish
Instructions
Marinate for tandoori Chicken
- Marinate the chicken with lime juice, ginger garlic paste, oil, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, kasoori methi, garam masala, thick yoghurt and salt.700 grams Chicken whole legs , 1 tablespoon lime juice, 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste, 1 teaspoon cooking oil, 1 teaspoon red chilli powder, 1 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon kasuri methi, ½ teaspoon garam masala, 4 tablespoons yoghurt, salt to taste
- Cover and keep it refrigerated for 4 to 5 hours or overnight. If using boneless chicken breast, 30 mins would suffice. If using bone-in pieces, then make deep cuts before marinating. You may skip this and use leftover chicken tikkas or tandoori chicken.
Roast the marinated chicken
- Heat a thick-bottomed saucepan with some butter. Roast the marinated chicken on high flame turning the pieces a few times to roast all sides evenly until cooked through. You may do this in the oven.1 tablespoon butter
Prepare the Tomato Gravy
- Heat butter in a deep saucepan. Add the green and black cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon, and fry until fragrant.2 green cardamom, 1 black cardamom, 1 inch cinnamon stick, 3 cloves, 2 tablespoons butter
- Add the fenugreek seeds and saute for a few seconds.½ teaspoon fenugreek seeds
- Add the whole cashews and saute until golden.10 whole cashews
- Add onion, grated ginger garlic paste along with slit green chillies. Saute this mixture until the raw smell of ginger and garlic is gone.2 teaspoon ginger garlic paste, 1 large onion, 2 to 4 green chillies
- Add the chopped tomatoes, red chilli powder, and a little salt. Cook partially covered until the tomatoes are cooked down and the oil separated. Switch off and let it cool.3 medium-sized tomatoes, 1 tablespoon Kashmiri red chilli powder, salt to taste
- Add the tomato mixture into a blender and blend it until smooth.
Final steps for Butter Chicken
- Return the blended tomato gravy sauce to the pan along with the roasted chicken and a cup of water. Bring this sauce to a boil.1 cup water
- Reduce the flame to low and stir in the sugar, kasoori methi, and garam masala. Cover and cook on low for 10 to 15 minutes.2 teaspoons sugar, 2 teaspoons kasuri methi, ½ teaspoon garam masala
- Garnish with a good drizzle of cream, and chopped coriander leaves and serve with any kind of flatbread like Methi Paratha, Naan, kulcha, or a bowl of rice.2 to 3 tablespoons cream, Fresh coriander leaves
Notes
You can make this quicker by using leftover Tandoori chicken. If need be, buy from your favourite take away and reheat it in this makhani sauce!
You can use bone-in chicken legs and thighs.
Nutrition
Calories: 459.46kcal | Carbohydrates: 19.75g | Protein: 21.39g | Fat: 34.33g
