Indian Butter Chicken

Serves 6 | Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 30 minutes

A traditional Indian dish from New Delhi, Indian butter chicken is similar to tikka masala.I love the comforting flavors this dish provides to keep warm and nourished this time of the year. Feel free to substitute the butter for coconut oil or olive oil.

Ingredients

Olive oil
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
Kosher salt to taste
Clarified butter (or olive oil or coconut oil)
1 white or yellow onion, diced
2-3 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, micro planned
2 teaspoons curry powder
2 teaspoons garam masala
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1-15oz can crushed tomatoes
1-15oz can full fat coconut milk
2 cups chicken stock
1 pound of potatoes, peels and cut into 1-inch pieces
To finish: 1 bunch of chopped cilantro, 1 cup of fresh mint, chopped, yogurt (optional) and steamed Jasmin rice

Chef Tips

Make this vegetarian by adding cooked lentils and chickpeas in place of the chicken. Some big handfuls of dark leafy greens right at the end can help add some more nutrients as well.

Preparation

Step 1

Sear the chicken in a deep 6qt dutch oven with some olive oil until lightly golden brown. Season with salt. At this point it’s not necessary to cook the chicken all the way through as it will finish cooking later in the sauce. Most likely you’ll have to do this in two rounds. Set the chicken in a bowl and set aside.

Step 2

In the same pot, sweat the onion and carrots for about 5-6 minutes in some butter or until the vegetables start to look translucent. Season with salt. Add in the garlic and ginger and sweat for 30 seconds.

Add in the curry powder, garam masala, paprika and cook for about 1 minute. Add in the tomato, cook for another 30 seconds.

Step 3

By this point the contents in the pot should look nice a toasty from the spices and tomato paste. Add in the crushed tomato, coconut milk and chick stock. Stir the bottom of the pot to dislodge all the tasty bits on the bottom. Add in the potatoes and chicken and bring to a simmer. Cook partially covered until the potato are cooked through about 12-15 minutes. Taste for seasoning.

When you’re about to serve, stir in the cilantro and mint. Ladle some of the mixture over some steamed rice and offer some yogurt on the side for some tanginess. Enjoy!