Butter Chicken - Murg Makhani - Chicken Makhani

Butter Chicken - one of the most popular non-vegetarian dishes of the Indian Cuisine. You haven't tasted this delicacy yet?? bet you are missing something really delicious. Taste it once & you are hooked on to it for life. 

Butter Chicken is also known Murg Makhani which literally means Chicken cooked in gravy made of butter. This dish calls for cooking the marinated chicken in tandoori or grilled style & then mixing it with the thick, rich & creamy tomato gravy flavored with spices. And don't forget, the butter adds the extra flavor to this gravy - all high calorie food taste awesome, don't they?? Using boneless chicken or with bone is totally your discretion although I've used boneless chicken for this recipe. Have some left over Tandoori Chicken at home??  break it into pieces & add to the gravy & you are ready with this exotic dish in no time. Butter Chicken tastes best with Naan/Tandoori Roti or even simple Rice........Totally yum!!

Ingredients: 

For Grilled chicken:
Click on the link to refer to the recipe

For Gravy: 
2 bay leaves
3-4 green cardamoms
1 Mace
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp oil
3 tbsp thick tomato paste or 1 cup of tomato puree
1 tbsp of coriander powder
1 tsp of red chili powder (or to taste)
1 tsp cumin seed powder
1/2 tsp garam masala (or to taste)
1/4 tsp of sugar (optional)
1/4 - 1/2 cup of cream
1 tsp of kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves)
salt to taste
water as required

Method: 

For Grilled Chicken : Click on the link to refer to the recipe

For Gravy: 

In a pan, add oil & butter & stir on medium heat till butter dissolves. Then add the bay leaves, green cardamoms & mace to it. Saute for a few seconds & then add the tomato paste. Mix well. 

Now add  red chili powder, coriander powder & cumin seed powder,salt & mix. Saute this masala for a minute & then add a cup of water, garam masala & sugar to cut the sourness of tomato. Stir well & simmer for 5 mins. 

Once the gravy starts bubbling add the cream & mix. Crush the kasuri methi in between your palms & then add to the gravy, mix again. Finally add the grilled chicken pieces & mix. Simmer for 5 mins. 

Note: 

•  Add water as required but don't make the gravy too liquidy, its supposed to be thick in consistency so that it quotes the chicken pieces well.
• More the amount of cream, more rich your gravy would be. So start with 1/4 cup & add more if required. 

That's it our delicious Butter Chicken - Murg Makhani is ready, top with some more butter & serve it hot with Naan/Roti/Paratha/Rice 

Happy Cooking!!
Shweta