Chicken Makhani
A dish fit for royalty...
The extravagant culinary legacy of the Mughal empire shines through in every bite of creamy, buttery Chicken Makhani (Butter Chicken). The royal cuisine of the Mughals of the 16th century was an intermingling of flavors from the Indo-Persian cultures of the time - a multitude of fragrant spices, rich ingredients such as cream and butter, and time-consuming effort to ensure each dish was literally fit for a king.
Chicken Makhani (Butter Chicken)
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Category
Makhani Masala
Servings
4
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
40 minutes
Ingredients
2 lbs of boneless/skinless chicken breast cut into 1 inch pieces
- ½ cup yogurt
- 1 tbsp Makhani Masala blend by The Spice Collective
1 tbsp oil
½ tbsp salt
1 tsp oil
- ½ cup (1 stick) butter
1 large onion, diced
- 1 tbsp garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp ginger, grated
4 large tomatoes, diced
or 1 14.5oz can of crushed tomatoes
- 1 tbsp Makhani Masala blend
- ½ cup heavy cream
- Salt to taste
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
Marinade
Gravy
Directions
Stove-Top Recipe
In a medium mixing bowl, combine marinade ingredients, mix well. Add chicken pieces, stir into marinade to ensure all pieces are coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, overnight is recommended.
- Heat 1 tsp of oil in a large frying pan or over medium-high heat or use a grill pan sprayed with oil. Add chicken pieces. Cook until browned and cooked through. Remove from pan, set aside.
In a large saucepan, heat butter on medium-high heat, add onions, garlic and ginger, sauté for 5-10 minutes until onion has browned.
- Add 1 tbsp Makhani Masala blend and stir constantly for about a minute until spices are fragrant.
- Stir in crushed tomatoes. Optional: for a saucier gravy, use an immersion blender to puree.
- Bring gravy to a boil, add in chicken, lower heat to medium, cover and simmer for about 10 minutes or until gravy thickens.
- Add the heavy cream, stir to incorporate and simmer for 5 minutes. Add additional salt to taste.
Remove from heat and top with cilantro.
Serve with your favorite naan or basmati rice.
Instant Pot Method - No Marination Required
Using the “Saute” setting on the Instant Pot, heat 1 tbsp oil and add in onions, garlic, and ginger. Cook for 2-4 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add crushed tomatoes, chicken, and 2 tbsp Makhani Masala, mix well to incorporate the ingredients and coat chicken in liquid and seasonings.
Close and lock the Instant Pot lid, set to “High Pressure” for 8 minutes.
Once the timer goes off, press “Cancel”, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes then manually release the remaining steam by opening the vent.
Open the lid and remove the chicken, place on cutting board and cut up chicken into bite-sized pieces, set aside while sauce cools for 5-10 minutes.
Using an immersion hand blender, blend together all the ingredients in the Instant Pot, stir in the butter and cream. (if you don't have a hand blender, pour the onion-tomato mixture into a blender, blend into a puree and add pack to the Instant Pot, then add butter/cream)
Add the chicken pieces into the sauce and stir. Add additional salt to taste.
Top with cilantro. Serve with your favorite naan or basmati rice.