Butter Chicken

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, fully thawed, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons garam masala, divided
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin, divided
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, divided
• 1 tablespoon neutral oil
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 3 garlic cloves, finely grated, divided
• 1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger, divided
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
• 1 (15-ounce) can smooth tomato puree, not tomato paste
• 3/4 cup water, divided
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar

Method

1. 1

   Step 1. Allow about 4–4 1/2 hours with thawed chicken, including at least 3 hours refrigerated marinating; marinating up to 24 hours is optional. Use a covered bowl, a deep 12-inch heavy skillet and an instant-read thermometer. The 250-minute estimate includes 20 minutes prep, 50 minutes cooking and 3 hours marinating. Thawing and rice or bread preparation are separate.

2. 2

   Step 2. Mix chicken with yogurt, lemon juice, 1 teaspoon garam masala, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon salt, half the garlic and half the ginger. Cover and refrigerate for 3–24 hours; do not marinate on the counter.

3. 3

   Step 3. Heat oil over medium-high heat. Lift chicken out, allowing excess marinade to drip off. Brown in two batches for about 2–3 minutes per side, leaving pieces undisturbed to develop golden patches. Transfer to a plate; they will finish in the sauce. Discard marinade left in the raw-chicken bowl. Lower heat if yogurt residue darkens; wipe out blackened residue before proceeding.

4. 4

   Step 4. Reduce heat to medium-low. Melt 1 tablespoon butter and stir in remaining garlic and ginger for 30 seconds. Add paprika, 1/2 teaspoon garam masala, remaining 1/2 teaspoon cumin and optional cayenne for 20–30 seconds. Add tomato puree, 1/2 cup water, sugar and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Simmer gently for 12–15 minutes until slightly thickened, stirring and scraping the base.

5. 5

   Step 5. Stir in cream, chicken and collected juices. Simmer gently for 12–20 minutes until the thigh pieces are tender and their thickest centers reach about 175°F (79°C); 165°F (74°C) is the safety minimum. If the sauce gets too thick, add the remaining 1/4 cup water a tablespoon at a time as needed. Avoid a hard boil.

6. 6

   Step 6. Remove from heat. Stir in the final 1/2 teaspoon garam masala and remaining 2 tablespoons butter, a few pieces at a time, until the sauce is glossy. Serve the chicken with its smooth tomato-butter sauce.