Easy and simple Chicken Butter Masala Recipe

In continuation of our easy and simple recipe series, today we have come up with one of the most desired non vegetarian dish known as  Chicken Butter Masala, an extremely popular chicken recipe amongst the children & young adults. So, let us learn the easy and simple chicken butter masala recipe. 

It's a mouth watering dish with thick gravy made with tomato juice & fresh cream. Unlike thousands of available recipes available online, our recipes are always designed in such a way that even an absolute beginner can follow & cook with little effort. 

Also read how to cook kacchi chicken biryani in easy steps

Trivial Information:-

As per story available on the search giant google, Chicken Butter Masala originated in Delhi somewhere around 1950. The story further continues that a man named Kundan Lal used to work in Moti Mahal, a dhaba then well known for tandoori dishes.

They used to make a lot of tandoori chickens which were not sold to finish everyday. So, one day an idea came into the mind of Kundan that, if somehow the excess tandoori chickens could be turned into some sort of gravy item then the wastage could be avoided.

So, as an experiment he cooked the tandoori chickens with butter, tomato gravy & fresh cream. And this was the birth of today's Chicken Butter Masala also popularly known as Chicken Makhani in some places of India.

In Indian restaurants basically two kinds of chicken butter masala are made:-

(1) The chicken pieces are grilled and then cooked with the tomato gravy 

(2) Chicken pieces are not grilled and instead they are marinated overnight.

We shall follow the second method as it's much easier and also tastes fantastic.

Ingredients and quantity:-

(1) Chicken with bone cut into large pieces  : 1 kg 

(2) Butter : 50 gm (salted)

(3) Amul Fresh Cream : 250 gm

(4) Tomato : 700 gm

(5) Refined oil : 150 ml

(6) Curd : 100 gm

(7) Ginger & garlic paste : 3 tea spoon

(8) Whole spices & powdered spices commonly available at home.

(9) Dry Fenugreek (Kasauri Methi)

Marinating the chicken :-

We always recommend to marinate your chicken overnight for best results. This practice will ensure that your chicken always turns out tender and juicy.

Take a bowl and mix chicken pieces, salt as per taste, curd, ginger/garlic paste, 3 tea spoon of coriander powder, 2 tea spoon of shahi garam masala, 4 tea spoon of kashmiri mirch, 1/2 tea spoon of turmeric, 1/2 tea spoon of cumin & 3-4 green chillies. Mix well and cover with a lid. Now put the bowl in refrigerator for overnight marination.

Next day bring out the bowl from refrigerator at least 2 hours before cooking, this is very important. 

Preparing the tomatoes

Grind the tomatoes (700 gm) and keep it aside, you can also discard the seeds before grinding, it's optional. Now place a kadhai on medium steam and pour 50 ml of refined oil. For seasoning add 5-6 cardamom, 10 cloves, 1 inch cinnamon, 1 bayleaf & 1 dry chilli in the hot oil. After 1 minute of saute pour the entire tomato juice and fry until the water gets evaporated completely. 

Now, place another kadhai on medium steam and pour the remaining oil. When the oil turns hot, add the marinated chicken pieces along with the masala. Turn the steam in medium high and stir gently. Cover with a lid and let fry for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, remove the lid, stir again and turn the steam to low and fry for another 10 minutes, do not add water. Now pour the fried tomato gravy and mix well with the chicken pieces. Add the butter chunk and also 5 tea spoon of fenugreek(kasauri methi). Fry for another 15 minutes on low heat, covered with a lid. Finally, add the 250 gm of Amul fresh cream & cook for just 5 minutes.

Your delicious Chicken Butter Masala is ready for serving with fried rice or hot roti. 

Feel free to clear any doubts in the comment section. Happy cooking.