Best Buttered Chicken

Ingredients

For the chicken marinade:

• 800g boneless and skinless chicken thighs or breasts cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt
• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon minced ginger (or finely grated)
• 2 teaspoons garam masala
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon red chili powder
• 1 teaspoon of salt

For the sauce:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons ghee (or 1 tbs butter + 1 tbs oil)
• 1 large onion, sliced or chopped
• 1 1/2 tablespoons garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon ginger, minced or finely grated
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 400 g crushed tomatoes or 1 can chopped tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon red chili powder (adjust to your taste preference)
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt (or to taste)
• 1 cup of heavy or thickened cream (or evaporated milk to save calories)
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon kasoori methi (or dried fenugreek leaves) (Can do without)

Instructions

• In a bowl, combine chicken with all of the ingredients for the chicken marinade; let marinate for 30 minutes to an hour (or overnight if time allows).
• Heat oil in a large skillet or pot over medium-high heat. When sizzling, add chicken pieces in batches of two or three, making sure not to crowd the pan. Fry until browned for only 3 minutes on each side. Set aside and keep warm. (You will finish cooking the chicken in the sauce.)
• Heat butter or ghee in the same pan. Fry the onions until they start to sweat (about 6 minutes) while scraping up any browned bits stuck on the bottom of the pan. 
• Add garlic and ginger and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant, then add ground coriander, cumin and garam masala. Let cook for about 20 seconds until fragrant, while stirring occasionally.
• Add crushed tomatoes, chili powder and salt. Let simmer for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally until sauce thickens and becomes a deep brown red colour.
• Blend with stickblender to make a smooth paste. You can add water with max. 150 dL.
• Stir the cream, sugar and crushed kasoori methi (or fenugreek leaves) through the sauce. Add the chicken with juices back into the pan and cook for an additional 8-10 minutes until chicken is cooked through and the sauce is thick and bubbling.
• Garnish with chopped parsley and serve with fresh, hot garlic butter rice and fresh homemade Naan bread!

Notes

OPTIONAL: To thin out the sauce, add a couple tablespoons of ghee or butter at the end of cooking, and gently simmer it through. Alternatively, add a small amount of water.