Butter Chicken, Revisited

 

Yum.  My second attempt at Murg Makhani (aka Butter Chicken) yielded better results than my first go 'round, which was mighty delicious to begin with.  For those unfamiliar with the more exotic flavors found in Indian cuisine, this recipe is a wonderfully tame way to get more acquainted.  Wanting a bolder flavor?  Check out my revisions below, in which I doubled the amount of all the spices (aside from the cayenne, which only got a 50% boost).  Using half the amount of cream serves not only to lighten the dish but also allows the flavors to really shine through.  You could certainly use chicken breasts as originally called for, but I prefer thighs for their more robust flavor.  Enjoy!

(Next time I'm definitely trying out the Murg Makhani recipe by Faith of An Edible Mosaic.)

Butter Chicken (Serves 6)

Adapted from lillieknits on Tasty Kitchen

1½ lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. black pepper

¾ tsp. cayenne pepper**

½ tsp. ground coriander

½ tsp. ground cumin

½ tsp. ground cardamom

1 whole lime, juiced

1 whole onion, diced

4 Tbl. butter

1 can (14.5 oz.) tomato sauce

1 can (14.5 oz.) petite diced tomatoes, undrained

 8 oz. whipping cream

chopped cilantro, to taste

1½ cups Basmati rice

**can be reduced according to level of heat desired.  Original recipe calls for ½ teaspoon, and the author notes the recipe is a little spicy and can be made with less cayenne.  I didn't detect much heat in the original version, so I added more.  Use your judgment.

Chop chicken into 1-inch cubes and place in a 1-gallon plastic zip-top bag.  Add garlic, salt, black pepper, cayenne, coriander, cumin, cardamom, and lime juice.  Close bag and knead bag to evenly distribute ingredients.  Place in refrigerator to marinate overnight.

Sauté the onion in the butter until soft.  Add marinated chicken and cook about 5 minutes.  Add the tomato sauce and diced tomatoes.  Cook for 30 minutes over medium-low heat with the lid on.  Meanwhile, prepare Basmati rice according to package directions.  Add the whipping cream and cilantro to the chicken just before serving over cooked rice.