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Restaurants›Twisted Indian North Barrie›Butter Chicken Recipe

Butter Chicken Recipe

Name: Twisted Indian North Barries Butter Chicken Recipe
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into 1–1.5" pieces; 1 cups plain whole-milk yogurt; 1 tbs ginger paste (or grated fresh ginger); 1 tbs garlic paste (or minced fresh garlic); 1 tbs lemon juice; 1 tsp ground coriander; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp garam masala; 1 tsp kashmiri red chili powder or sweet paprika (for color and mild heat); 1 tsp kosher salt; 1 tbs vegetable oil (for searing); 4 tbs unsalted butter; 1 tbs neutral oil (vegetable or canola); 1 cups yellow onion, finely chopped; 4 cloves garlic, minced; 1 tbs fresh ginger, grated; 14 oz tomato puree (or canned crushed tomatoes, blended smooth); 1 tbs tomato paste; 1 tsp ground coriander; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp mild chili powder or paprika; 1 tsp garam masala; 1 tsp kosher salt (or to taste); 1 cups water or low-sodium chicken stock; 1 cups heavy cream; 1 tsp sugar (optional, to balance acidity); 1 tsp fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi), crushed (optional); 2 tbs fresh cilantro, chopped; 1 tbs unsalted butter (extra, for sheen); 2 to taste lemon wedges (optional, for serving)

Inspired by Twisted Indian North Barrie

Time1h

Serves4

Make Butter Chicken Recipe in just 1h . Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.

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Ingredients

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Marinade & Chicken

1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into 1–1.5" pieces

1 cups plain whole-milk yogurt

1 tbs ginger paste (or grated fresh ginger)

1 tbs garlic paste (or minced fresh garlic)

1 tbs ReaLemon lemon juice

1 tsp Ground coriander

1 tsp Ground cumin

1 tsp Garam masala

1 tsp kashmiri red chili powder or sweet paprika (for color and mild heat)

1 tsp kosher salt

1 tbs vegetable oil (for searing)

Sauce

4 tbs Unsalted butter

1 tbs neutral oil (vegetable or canola)

1 cups yellow onion, finely chopped

4 cloves Garlic, minced

1 tbs Fresh ginger, grated

14 oz tomato puree (or canned crushed tomatoes, blended smooth)

1 tbs tomato paste

1 tsp Ground coriander

1 tsp Ground cumin

1 tsp mild chili powder or paprika

1 tsp Garam masala

1 tsp kosher salt (or to taste)

1 cups water or low-sodium chicken stock

1 cups Heavy cream

1 tsp sugar (optional, to balance acidity)

1 tsp fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi), crushed (optional)

Finishing & Garnish

2 tbs Fresh cilantro, chopped

1 tbs unsalted butter (extra, for sheen)

2 to taste lemon wedges (optional, for serving)

Method

Marinade & Chicken

Make the marinade

In a mixing bowl combine yogurt, ginger paste, garlic paste, lemon juice, ground coriander, ground cumin, garam masala, Kashmiri chili or paprika, and 1 tsp kosher salt. Whisk until smooth.

Marinate the chicken

Add the chicken pieces to the marinade, stir to coat completely, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to overnight. If short on time, 30 minutes will still impart flavor.

Sear the chicken

Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a heavy skillet or cast-iron pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Remove excess marinade from the chicken (shake off but don’t wipe completely). Sear chicken in batches so pieces don’t crowd the pan, about 2 minutes per side until browned (they will not be fully cooked). Transfer seared chicken to a plate and set aside.

Sauce

Sweat the aromatics

In a large sauté pan or Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon oil and 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden, about 8–10 minutes. Add minced garlic and grated ginger and cook 1–2 minutes until fragrant.

Build the tomato base

Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1 minute. Add the tomato puree, ground coriander, ground cumin, mild chili or paprika, and 1 tsp garam masala. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8–10 minutes to reduce slightly and deepen flavor.

Simmer with stock

Add 1 cup water or low-sodium chicken stock and the seared chicken pieces along with any juices. Bring to a simmer, cover partially, and cook on low for 10–12 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through (internal temperature 165°F / 74°C) and the flavors meld.

Finish the sauce

Reduce heat to low. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and 1 cup heavy cream slowly, mixing until the sauce is smooth and glossy. Taste and adjust salt. If sauce tastes too acidic, stir in 1 tsp sugar. Sprinkle in crushed fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi) if using, and cook 1–2 minutes more to incorporate.

Optional blend for smooth texture

For an ultra-smooth, restaurant-style sauce, let the mixture cool slightly and carefully blend with an immersion blender until smooth before returning to the pan. Reheat gently and add the seared chicken back in to warm through if you blended without chicken.

Finishing & Garnish

Stir in the final 1 tablespoon of butter for shine. Spoon the butter chicken into a serving dish, garnish with chopped cilantro and serve with lemon wedges on the side. Serve hot with basmati rice, naan, or roti.