One of my favorite restaurants here in Provo is called Bombay House, and they serve wonderful Indian dishes. Unfortunately, the only time I ever get to go there is when it’s my turn to choose the restaurant (i.e. my birthday). That’s because my teenagers aren’t crazy about Indian cuisine. I love to order the Chicken Makhani at Bombay House because it’s fabulous, and the last time I was there (on my birthday last year), I decided I needed to learn how to make it myself. I found a really good recipe with onions and spices and ground-up cashews.
When I first found the recipe, I noticed that it had an ingredient I had never heard of called garam masala. I don’t know if you’re like me or not, but when I come across a recipe with an ingredient I’m not familiar with, I usually won’t end up making the recipe. But don’t be scared off by the garam masala in this recipe. It’s just a spice that you can easily find on the spice racks at your grocery store.
Apparently this dish is also known as “Butter Chicken” but I think that’s a strange name for a dish that has such a small amount of butter and so many other strong-flavored ingredients that stand out more than the butter does. Chicken Makhani has a ton of flavor. I hope you like it as much as I do.
Recipe by: Indobase/Adapted by Winner Dinners
Serves about 4
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
3/4 cup ground cashews
1 cup white onion, chopped
2 green onions, chopped
4 tablespoons peanut oil, divided
4 tablespoons butter
4 teaspoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons garlic, minced
3 teaspoons garam masala, divided
1 teaspoon ginger
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 bay leaves
2 cups tomato puree
1 cup cream
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
hot cooked rice
Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and set aside. Chop the white and green onions. Heat 2 tablespoons of the peanut oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Saute the onions (both white and green) until soft and translucent. Stir in the butter, lemon juice, garlic, 2 teaspoons garam masala, ginger, chili powder, cumin, salt, pepper, and bay leaves. Cook, stirring for 1 minute. Add the tomato puree and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Meanwhile, grind the cashews in a food processor or blender. Stir the cream, yogurt, and ground cashews into the tomato mixture. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of peanut oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the chicken pieces until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat, and season with the remaining 1 teaspoon of garam masala and the cayenne pepper. Stir the chicken into the sauce and heat through. Serve over rice.
