Chicken Makhani (Indian Butter Chicken)

This is ridiculously indulgent, makes the house smell delicious, and freezes well. It happens to be my favorite Indian dish, so a few years ago, I decided to figure out how to make it myself.

Spices are a great investment

Chicken thighs are rarely as cheap as they should be. Boneless skinless breast goes on sale as low as $1.49/lb here but thighs rarely go below $1.99/lb, which is what I paid for this pack at Meijer. You can use breast for this recipe if you prefer, but the thighs are more flavorful. Peanut oil can be expensive, but since it is best for deep frying (which I don’t do often, but when I do, I want to do it right), I usually have some on-hand. The jar above is actually the bit I poured out for cooking from a HUGE box I found on clearance at Jewel. If you don’t have peanut oil, you can use vegetable oil here. There was a rebate on it too, so I couldn’t pass it up. I am using lemon juice from a bottle here because this recipe is not one that would show off the taste of fresh lemon juice. This bottle is from Target (which usually has the best prices on pantry staples when I find I have run out of something), but it was $1.99 at Tony’s and Caputo’s last week, a good price for a 32 oz bottle that will last quite a while. Ginger usually has a scary tag price but is so light it won’t cost you much. I think the piece you see above cost me around 30 cents. Anyway, you also have half & half, plain yogurt, butter, garlic, a white onion, a bit of cashews, and a handful of spices. Cashews can be expensive. Oddly enough, nuts are something that often ends up being a good deal at the drugstores. Those you see above were purchased at CVS during a BOGO sale. If I didn’t already have them on hand, the bulk section is a good option for unsalted cashews (or you can pick them out of your can of mixed nuts, rinse off the salt, and let them dry). All of my spices, including peppercorns, come from Penzey’s or The Spice House. The quality can’t be beat and it is surprisingly cheaper than most grocery stores. It costs a bit up front when you are trying new flavors, but I typically replace one or two per month, which usually costs me under five dollars. They also regularly send coupons for a free small jar of something with their catalogs. So this one is tough to calculate, but it is way cheaper than going out!

It is surprisingly easy to pull together

If you have a mortar and pestle (and you should, because it looks legit and helps you to make an awesome marinade as well), grind up your cashews in there.

It will be pretty easy because they are soft. You could also put them in a freezer baggie and smash them with a meat mallet or grind them in a small foodprocessor or coffee/spice grinder.

Heat a tablespoon of oil in a dutch oven over medium heat. Saute the onion until it becomes soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add four minced garlic cloves and a one inch piece of ginger, peeled and minced. Stir in 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, a tablespoon of lemon juice, a bay leaf, and a tablespoon each of Garam Masala, ground cumin, ground coriander, and chili powder. Cook, stirring, for one minute. This is the part when your house smells awesome.

Add the tomatoes, bring almost to a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer about 15 minutes.

Add ½ cup plain yogurt and ¾ cup half & half. Combine well and simmer another ten minutes.

Heat another tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook chicken until lightly browned on all sides, about ten minutes. Season with a teaspooon of Garam Masala and cayenne pepper to taste. Reduce heat and add a few spoonfuls of sauce.

Simmer the chicken in the sauce until the liquid has reduced and the chicken is cooked.

Add the chicken mixture to the sauce and stir to combine.

Stir in the cashews and cook for another five to ten minutes, until the sauce has thickened.

We served it over basmati rice and with green beans and naan bread on the side. We like to pair it with a dry Riesling. The acidity balances the richness of this dish, while the slight sweetness goes well with the spice level.