Butter Chicken

I love butter chicken it is the perfect dinner to have if you are craving something with flavor! I have been eating butter chicken since I was younger with my family. My mom would show me how to make it and from there I made it on my own. I just love sharing my food with my friends who never had it before. I recently started to cook more ever since covid hit. It was just something to do to pass the time and I grew to love cooking. Butter chicken is one of my favorite dishes to make! Especially pairing it with garlic naan. I have a recipe for that one too. :) The 2 of them together is just an explosion if flavor. I have to make big batches of butter chicken because I feel like I always need more. It is also good to have left overs that is so you can have a break from cooking and just reheat it. 

Butter chicken is one of the most popular curries at any Indian restaurant. It is filled with so many flavors that will leave you wanting more. This is an easy and fast way to replicate the famous butter chicken that you all love. 

Ingredients:

-1.5 pounds of chicken breast 

- 1/4 cup of plain yogurt

- 1 tablespoon of fresh garlic minced

- 2 teaspoons of fresh ginger minced

- 1/2 teaspoons of cumin

- 1 tablespoon of coriander

- 2 teaspoons of salt

- 2 tablespoons of garam masala

- 1 teaspoon of cayenne powder

- 1/2 tablespoon of turmeric

- 3 tablespoons of canola oil

- 1/4 cup of tomato paste

- 1/2 cup of tomato sauce

- 1 cup of heavy cream

- 1/4 cup of unsalted butter

- cilantro

Instructions:

1. In a bowl clean and prep your chicken breast and cut them into cubed shapes. Once cleaned and prepped combine yogurt, garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander, salt, garam masala, cayenne powder, and turmeric into your bowl with the chicken breast and mix them together. It is best to leave chicken marinade in the fridge for 1 hour. This makes the chicken become even tastier. It brings all the flavors together.

2. Once you are done with prepping the chicken next get out a non-stick skillet pan and begin to brown the chicken. Take the 2 tablespoons of canola oil and put it on the pan. Wait until the pan heats up and then begin to add your chicken. Let the chicken cook 8 minutes on one side flip it over and cook it for another 8 minutes on the other side. 

3. Next is to make the sauce. Once you are done browning the chicken remove the chicken from the pan and put it in a bowl. Next use the same pan to make your sauce. Let the sauce cook on medium-high heat. Put the tablespoon of canola oil on the pan and then add your tomato paste. Wait until the tomato paste darkens, which will only take 2 minutes so keep an eye on it. 

4. Once the tomato paste darkens add the 1/2 a cup of tomato sauce and heavy cream and then stir it together. 

5. Next add your chicken! Garnish with cilantro.

You can put your butter chicken on basmati rice and serve it with garlic naan!