A fragrant and spicy classic Indian dish with a creamy tomato sauce.
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon garam masala
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 4 bonless, skinless chicken breasts cubed
- 1 can tomato paste (the small can)
- 1 teaspoon garlic minced
- 3/4 teaspoon ginger grated
- 2 teaspoons tumeric
- 1 tablespoon fenugreek (i use powder, but seeds can be used too)
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper or add more to taste, depending on how hot you like it
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- Carbohydrate 12.651435 g
- Cholesterol 213.7411 mg
- Fat 27.8305433928571 g
- Fiber 2.55504997348785 g
- Protein 50.3390932142857 g
- Saturated Fat 13.91764625 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (338g)
- Sodium 891.03365 mg
- Sugar 10.0963850265121 g
- Trans Fat 6.52922714285714 g
- Calories 481 calories
Step-by-step
- Cook chicken in skillet over medium high heat until chicken is cooked through; set aside.
- Turn heat down to medium and add tomato paste and heavy cream to skillet and bring to a simmer; about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the garlic, ginger and spices and continue to simmer for five more minutes.
- Then add chicken back in and cook just to reheat chicken and coat it in the sauce.
- Serve over Basmati rice.
Unlike tikka masala, which relies on yogurt marinades and char-grilled chicken pieces, authentic butter chicken builds its foundation on a completely pan-cooked protein combined directly into an emulsified dairy-and-tomato base. The primary challenge in this preparation involves managing the high fat content of heavy cream, which can easily curdle if exposed to rapid boiling temperatures or harsh, direct heat from an uncalibrated burner. Lowering the skillet temperature to medium before introducing the dairy prevents separation while allowing the starches in the tomato paste to gelatinize and thicken the liquid properly over a ten-minute simmer.
Dietary adjustments require careful handling because the heavy cream provides both the body and the neutral pH buffer for pungent spices like cayenne and fenugreek. Substituting full-fat coconut milk at a one-to-one ratio maintains the necessary viscosity for coating the cubed meat without introducing dairy proteins, though it will impart a distinct tropical aroma. Cashew cream serves as another viable alternative, offering a neutral flavor profile that closely mimics the rich mouthfeel of traditional dairy fats.
Leftovers stored in airtight glass containers improve significantly by the second day as the fenugreek and garam masala fully penetrate the meat fibers. Reheat these portions gently over low heat on the stovetop, adding two tablespoons of water to reconstitute the sauce if it tightens too much in refrigeration.
