Use boneless chicken breasts or thighs, cut the chicken into 1½ inch pieces and then put in a marinade made with yogurt and spices. A sachet of chicken masala, usually available in powder/paste form, a little garam masala, cumin powder, coriander powder, and some red chili powder. Garam masala already contains cloves, black pepper, black cardamom, cinnamon, green cardamom, and several other spices. Fenugreek leaves or kasuri methi, Fresh Ginger and Garlic paste, oil to saute the onions and cook the butter chicken recipe, plain yogurt, ghee or clarified butter, Crushed Tomatoes, Onions, Rice, Roti or Naan Bread

Marinate the chicken for maximum flavor. Whisk the ginger garlic paste, yogurt, and seasoning together until the yogurt is smooth. Add the chicken piece and let this hang out. The longer you marinate the more flavorful the chicken, go for 12-24 hours, covered in the refrigerator, but even 20-60 minutes will do. The yogurt, ginger, and garlic really help make the chicken more tender.

Make the butter chicken curry. To a heavy bottom pan, add the oil and saute the onions over medium high heat until they are soft and translucent. Add the ginger and garlic paste and give it a few seconds. Add chili powder, cumin, and coriander and let the spices cook. Stir often to keep them from sticking and burning. If you find the spices are cooking too quickly, you can add a splash of water or even chicken broth if you’d like. Blend the sauce.

Refrigerate the butter chicken sauce once it’s cooled down in a container. Remove the marinated chicken from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking. To a clean pot add the remaining oil and heat it over medium heat. Add the marinated chicken. You want to discard any additional marinade. Saute the chicken until it’s golden. Add the prepared butter chicken sauce to the pot and stir to combine. You want to let the chicken finish cooking before you and the heavy cream and 2 teaspoon garam masala. Once the sauce reaches a simmer, taste and adjust the salt as needed. Crush fenugreek leaves between the palms of your hands to release their flavor and add them to the butter chicken. Butter chicken over basmati rice or naan, the authentic murgh makhani recipe.

Ingredients
Chicken Marinade:
½ kg boneless chicken breast, cut into 1 ½ inch cubes (see notes)
2 tablespoons masala
1 teaspoon EACH: ginger paste and garlic paste (I used Gourmet Garden)
½ cup yogurt
1 tablespoon oil

Butter Chicken Sauce:
2 tablespoons ghee (clarified butter) (see note)
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 ½ teaspoon EACH: ginger paste and garlic paste (I used Gourmet Garden)
1 (14.5 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon chili powder (see notes)
1 1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
1 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
2 teaspoon garam masala
¼ teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves (crushed between fingers)