James Martin's butter chicken
Tender chicken breast is marinated in yoghurt, lemon, and aromatic spices, then simmered in a rich, creamy cashew-infused sauce. It boasts a velvety texture and a fragrant, mildly spicy profile balanced by fresh cilantro. Serve hot alongside fluffy rice or warm flatbreads for a comforting meal.
Ingredients
- garlic cloves6 კბილი
- Lemon2 ცალი
- Vegetable oil15 ml
- cinnamon stick1 ცალი
- Cardamom4 ცალი
- Chilli2 ცალი
Instructions
11 steps- 1
Blend the chilli powder, cumin, garam masala, coriander, 3 garlic cloves, turmeric, cinnamon, ginger and cashews to a fine purée in a food processor. Add half of the lemon juice and blitz once more until smooth. Stir in the yoghurt until well combined.
- 2
Put the chicken breasts in a bowl and pour over the marinade, mixing to coat. Marinate in the fridge for 1 hour.
- 3
Preheat the grill to its highest setting and place an oven shelf in the middle of the oven.
- 4
Transfer the marinated chicken to a grill tray lined with aluminium foil. Grill for 12-15 minutes, until the marinade has browned and the chicken is just cooked through.
- 5
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the cinnamon stick and cardamom pods and stir-fry for 1 minute, until fragrant. Add the remaining garlic, chillies and tomatoes and simmer for 4-5 minutes.
- 6
Add the grilled chicken and cook for a further 4-5 minutes, until the sauce has thickened slightly and the chicken is cooked through.
- 7
Whisk in the chilled butter a little at a time, then add the cream and simmer for another 2 minutes. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Keep warm.
- 8
Meanwhile, make some chapatis, pile the flour onto a clean work surface and make a well in the centre. Gradually and carefully add 250ml/9fl oz cold water, pulling the flour in from the inner edges of the well to combine, until the mixture comes together as a soft dough. Knead until soft, smooth and elastic.
- 9
Divide the dough into 4 pieces then roll each piece into a ball. Roll out the balls onto a floured work surface to form a flat disc 2-3mm thick.
- 10
Heat a griddle pan or non-stick frying pan over a high heat until very hot. Cook the chapatis one at a time until just charred, about 20 seconds on each side. When the chapati is cooked, bubbles will form at its surface. Brush the cooked chapatis with the melted butter.
- 11
Serve the butter chicken with the chapatis.
Nutrition
1 serving ≈ 400 g
Nutrition values are estimates. - means data is unavailable.
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