Butter Chicken, Butter Paneer

Butter Chicken or Butter Paneer recipe

Chicken/ Paneer Marinade

• 3-4 chicken breasts or 1 block paneer cut into cubes
• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 3 tsp garam masala (make your own!)
• 2 tsp tumeric
• 1.5 tsp salt
• 2 tsp ground cumin

Sauce

• EVOO (for frying)
• 1 large onion (diced)
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp coriander
• 28 oz tomato pieces
• 1-2 tsp salt (or to taste)
• 1 -1.5 cup heavy cream
• large pinch of Kasoori Methi (dried fenugreek leaves)

1.  Chop your chicken/paneer into little cubes.  MIx the spices and the yogurt together and then mix thoroughly with the chicken/paneer.  Set aside for 30 minutes to overnight.

2.  When marinated for the time allotted, add some EVOO to the bottom of a pan and get it hot.  In batches, cook your chicken until appropriately browned.  You can choose to not cook it through all the way here and finish it in the sauce later, but I like to cook it all the way, as I have others in my house with light fingers!  If making paneer, you can brown this too, but do so quickly, and with less oil.  You do not have to do this step with Paneer as it will get plenty hot later.

3.  Heat butter, oil or ghee in a pan and fry your onions until nice and brown, or starting to sweat.  You want to make sure to cook these for a long time, but not burn them.  

4.  Add in your spices (coriander, cumin, garam masala) and mix well.

5.  Add in your diced tomatoes and salt.  Cook until mixture is red/brown color and there is no, or very little water left from the tomatoes.  This will be thick and dark.  

6.  Use your blender to blend this mixture until smooth.  I use my stick blender right in the pan, but you can remove and use in a regular blender.  

7.  Add mixture back into the pan.  Add cream and Kasoori Methi.  Mix well.  Add in chicken or paneer and cook for another 10-15 minutes until chicken/paneer is cooked through and the sauce is thick and bubbling.  

Serve over rice or with naan/paratha