Butter Chicken (मक्खन चिकन) — Creamy Tomato-Butter Chicken Curry

• 700 gboneless chicken thighs (cut into 4 cm pieces)
• 150 gplain yogurt (full-fat preferred)
• 15 mllemon juice
• 18 ggarlic (finely grated)
• 15 gfresh ginger (finely grated)
• 6 gKashmiri chili powder (for color and mild heat)
• 2 gground cumin
• 3 gground coriander
• 2 ggaram masala
• 8 gfine salt
• 30 mlneutral oil
• 70 gunsalted butter (divided)
• 3 podgreen cardamom pods (lightly crushed)
• 1 stickcinnamon stick (about 5 cm)
• 4cloves
• 180 gonion (finely chopped)
• 500 gtomato passata (or smooth crushed tomatoes)
• 30 gtomato paste (for deeper color and body)
• 1 gturmeric
• 6 ggranulated sugar (balances tomato acidity)
• 120 mlwater
• 200 mlheavy cream
• 2 gdried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi) (crushed between palms)
• 10 gcilantro (finely chopped)

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the marinade by mixing yogurt, lemon juice, grated garlic and ginger, Kashmiri chili powder, cumin, coriander, garam masala, and 8 g salt until smooth. Add the chicken pieces and coat thoroughly, then cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes (or up to 12 hours for deeper flavor).

2. 2

   Warm 200 ml of the cream until just hot (not boiling), then stir in the saffron and set aside to bloom for at least 10 minutes. This step perfumes the sauce and gives a subtle golden hue without overpowering the classic tomato-butter profile.

3. 3

   Heat 15 ml oil and 20 g butter in a wide pan over medium-high heat until the butter foams. Sear the marinated chicken in a single layer for 3–4 minutes per side until browned in spots; it does not need to cook through yet, then transfer to a plate.

4. 4

   Lower the heat to medium and add the remaining 15 ml oil and 30 g butter to the same pan. Add cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves and cook for 30–45 seconds until fragrant, then add the chopped onion and cook 8–10 minutes until deeply softened and lightly golden.

5. 5

   Stir in the grated garlic and ginger and cook for 60–90 seconds, scraping up any browned bits from the pan. Add cumin, coriander, Kashmiri chili powder, and turmeric and cook for 30 seconds to bloom the spices without scorching them.

6. 6

   Add the passata and tomato paste, then stir until the mixture is uniform and glossy. Simmer uncovered for 10–12 minutes, stirring often, until the sauce darkens slightly and the oil begins to separate at the edges.

7. 7

   Pour in 120 ml water and whisk to loosen the sauce, then reduce heat to low. For a restaurant-smooth texture, blend the sauce until silky and strain it back into the pan, then return it to a gentle simmer.

8. 8

   Add the seared chicken and any resting juices, then simmer gently for 10–12 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked and tender. Keep the heat low so the yogurt residue and tomato base do not catch on the bottom of the pan.

9. 9

   Stir in the saffron-bloomed cream, sugar, garam masala, and crushed kasuri methi, then simmer 2–3 minutes to meld. Add the remaining 20 g butter and 4 g salt, and stir until the sauce looks velvety and lightly glossy.

10. 10

    Rest the curry off the heat for 5 minutes so the chicken reabsorbs some sauce and the spices round out. Garnish with cilantro and serve hot, making sure each portion gets plenty of the creamy tomato-butter gravy.