Description
Creamy, aromatic butter chicken served over soft basmati rice with warm golden garlic naan. A cozy, crowd-pleasing feast with a velvety tomato-butter sauce, fluffy grains, and buttery, garlicky bread.
Ingredients
- Boneless chicken thighs: 1.5 lb, cut into bite-size pieces
- Greek yogurt: 1/2 cup
- Lemon juice: 2 tbsp
- Garam masala: 2 tsp
- Ground cumin: 1 tsp
- Paprika: 1 tsp
- Butter: 4 tbsp, divided
- Onion: 1 large, finely chopped
- Garlic cloves: 6, minced, divided
- Fresh ginger: 1 tbsp, minced
- Tomato purée: 1 cup
- Heavy cream: 1 cup
- Basmati rice: 2 cups, rinsed
- Water for rice: 3 cups, plus more as needed
- All-purpose flour: 3 cups
- Instant yeast: 2 tsp
- Warm water for naan: 1 cup
- Salt: 1 tsp, plus more to taste
- Fresh cilantro: 1/4 cup, chopped
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken: In a bowl, combine chicken, Greek yogurt, lemon juice, garam masala, ground cumin, and paprika. Mix well and rest 30 minutes.
- Start the sauce base: Melt 2 tbsp butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté chopped onion until golden. Add half the minced garlic and all the ginger, cook until fragrant.
- Build the curry: Stir in tomato purée and a pinch of salt. Add the marinated chicken with any marinade, stir to coat.
- Simmer to tender: Reduce heat to low and simmer until chicken is cooked through and sauce thickens, about 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in heavy cream and warm through.
- Cook the rice: Bring 3 cups water and a pinch of salt to a boil. Add rinsed basmati rice, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until tender and fluffy, 12 to 15 minutes. Rest covered 5 minutes, then fluff.
- Make naan dough: In a bowl, combine all-purpose flour, instant yeast, warm water for naan, and 1/2 tsp salt. Mix and knead until smooth and soft, about 5 minutes. Cover and rise 1 hour until puffy.
- Shape the naan: Divide dough into 8 pieces. Roll each into an oval about 1/4 inch thick.
- Cook the naan: Heat a cast-iron skillet or griddle over medium-high. Cook each naan 1 to 2 minutes per side until blistered and golden.
- Garlic butter finish: Melt remaining 2 tbsp butter with the remaining minced garlic. Brush hot naan generously and sprinkle with a little salt.
- Serve: Spoon rice onto plates, top with buttery chicken, and garnish with chopped cilantro. Serve with warm garlic naan.
Notes
- Note: For extra richness, add a pinch of crushed fenugreek leaves to the sauce before serving.
- Note: Let dairy come to room temperature to prevent the sauce from splitting.
- Note: Briefly toast naan over an open flame for a light char.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 plate
- Calories: 580
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 780 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 14 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 56 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 165 mg
Keywords: butter chicken, murgh makhani, garlic naan, basmati rice, Indian curry, creamy chicken curry, family dinner