Southall Punjabi Butter Chicken
Tender charred chicken pieces simmered in a rich, velvety tomato and butter gravy with fragrant fenugreek and double cream.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Total
- 55 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 580 kcal
Equipment
- •Baking tray
- •Grill
- •Large frying pan
- •Mixing bowl
- •Tongs
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 580 kcal
- fat
- 40
- carbs
- 12
- fibre
- 2
- protein
- 42
- calories
- 580 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Mix the yoghurt, half the garlic-ginger paste, half the chilli powder, half the garam masala, lemon juice, and salt in a bowl.
- 2
Add the chicken chunks and toss until evenly coated, then marinate for at least twenty minutes.
- 3
Preheat your oven grill to high and line a baking tray with foil.
- 4
Arrange the chicken onto the baking tray in a single layer and grill for twelve minutes, turning once until edges are lightly charred.
- 5
Melt the butter in a large frying pan over a medium hob.
- 6
Add the remaining garlic-ginger paste and fry for one minute until fragrant.
- 7
Pour in the tomato passata, remaining chilli powder, and honey, then simmer gently for fifteen minutes until thick and glossy.
- 8
Add the grilled chicken pieces and any accumulated meat juices into the simmering sauce.
- 9
Crush the kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) between your palms and stir into the pan with the remaining garam masala.
- 10
Pour in the double cream, stir gently to combine, and simmer on low for three minutes before serving.
Chef's tips
Crushing the dried fenugreek leaves between your palms before adding them releases their essential aromatic oils. Do not skip grilling the chicken until slightly charred, as this imparts the crucial dhaba tandoor flavour to the gravy.
Ingredient substitutions
- kasuri methi → a small pinch of ground fenugreek seeds
- double cream → single cream or full-fat coconut milk
Storage
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
Reheating
Reheat gently in a frying pan over a low hob, stirring frequently and adding a splash of water if the sauce is too thick.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Boiling the curry vigorously after adding the cream, which can split the silky sauce.
- •Under-grilling the chicken, resulting in pale meat without the essential smoky character.
Serving suggestions
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