Butter Chicken | a lunch prep meal
This recipe has been on repeat for me recently, mainly because it's pretty quick and because it makes a great packed lunch with some rice.
I also like that it uses chicken thighs, which hold up better than breasts for reheating purposes.
Basically, it's charred chicken with a creamy tomato-based sauce, and if you wanna read about the history of this dish, here's a National Geographic article.
I am nowhere near an Indian food expert, but the recipe I use is from America's Test Kitchen, and it goes like this.
Sauté onions and a chopped hot pepper (the recipe calls for a serrano chile, but a jalapeno is what I had this day and it was fine.)
When the onion starts to brown, add in garlic and grated ginger.
Cook for about a minute, then stir in spices (cumin, coriander, garam masala, black pepper):
Next, add water and ½ cup of tomato paste (which, conveniently, is a whole small can).
Mix that all together, and add some sugar and salt and bring to a boil.
Blend the whole mixture up, then return it to a saucepan and add some heavy cream and more butter (I skip the second butter addition, and you could also use half and half instead of cream if you want less fat in your finished dish.)
To make the chicken, mix two pounds of boneless, skinless chicken thighs with ½ cup Greek yogurt and a teaspoon of salt. You could add some seasonings, but honestly, this combo is surprisingly good on its own.
Line a half-sheet pan with aluminum foil, place a rack on top (I spray mine with cooking spray to make cleanup easier), and arrange the chicken on the rack.
Heat the broiler to high, and broil the chicken for about 16 minutes, turning halfway through (the chicken should be 175 degrees).
Let the chicken rest for 5-10 minutes, then cut it up into bite-sized chunks.
Stir the chicken into the sauce, and serve over rice, with cilantro.
Thinking ahead: next time I make this, I'm going to double the sauce and freeze half of it. That way, the next time all I have to cook is the chicken!
Butter Chicken
Charred chicken in a creamy tomato sauce; great for prepped lunches!
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter, divided
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 5 minced garlic cloves
- 4 teaspoons fresh ground ginger
- 1 serrano chile, seeded and diced (jalapeno is fine!)
- 1 tablespoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 ½ cups water
- ½ cup tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 teaspoons table salt, divided
- 1 cup heavy cream (can use half and half instead)
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 3 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro
Instructions
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and pepper and sauté 8-10 minutes or until onion begins to brown.
Add in garlic and grated ginger. Cook for about a minute, then stir in spices (cumin, coriander, garam masala, pepper):
Next, add water and tomato paste. Mix together, and add sugar and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil.
Blend mixture until smooth, then pour back into saucepan, add heavy cream and 2 tablespoons butter (this butter is optional), and keep warm.
To make the chicken, mix two pounds of boneless, skinless chicken thighs with ½ cup Greek yogurt and a teaspoon of salt.
Line a half-sheet pan with aluminum foil, place a rack on top (I spray mine with cooking spray to make cleanup easier), and arrange the chicken on the rack.
Heat the broiler to high, and broil the chicken six inches away from the heat for about 16 minutes, turning halfway through. Let the chicken rest for 5-10 minutes, then cut it up into bite-sized chunks.
Stir chicken into sauce and serve over rice with cilantro sprinkled on top.
Notes
You should be able to find garam masala at your local grocery store, but it's also available online.
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