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Indian: Murgh Makhani

Source of Recipe

From "One-Hour Comfort" by America's Test Kitchen


Recipe Introduction

"Also known as butter chicken, murgh makhani is a wildly popular northern Indian dish that has achieved royal status. The charred meat is bathed in a lush creamy gravy enriched with butter and tomato and scented with ginger, garlic, and spices such as garam masala, coriander, and cumin. Butter chicken has helped spawn a major restaurant franchise and has become one of the most well-known Indian dishes in the world. The sauce is a snap to prepare: Soften onion, garlic, ginger, and chile in melted butter; add the spices to bloom their flavors; stir in tomato; enrich the mixture with cream and some more butter; and finish it with chopped cilantro. The chicken poses a bigger challenge because the coveted charred exterior is difficult to achieve without the intense heat of a tandoor oven. A good solution: Coat the chicken in yogurt just before cooking it. The yogurt imparts tangy flavor, and its proteins and lactose brown faster than the chicken itself, making it easier to approach the char of tandoor-roasted birds. Butter chicken is usually mild; if you prefer a spicier dish, add the minced ribs and seeds from the chile. Serve with white rice or naan."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces and chilled, divided
â—¦ 1 onion, chopped fine
â—¦ 5 cloves garlic, minced
â—¦ 4 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
â—¦ 1 serrano chile, stemmed, seeded, and minced
â—¦ 1 tablespoon garam masala
â—¦ 1 teaspoon ground coriander
â—¦ ½ teaspoon ground cumin
â—¦ ½ teaspoon pepper
â—¦ 1 ½ cups water
â—¦ ½ cup tomato paste
â—¦ 1 tablespoon sugar
â—¦ 2 teaspoons salt, divided
â—¦ 1 cup heavy cream
â—¦ 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed
â—¦ ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
â—¦ 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, divided


Recipe

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, ginger, and serrano and cook, stirring frequently, until mixture is softened and onion begins to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Add garam masala, coriander, cumin, and pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add water and tomato paste and whisk until no lumps of tomato paste remain. Add sugar and 1 teaspoon salt and bring to boil. Off heat, stir in cream. Using immersion blender or blender, process until smooth, 30 to 60 seconds. Return sauce to simmer over medium heat and whisk in remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Remove saucepan from heat and cover to keep warm.

Adjust oven rack six inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Line rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and set wire rack in baking sheet. Combine chicken, yogurt, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt in bowl and toss well to coat. Using tongs, transfer chicken to baking sheet. Broil until chicken is evenly charred on both sides and registers 175 degrees, 16 to 20 minutes, flipping chicken halfway through broiling.

Let chicken rest for 5 minutes.
While chicken rests, warm sauce over medium-low heat. Cut chicken into ¾-inch chunks and stir into sauce. Stir in 2 tablespoons cilantro and season with salt to taste. Transfer to serving dish, sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon cilantro, and serve.

Serves 4 to 6