Ingredients

• 1 pound of chicken breast (bite-sized pieces)
• 1/2 cup of plain yogurt
• 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon of ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon of ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon of ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1 1/2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 thumb-sized ginger, minced
• 1 can (200 ml) of tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup of heavy cream (or more, to taste)
• 3 tablespoons of butter
• 1/2 teaspoon of garam masala
• 1 teaspoon of fenugreek leaves, crushed (optional)
• Fresh cilantro, chopped (for garnish)

Instructions

1. In a bowl, mix yogurt, lemon juice, turmeric, cumin, coriander, paprika, and salt.
2. Add the chicken pieces and coat them well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight if you can.
3. Once the chicken has marinated, it’s time to start cooking. In a large pan over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil.
4. Sear the marinated chicken pieces and cook until they are browned on all sides.
5. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
6. In the same pan, add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of oil. Toss in the chopped onion and sauté until it is golden brown.
7. Add the minced garlic and ginger, and cook for another 2 minutes.
8. Pour in the tomato sauce to the pan. Let it simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the fenugreek leaves during this step (if using) for additional flavor.
9. After 10 minutes, add the cooked chicken back into the pan. Stir well to coat the chicken with the sauce.
10. Pour in the heavy cream and add the butter. Stir until the butter is melted and the sauce is creamy.
11. Let it simmer for another 5 minutes. Sprinkle garam masala over the chicken and stir.
12. Garnish with fresh cilantro before serving. Serve your delicious butter chicken over a warm bed of Basmati rice!