The Running Chef

I love a good curry with a thick, rich sauce. However, butter chicken tends to be a little too rich, especially when trying to eat to maintain my running performance or speed up recovery. That’s why I developed this quick, lighter butter chicken perfect for a midweek meal.

What is Butter Chicken?

Butter Chicken, or Murgh Makhani, originated in Delhi in the 1950s. Like most classic dishes, it was created by chefs working at the famous Moti Mahal restaurant by accident. They combined leftover tandoori chicken with a rich tomato-based sauce laden with butter. The name makhani means butter.  This dish quickly gained popularity due to its creamy texture and pungent spices, becoming a staple in Indian restaurants worldwide.

Chicken pieces are typically marinated in lemon juice, yoghurt, and spices for several hours and then cooked in a tandoori oven. However, most of us don’t own tandoori clay ovens, so marinated chicken is often oven-roasted, grilled, or pan-fried. The sauce is a tomato-based sauce with butter, garlic, and ginger, cooked until the water has evaporated, leaving behind a thick, rich sauce.

Some recipes call for cashews or almonds to thicken the sauce. However, I have chosen to keep this recipe nut-free due to an allergy to tree nuts.

Key Ingredients

Chicken—You can use chicken thigh instead of chicken breasts, but I prefer the texture of chicken breasts in this butter chicken, as it retains its texture and a bit of a bite. Chicken breasts also offer a lean source of protein. The key to this recipe is in the marinated chicken, so marinate for as long as you can, preferably overnight, but for at least half an hour.

Tomato Passata—Tomato passata is like tinned tomatoes, except it’s sieved to create a smooth sauce. Some recipes call for blending chopped tomatoes, but tomato passata removes this extra step. Both sources of tomatoes offer a tangy flavour packed with antioxidants.

Ginger & Garlic Puree—If you can, buy garlic and ginger purees without the added vinegar, sugars, and oils. These are key ingredients in Indian cookery and are essential here, forming an aromatic base for this midweek butter chicken. You can also make these yourself, offering a great sense of control, by blending peeled garlic or ginger with a bit of oil in a blender.

Fenugreek Leaves—Also called methi leaves, the dried leaves are key to this recipe. You can leave them out if you struggle to source them, but they offer an incredible earthy flavour and help aid digestion.

Turmeric—This bright yellow spice is considered a superfood for its anti-inflammatory properties. However, its primary use here is to help give the sauce its vibrant orange colour.

Garam Masala – Garam masala is a blend of spices used to season the finished dish. Every cook usually has their own blend or preference. When buying garam masala, opt for one you know and like because no mix is the same.

Print

Butter Chicken

I love a good curry with a thick, rich sauce. However, butter chicken tends to be a little too rich, especially when trying to eat to maintain my running performance or speed up recovery. That’s why I developed this quick, lighter butter chicken perfect for a midweek meal.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Indian

Keyword curry

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Marinating Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 4

Calories 429kcal

Ingredients

For the Chicken

• 500 g Chicken Breasts Diced
• 60 g Yoghurt
• Juice from 1 Lemon
• 2 Tsp Cumin
• 1 Tsp Ground Coriander
• 2 Tsp Turmeric
• 1 Tsp Red Chilli Powder
• 1 Tsp Black Pepper
• 1 Tsp Salt
• 1 Tsp. Garlic Puree
• 1 Tsp Ginger Puree

For the Sauce

• 15 ml Vegetable Oil
• 1 Tsp Cumin Seeds
• 2 Onions Finely Diced
• 1 Tsp. Garlic Puree
• 1 Tsp Ginger Puree
• 1 Green Chilli de-seeded and Finely Chopped
• 500 g Tomato Passata
• 50 g Butter
• 2 Tsp Garam Masala
• 1 Tsp Fenugreek Leaves
• Fresh Coriander to Serve
• Basmati Rice to serve

Instructions

• Mix the diced chicken with yoghurt, lemon juice, cumin, coriander, turmeric, chilli powder, black pepper, salt, garlic puree, and ginger puree. Cover and let it marinate for at least 30 minutes, preferably overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 220 ° C or 200 C fan or 425 ° F or Gas 7.
• Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Arrange the chicken in a flat layer and place it in the centre of the preheated oven. Bake the chicken for 10-12 minutes until it is just cooked and beginning to brown.
• Meanwhile, heat a large pan over medium heat and add the oil. Add cumin seeds and toast until fragrant.
• Add the diced onions and cook until softened and golden brown. Stirring occasionally.
• Add garlic, ginger, and green chilli, cooking for another minute.
• Add the tomato passata and butter. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add the garam masala and fenugreek leaves, then mix well.
• Add the cooked chicken to the pan, stirring to coat it in the sauce. Simmer for another 5 minutes, allowing the flavours to mix.
• Garnish with fresh coriander and serve hot with basmati rice.