Traditional butter chicken recipes often require marinating the chicken, baking it separately, mixing the sauce, and adding ground cashews for richness. Although these methods yield excellent results, they also increase time consumption and the amount of cookware needed.
Advantages of the Simple Recipe
The presented recipe simplifies the process by eliminating the need for a blender or cashews, allowing everything to be cooked in one pan. It uses simple supermarket ingredients and takes less than an hour to prepare. The richness of the sauce is achieved through the use of cream and butter.
Step-by-Step Recipe
To prepare, you need 2 chicken breasts, cut into small cubes. They must be marinated in Greek yogurt, fresh ginger, garlic powder, paprika, cayenne pepper, salt, ground cumin, and the juice of half a lemon. Afterward, fry the chicken in a small amount of oil until lightly browned and fully cooked, then set it aside.
Making the Sauce
In the same pan, melt 1 tablespoon of butter and sauté the finely chopped onion, garlic, paprika, cumin, and salt over low heat for about five minutes, until the onion softens. Then, add tomato puree, sugar, fresh cream, and stir well. After simmering for a few minutes, stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter for extra creaminess. Finally, return the fried chicken to the pan, coating it evenly with the sauce, and garnish with fresh cilantro and a small amount of cream.
Cooking Tips
To avoid the need for blending, simply chop the onion and garlic very finely and cook them slowly until soft; the onion will break down and create a smooth, restaurant-like texture. If the sauce seems too acidic due to the tomato puree, add a little sugar to balance the flavor, starting with one teaspoon.
Cashew Substitution
Cashews are traditionally used to thicken and enrich the sauce, but they are not mandatory in this home version. In this recipe, the combination of Greek yogurt, fresh cream, and butter provides a rich, velvety taste without the extra steps of soaking and grinding nuts. This simple one-pan recipe delivers a similar comforting and creamy sensation but requires significantly less effort.
