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Butter Chicken

Easy Butter Chicken

Easy Butter Chicken is a one pan dinner made with chicken thighs simmered in a creamy, spiced tomato sauce. It is rich, comforting, and forgiving, making it perfect for busy nights when dinner almost goes sideways but still comes together beautifully.
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Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: Cast Iron
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 620kcal
Author: Dad

Equipment

  • Large skillet or pan
  • Boning knife or sharp knife
  • Cutting Board
  • Mixing bowl
  • Wooden spoon or spatula

Ingredients

  • 4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
  • 3 tablespoon Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt (Estimated) Just Lightly Dust.

Spice Blend

  • 1 tablespoon Cumin
  • 1 tablespoon Garam Masala
  • 1 tablespoon Ginger
  • 1 tablespoon Paprika
  • 1 tablespoon Dad Dust See Note for Recipe

Aromatics

  • 1 Large Onion
  • 9 Garlic Cloves Minced

Cooking Fats

  • 3 Unsalted Butter
  • 1 tablespoon Avocado Oil

Sauce

  • 1 teaspoon Chicken Base Linked Below
  • 8 0Z Tomato Paste 1 Tube, or Small Can
  • ½ QT Heavy Cream
  • Water Small Splashes as Needed

Instructions

Mix the Spice Blend

  • In a bowl, combine cumin, garam masala, ginger, paprika, and Dad Dust.
  • Season both sides of the chicken lightly with kosher salt.
  • Coat the chicken on all sides with the spice blend, rubbing it in well.

Prep the Aromatics

  • Dice the onion.
  • Smash and finely mince the garlic.

Brown the Chicken

  • Set a pan over medium heat. Be sure not to have your heat too high and burn the spices.
  • Add about 3 tablespoons of butter and let it melt. Add a small splash of avocado oil if needed.
  • Add the chicken and brown lightly on both sides. Do not burn. This step is only for color and flavor, not cooking through.
  • Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.

Build the Sauce

  • Add the diced onion and garlic to the same pan.
  • Stir and scrape the bottom of the pan, adding small splashes of water as needed to release the fond.
  • Cook for about 2 minutes until the onions soften.
  • Add about 1 teaspoon of chicken base and stir well. Cook for about 3 minutes.
  • Add the entire tube of tomato paste. Cook for about 2 minutes to deepen the flavor.
  • Sprinkle in a small amount of the same spices used earlier, excluding Dad Dust. About a TSP. You can adjust as needed after the sauce is built.

Simmer

  • Pour in heavy cream, using enough to create a full sauce.

Return the chicken to the pan.

  • Simmer on low for about 20 minutes.

Finish the Chicken

  • Remove the chicken from the pan and cut into bite sized pieces.
  • Return the chicken to the sauce and simmer for about 4 more minutes, until fully cooked to at least 165°F with no translucency.

Finish the Sauce

  • Turn off the heat.
  • Add 4 tablespoons of cold butter and stir until melted and smooth.

Video

Notes

Dad Dust Recipe:
  • 120G Granulated Garlic
  • 120G Granulated Onion
  • 1 tablespoon MSG
Instructions:
  1. Place all the items in a shaker and mix well.

Nutrition

Calories: 620kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 52g | Saturated Fat: 29g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 243mg | Sodium: 5508mg | Potassium: 577mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 2697IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 132mg | Iron: 3mg
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