Luke Hines: Best Butter Chicken

Ingredients

  • 1 brown onion, roughly chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 3cm piece ginger, peeled, thinly sliced
  • 1/4 cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil
  • 50g grass-fed butter or ghee
  • 2 tbsp coconut sugar
  • 1 tbsp ground cumin
  • 1 tbsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp chilli powder, more if you like it hot
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • 1 tsp ground cardamom
  • 800g (1 lb 12 oz) free-range skinless chicken thigh fillets, halved
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste (concentrated puree)
  • 400g (14 oz) can crushed tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup (125ml) chicken broth
  • 2/3 cup (160ml) canned coconut cream
  • sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to season
  • coriander (Cilantro) sprigs, to serve
  • 4 large Garlic Naans (optional)
  • For the rice:
  • 2 cups (400g) basmati rice
  • 3 cups (750ml) chicken broth

Method

  1. Get started by making the rice. Bring the rice and broth or water to the boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Allow it to bubble away for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cover with a lid. Continue to simmer or another 10 minutes or until there are no signs of liquid. Turn off the heat and set aside with the lid still on for 10-15 minutes to rest.
  2. Meanwhile, get into the butter chicken. Blitz the onion, garlic, ginger and oil in a blender until it becomes a thick paste.
  3. Melt the butter or ghee in a large saucepan over medium heat, then add the sugar and all the spices. Cook, stirring, for 3-4 minutes or until lovely and fragrant. Add the onion paste you've just blitzed to the pan and continue to cook, stirring for 3-4 minutes or until everything starts to go lightly golden brown and aromatic.
  4. Now, add the chicken, searing for 2-3 minutes on each side to get some colour on the outside and lock in the tenderness. Next, stir through the tomato paste and cook for 1-2 minutes. Finally, add the canned tomatoes, broth and coconut cream, season with salt and pepper, then simmer away for 10-15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has reduced and become lovely and thick.
  5. Just prior to serving, fluff the rice with a fork to make it nice and light. Serve alongside the curry, garnished with fresh coriander and garlic naans, if you like.