Indian Murgh Makhani Butter Chicken with Kashmiri Chili, Fenugreek Cream Sauce and Basmati Rice

Ingredients

• For the chicken marinade:
• 2 lbs boneless chicken thighs, cut into large chunks
• 1 cup full-fat yogurt
• 1 tbsp Kashmiri red chili powder (mild, brilliant red)
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tsp salt
• For the makhani sauce:
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter, divided
• 1 tbsp neutral oil
• 1 large onion, roughly chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 2-inch knob ginger, grated
• 1 can (28 oz) whole tomatoes
• 1 tbsp Kashmiri chili powder
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/2 cup raw cashews (soaked 30 min, drained)
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 tbsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi), crushed
• Salt to taste
• For serving:
• Basmati rice, cooked
• Garlic naan bread
• Fresh cilantro

Instructions

1. Marinate the chicken: mix all marinade ingredients together in a large bowl. Add chicken pieces and coat thoroughly. Refrigerate at least 2 hours, or overnight for best results. The yogurt tenderizes the meat while the spices penetrate deeply.
2. Cook the chicken: preheat broiler to high. Spread marinated chicken on a foil-lined baking sheet. Broil 8-10 minutes until lightly charred and just cooked through. The char marks are essential — they add smokiness that defines this dish. Set aside.
3. Make the sauce base: heat 2 tbsp butter and oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook 10 minutes until golden. Add garlic and ginger, cook 2 minutes. Add Kashmiri chili, coriander, and garam masala — toast 30 seconds.
4. Add the whole tomatoes with their juices and the soaked cashews. Stir to combine. Simmer 20 minutes, breaking up the tomatoes, until everything is very soft and the sauce has thickened considerably.
5. Blend the sauce: use an immersion blender or transfer in batches to a blender. Blend until completely smooth and silky. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve for restaurant-level texture — this step is what gives makhani its extraordinary smoothness. Return to the pot.
6. Finish the sauce: over medium heat, stir in heavy cream and sugar. Simmer 5 minutes. Add the remaining 2 tbsp butter and crushed kasuri methi — the fenugreek is the defining flavour note of authentic makhani. Season with salt.
7. Add the broiled chicken to the sauce. Simmer 10 minutes for the chicken to absorb the flavours and the sauce to cling to every piece. The sauce should coat the back of a spoon — rich, velvety, and deeply orange-red.
8. Serve over basmati rice with warm garlic naan. Garnish with fresh cilantro. Murgh makhani was invented at Moti Mahal in Delhi in the 1950s — one of the most celebrated dishes in the history of Indian cooking.