Chicken Ruby Recipe

1. Marinate chicken

Trim excess fat and cut chicken thighs into 1.5-inch pieces. In a bowl combine yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, lemon juice, red chili powder, turmeric and 1 tsp salt. Add chicken, mix thoroughly to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, preferably 3–4 hours or overnight.

2. Sear chicken

Heat 2 tbs vegetable oil in a heavy skillet or frying pan over medium-high heat. Shake off excess marinade (retain any thick marinade bits for the sauce). Sear chicken in a single layer in batches so pieces get color, about 2–3 minutes per side until just cooked through and browned. Remove chicken to a plate and set aside. Reserve pan drippings for sauce.

3. Cook aromatic base

Lower heat to medium. Add 3 tbs butter to the same pan (add a little more oil if pan is dry). Add finely chopped onion and cook, stirring often, until very soft and lightly golden, about 8–10 minutes. Add 1 tbs ginger-garlic paste and cook 1–2 minutes until raw aroma dissipates.

4. Add tomato and spices

Pour in 2 cups tomato puree. Stir in coriander powder, paprika and garam masala. Bring to a gentle simmer, scraping browned bits from the pan. Simmer, partially covered, until sauce reduces and deepens in color, about 12–15 minutes. Taste and add sugar to balance acidity.

5. Enrich and smooth

Reduce heat to low. Stir in almond paste, then gradually whisk in the heavy cream and 1/4 cup milk until the sauce is smooth and silky. Simmer gently 5 minutes; do not boil hard once cream is added to prevent splitting. If the sauce seems too thick, add up to 2–3 tbs water or more milk to reach desired consistency.

6. Finish sauce

Add crushed kasuri methi (1 tsp), 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tbs lemon juice. Adjust seasoning. If you reserved any thick marinade bits or browned chicken juices, stir them into the sauce now for extra flavor. Taste and adjust sugar, salt or lemon as needed to achieve a balanced, slightly sweet, tangy, creamy profile.

7. Combine chicken with sauce

Return the seared chicken pieces to the pan, nestling them into the sauce. Simmer gently for 5–7 minutes until chicken is heated through and the flavors meld. Spoon sauce over chicken occasionally.

8. Turn off the heat and swirl in 1 tbs cold butter if using for extra gloss. Sprinkle a pinch (0.25 tsp) of dried fenugreek over the top and scatter chopped cilantro. Let the dish rest 2 minutes before serving.

9. Serve hot with steamed basmati rice, naan, or roomali roti. Leftovers keep in the refrigerator for 2–3 days; gently reheat over low heat, adding a splash of milk or water to loosen sauce.