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–+ servings
Small wooden bowl filled with butter chicken. The 1-inch chicken pieces are covered in a thick creamy tomato-based sauce. Background is silk sari fabric with intricate patterns, and the bowl is surrounded with vines of a Wandering Dude plant with purple and gray striped leaves.

Alanna's Butter Chicken

Flavorful spiced chicken in a thick tomato-based creamy sauce.
5 from 1 vote
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Course Main Course
Cuisine Indian, Wheel of Time
Servings 3 servings

Equipment

  • 5-quart Dutch Oven pot with a lid

Ingredients
  

  • 1 Tbsp vegetable oil (or your favorite neutral-flavored oil)
  • 2 Tbsp butter
  • 1 large onion diced
  • 2 tsp freshly grated ginger
  • 5 cloves garlic crushed and roughly chopped
  • 1 6-oz can tomato paste OR 1 (15-oz) can tomato sauce
  • 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs (about 2 to 3 lbs), cut into 1" pieces
  • 1 Tbsp garam masala
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
  • ½ tsp turmeric
  • ½ tsp Kosher salt adjust if needed
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • ¾ cup heavy cream
  • Cooked Rice for serving
  • Naan for serving

Instructions
 

  • Gather and prep all ingredients (cut up the chicken, etc)
  • Put all spices including salt into a small bowl and mix together..
  • Heat dutch oven on the stovetop to medium heat.
  • Once heated, add oil and butter then add onion. Cook on medium for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Preheat the oven to 350 F.
  • Stir in the ginger and garlic and cook for another minute or so.
  • Add tomato paste or sauce. For paste: cook, mixing constantly until it is darkened in color, about 3 minutes. For sauce: cook, mixing frequently, until sauce reduces almost to the texture of tomato paste (about 20 minutes).
  • Stir in the spices and cook for one minute. Turn off the heat.
  • Add ½ cup water to pot and stir to combine.
  • Add the chicken pieces to the pot. Stir carefully to combine.
  • Put the lid on and bake for about 35 minutes until chicken reaches 185 F. (it is technically cooked at 165 but tastes better at 185)
  • Stir in heavy cream.
  • Serve with rice and naan.

Notes

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