Easy Butter Chicken Recipe

This easy butter chicken recipe only takes minutes to make and tastes wonderful.

Known as Murgh Makhani in Hindi, it is one of the most famous Indian dishes and it is enjoyed in all parts of the world.

I was trying to trace the origins of butter chicken and this is what I found:

• According to Wikipedia the dish can be traced back to Delhi during the period of the Mughal Empire which began in 1526.


• Another source says that butter chicken originated in the 1950's at the Moti Mahal restaurant on Old Delhi.


• And yet another source says that it actually originated in Britain.

Whatever the case may be, this quick and easy butter chicken recipe will make you stop wondering who thought of it first. Only two facts are important - it is certainly Indian and it tastes great!

This is also a wonderful way of using up leftover Tandoori chicken.

Ingredients

• 500g of cooked boneless Tandoori chicken or
  1 whole smallish pre-cooked Tandoori chicken
• 30g (1 ounce) butter
• 1 teaspoon cooking oil
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 2 teaspoon sugar
• 250g (8 ounces) tomato puree
• 185 ml (6 flour ounces) cream
• salt and pepper to taste

Garnish
Thinly sliced green chilli

Method

1. If using a whole chicken, cut the chicken into 6 or 8 pieces, else cut the chicken meat into bite sized chunks.
2. Combine the butter and oil in a heavy based saucepan and heat over medium heat until the butter melts.
3. Add the cumin, tomato puree and sugar and bring to the boil.
4. Season with salt and pepper
5. Add the chicken and stir ensuring that it is well coated with the sauce.
6. Cook until the chicken is heated through.
7. Stir in the cream and cook for a further 2 minutes.
8. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with the sliced green chilli.
9. Serve with naan, roti, parathas or steamed rice.

Based on an original recipe from Niru Gupta's “Everyday Indian”

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