Murgh makhani, often referred to as butter chicken, is a rich, mild curry that’s extremely popular on Indian restaurant menus. The dish originated in North India and usually brings together slow-cooked chicken and a tomato-based sauce that’s thickened with butter and cream. To make murgh makhani, chefs usually start with a traditional curry base of onions fried in oil with chilies, ginger, garlic, garam masala, fenugreek, and cumin.
You can then add tomato puree, or add chopped tomatoes and blend and strain the mixture to get rid of the tough skins and seeds. This helps to achieve makhani’s famously smooth and silky consistency. Butter and cream or yogurt are then added to finish the sauce.
Murgh makhani is also generally prepared using yogurt-marinated chicken that’s off the bone – thighs are ideal because they stay moist while cooking compared with breast, which can easily dry out. Many Indian restaurants roast the meat in a tandoor oven before adding it to the sauce as the charcoal fire lends the chicken a mouthwateringly smoky taste. If you’re making murgh makhani at home, however, you can just fry your chicken in a pan before you add your curry sauce. Just be sure not to stir it too much when it first goes in to allow the meat to brown properly.