Original Bbq Butter Chicken Chop Recipe

Prepare chicken

Trim excess fat from the chicken thighs and pat them dry with paper towels. If the thighs are large, butterfly or pound gently to an even thickness about 3/4-inch.

Mix marinade

In a bowl, combine plain yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, lemon juice, smoked paprika, ground coriander, ground cumin, garam masala, turmeric, chili powder, salt, black pepper and 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Whisk until smooth.

Marinate

Add the chicken to the marinade, making sure each piece is evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, ideally 4–6 hours or up to overnight for deeper flavor.

Sweat aromatics

In a medium skillet over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter. Add the finely chopped onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent and beginning to brown, about 6–8 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook 30–60 seconds until fragrant.

Build sauce

Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1–2 minutes to remove rawness. Add tomato ketchup, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika and chili flakes. Stir to combine and simmer gently for 3–4 minutes so flavors meld.

Finish with cream and butter

Reduce heat to low and whisk in the heavy cream and the remaining 2 tablespoons butter one tablespoon at a time until the sauce is smooth and glossy. Taste and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Keep warm on the lowest heat setting.

Preheat and sear

Preheat a heavy skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon neutral oil. Remove excess marinade from the chicken (shake off, but don’t wipe all coating) and place pieces in the hot pan without crowding. Sear 4–5 minutes per side until deeply browned and internal temperature registers 165°F (74°C). For thicker pieces, cover and reduce heat to medium and cook an additional 2–3 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate and tent with foil to rest 5 minutes.

Coat with BBQ butter sauce

Return the skillet with sauce to low heat (or use a clean warm pan). Add the seared chicken pieces to the warm BBQ butter sauce, spooning the sauce over each piece until thoroughly coated. Let the chicken sit in the sauce for 1–2 minutes so it absorbs the flavors and the sauce clings.

Garnish and serve

Transfer the sauced chicken to a serving plate. Spoon any remaining sauce over the top, garnish with chopped cilantro and serve with lemon wedges on the side.