This Indian butter hen recipe simmers spiced yogurt-marinated hen in a creamy, buttery tomato sauce. We love serving over rice and with loads of naan for dipping.
After sharing our hen curry, we obtained so many requests for extra curries. So, we instantly added butter hen to our testing checklist. I’m so glad we did, as a result of I’m not exaggerating once I say that this recipe has shortly risen to the highest of our favorites checklist.
Our butter hen recipe under deliberately makes numerous servings, so make it for a crowd or benefit from the extras and save them for an additional day (which is nice as a result of I swear the leftovers simply get higher). For extra like this, see our hen tikka masala, which is heavier on the spices and tomatoes and makes use of much less butter.
Key Components
- Rooster Thighs: We want boneless, skinless thighs minimize into bite-size items. We love thighs over hen breasts for this recipe as a result of they keep delicate and tender even after the two-step cooking course of (roasting and simmering). Nevertheless, you should utilize hen breast, and even bone-in hen, within the butter hen recipe under—see our suggestions for adjusting the cook dinner instances under the recipe.
- Onion, Garlic, and Recent Ginger: Recent is finest right here. Grate the ginger and garlic finely so that they soften into the marinade and sauce. In case you wouldn’t have a microplane, mince them finely as an alternative. Retailer-bought ginger paste (bought in tubes) works, too!
- Yogurt and Lemon: Plain whole-milk yogurt (pure yogurt is nice) and contemporary lemon juice tenderize the hen and assist steadiness the richness of the cream.
- Spices: We use a mixture of candy paprika, garam masala, turmeric, coriander, cumin, and gochugaru (or crushed pink pepper flakes in its place). Then, dried basil is our little secret weapon, including a candy, herby end to the sauce (we will thank Chef Richard for that one).
- Ghee and Butter: We use ghee to cook dinner the bottom of our sauce, then we whisk in chilly, unsalted butter to create a shiny, emulsified texture. In case you don’t have ghee, use a neutral-flavored oil, akin to avocado oil.
- Tomato and Cream: A big can of tomato sauce (or tomato puree) mixed with heavy cream yields a thick, creamy curry sauce. In case you solely have a can of entire peeled tomatoes, merely mix them and use them within the sauce.
Discover the total recipe with measurements under.
Tips on how to Make Butter Rooster
Tip 1: Marinate the hen. Yogurt is fairly magical in marinades, tenderizing protein like a attraction (see our yogurt marinated hen as proof). On this recipe, you’ll marinate your hen with yogurt, garlic, ginger, and spices. We advocate a minimum of 1 hour, however you possibly can go away it for longer (simply maintain it within the fridge).
Tip 2: Cook dinner the hen individually. This one might sound odd, however the secret to the very best butter hen is to roast your marinated hen in a scorching oven till cooked with some flippantly charred edges, then stir it into the sauce. It’s easy to do, and this two-step course of allows you to cook dinner your hen and make the butter hen sauce concurrently, saving a little bit of cook dinner time.
Tip 3: Make the sauce whereas the hen roasts. This recipe deliberately makes numerous servings (8), so we’re assured leftovers (which solely get higher over time!). I exploit my 6-quart Dutch oven for making the sauce, and it’s good.
As soon as your hen is within the oven, you can begin the sauce. It’s easier than you may assume, beginning with onions, garlic, and ginger cooked in ghee till delicate. Then, you’ll stir in spices, tomato sauce, cream, and dried basil. The sauce solely simmers for quarter-hour, and also you’re prepared for the butter a part of the butter hen (hooray!).
Tip 4: Add the butter slowly. We ask that you just minimize your butter into items, then stir them into the sauce a couple of at a time. This helps the butter emulsify into the sauce. If at any level it seems to be just like the sauce is “breaking” or the fats is separating, whisk it again collectively.
Tip 5: Simmer the hen within the sauce for 10 minutes. As soon as your hen and sauce are prepared, spoon all of the hen (and the entire juices out of your roasting pan) into the sauce. Then, simmer for 10 minutes to convey all of it collectively.
Tip 6: Serving it. Spoon the hen and plenty of the sauce over fluffy rice (long-grain Basmati is my favourite) and don’t neglect some naan or flatbread for scooping up each final little bit of sauce. A scattering of cilantro leaves on prime is good, too.
Extra Curry Recipes
Severely Good Butter Rooster
We at all times discover ourselves smiling when this butter hen is on the menu. The sauce is thick, creamy, and deliberately beneficiant, so that you’ll have loads for swooping by way of naan or including to rice. Whereas we want hen thighs as a result of they prove extremely tender after roasting, this recipe is versatile. Rooster breasts and even bone-in items work properly—simply see our tip under the recipe for adjusting the cook dinner time.
A tip from Adam: “Don’t be afraid to let your hen brown and crisp on the suggestions within the scorching oven; these charred bits add numerous taste and supply a greater texture.”
8 Servings
You Will Want
For the Butter Rooster Marinade:
1 cup (225 g) plain whole-milk yogurt
3 garlic cloves, finely grated or minced
1 (3-inch) piece contemporary ginger, peeled and finely grated (about 2 tablespoons)
1 tablespoon candy paprika
½ teaspoon gochugaru or crushed pink pepper flakes
1 ½ teaspoons garam masala
1 teaspoon floor turmeric
1 ½ teaspoons nice sea salt
3 tablespoons contemporary lemon juice (from 1 giant lemon)
2 tablespoons impartial oil, akin to avocado or vegetable oil
3 kilos (1.3 kg) boneless, skinless hen thighs, trimmed and minimize into 1-inch bite-size items
For the Sauce:
4 tablespoons ghee or impartial oil, akin to avocado or vegetable oil
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced or finely grated
1 (2-inch) piece contemporary ginger, peeled and finely grated (about 1 tablespoon)
2 teaspoons floor coriander
2 teaspoons floor cumin
1 teaspoon gochugaru or crushed pink pepper flakes, cut back by ½ teaspoon for gentle
1 (28-ounce) can tomato sauce or tomato puree (about 3 cups)
1 ½ cups (360 g) heavy cream
6 tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter, minimize into 1-inch cubes
2 teaspoons dried basil
Positive sea salt, to style
Cooked basmati rice for serving
Instructions
1Make the marinade: In a big bowl, whisk collectively the yogurt, garlic, ginger, paprika, gochugaru, garam masala, turmeric, salt, lemon juice, and oil. Add the hen and toss to coat. Cowl and refrigerate for a minimum of 1 hour or as much as 24 hours.
2Cook dinner the hen: Warmth the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a big rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Unfold the hen in a single layer on the ready pan. Roast for 30 to 40 minutes, till the hen is cooked by way of and the sides start to brown and caramelize in spots.
3Put together the sauce: Whereas the hen roasts, soften the ghee in a Dutch oven or a large, deep pot over medium warmth. Add the onion and cook dinner, stirring often, till softened and starting to show golden brown, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, coriander, cumin, and gochugaru and cook dinner for 1 to 2 minutes.
4Stir within the tomato sauce, heavy cream, and basil. Convey the combination to a simmer and cook dinner, stirring often, till the sauce has thickened barely, about quarter-hour.
5Whisk within the butter, two to 3 cubes at a time, till melted and the sauce is shiny. (If the sauce seems to interrupt, whisk vigorously to recombine; whether it is too thick, stir in a splash of water to skinny.)
6Spoon the roasted hen and all of the amassed juices from the baking sheet into the sauce. Simmer for 10 minutes. Style and season with extra salt, if wanted.
Adam and Joanne’s Suggestions
- Storing: Preserve in hermetic containers, within the fridge, for as much as 4 days. Reheat slowly on the range.
- Substituting hen breast: Cut back the roasting time by 5 to 10 minutes. Switch the hen to the sauce whereas the middle continues to be barely underdone, so it finishes cooking with out drying out.
- Substituting bone-in hen: For bone-in thighs or drumsticks, improve the oven time by 10 to fifteen minutes to make sure the meat pulls away from the bone simply.
- Tomatoes: Use 3 cups pureed contemporary, peeled tomatoes, or puree one (28-ounce) can entire tomatoes.
- The vitamin info offered are estimates and don’t embrace rice.
Vitamin Per Serving
Serving Measurement
1 of 8 servings
/
Energy
503
/
Whole Fats
34.7g
/
Saturated Fats
17.3g
/
Ldl cholesterol
227.4mg
/
Sodium
633.2mg
/
Carbohydrate
11.2g
/
Dietary Fiber
2.3g
/
Whole Sugars
6.3g
/
Protein
37.1g
