Murg Makhani (Indian Butter Chicken)

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I can't believe it has been so long since I've posted a recipe! I made this chicken over a week ago and it tasted wonderful but I kept getting boggled down with a bunch of other stuff so I haven't had the time to share it. I promise to try and update this site more regularly -- I have a pipeline of other recipes I can't wait to share with you so stay tuned :)

So, back to the cooking....

Whenever I got to an Indian restaurant I almost always order murg makhani -- I just love it. This is the first time I tried to make it myself and it turned out fantastic... It does require a bit more cream and butter than I usually like to cook with so I'll be saving this as a special treat (why does cream and butter make everything taste so delicious?!?!).

If you are looking to make a dish that is bursting with flavor then this is the recipe for you. I can almost guarantee that there will be no leftovers...

Ingredients:

For the chicken and marinade:
4 chicken breasts, chopped into bite-sized pieces
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp ginger minced
1 cup plain yogurt
1/2 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp vegetable oil

Sauce:
5 tsp vegetable oil
1/2 tsp ginger
2 cinnamon sticks
4 cardamom pods
4 cloves
1 bay leaf
5 tomatoes
1 tsp tomato paste
2 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp honey
1/2 cup cashew nuts (ground into a paste in the food processor)
1/4 cup cream
2 tsp butter
Salt and pepper to taste

To marinade the chicken:
In a large bowl, add the chicken breasts, yogurt, ginger, garlic, chili and oil. Mix thoroughly to ensure that the chicken is completely coated. Cover the bowl with cling-film and refrigerate overnight (or at least for a couple of hours, but the longer the better).

Broil the chicken:
Broil the chicken for about 7 minutes on each side until cooked through. Remove from the broiler and leave to cool. On to the sauce :)

To make the sauce:
Heat the vegetable oil in a large saucepan on a medium flame. Add the cardamom pods, cloves, bay leaf and cinnamon stick for about a minute. Add the ginger, and keep stirring for another minute (make sure it doesn't burn -- lower the heat if necessary).

Next, add the tomatoes. Lower the heat, cover the pot and leave them to cook for about 15-20 minutes (keep checking and stirring to make sure it doesn't burn). Add water if necessary.

When the tomatoes have become a nice saucy consistency, add the garam masala, paprika, honey, and cashew paste. Season with salt and pepper. Add the cream and the butter and leave to cook for about 7 more minutes.

Taste and adjust the seasoning as you like.

Combine sauce and chicken:
In a separate saucepan, add the chicken to a medium flame and cook once again for about 3 minutes (you just want to make sure that they turn a nice color and are cooked through -- don't overdo it though so they don't get firm). Add the sauce to the chicken, stir well to ensure the chicken is well coated.

Garnish with cilantro.

Serve alongside a simple basmati rice dish.

Serves 6

If you liked this recipe then you must try:
Easy Chicken Tikka Masala
Vegetable Curry
Yellow Rice

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9 comments:

  1. This chicken sounds delicious! I'd love to try it when I'm feeling like I can afford the calories!

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  2. Oh wow, this looks so rich and delicious! I love comforting meals such as this. I love your site too!

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  3. These butter chicken sound incredible! Yum!

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  4. I love this dish. However I m not good at cooking it from scratch. Maybe I ll tryt his recipe next time though:) looks delicious

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  5. I know what you mean. For some reason I try not to cook with cream, butter, etc. but then I'll sit and eat like, a pound of chocolate! Oh well...I guess if I was doing both I'd be in trouble. But I digress. The chicken looks fabulous!

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  6. i have been wanting to make butter chicken for some time now. yes, it may be fattening, but i want to eat it while it's still cold out. supposedly this meal was only for the rich on very, very special occasions. could it be because of the amount of butter? hmmmm...

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  7. Thanks everyone :) I'm glad you liked it -- apologies that it isn't the healthiest recipe in the world :) I'll try and see if I can find a healthier version although it won't taste as good for sure!

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  8. Just made it, and -- as per your guarantee -- there were no leftovers AT ALL! I'm almost mad at my guests for that... :)

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Hey there! Thanks for stopping by. I would love to hear your thoughts and suggestions. I promise to respond to any questions as soon as I possibly can.