Restaurant-Style Authentic Butter Chicken

Wash hands thoroughly before handling raw chicken. Combine 300 gms of boneless chicken breast chunks in a bowl with 1 tbsp garlic paste, 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste, 1 tbsp red chilli powder, and salt to taste. Mix well and let it marinate for 15 to 20 minutes.

Heat some cooking oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the marinated chicken pieces and pan-fry them until cooked through, then transfer the cooked chicken into a bowl.

Cut 100 gms of onions roughly using a knife on a chopping board.

In the same pan, add the chopped onions, a little bit of oil, and a spoonful of butter (from 5 tbsp total). Sweat the onions until lightly cooked, then add 500 gms of roughly slit tomatoes and 50 gms of cashew nuts.

Pour in some water, then add 1 tbsp garlic paste, salt to taste, 2 tbsp malt vinegar, 4 tbsp sugar, 0.5 tsp garam masala, and 2 tbsp Kashmiri chilli powder. Mix evenly and let it simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until the mixture becomes completely soft and mushy.

Turn off the flame and transfer the cooked tomato mixture into a container. Use a hand blender to churn the mixture into a fine puree.

Strain the pureed mixture back into the same pan through a sieve, pressing down firmly with a wooden spoon to ensure minimal wastage, leaving behind only tomato seeds and skins.

Reheat the strained gravy, then add 4 tbsp butter, 3 tbsp cream, the cooked chicken, and 1 tsp crushed kasoori methi. Let the gravy simmer for 5 to 7 minutes until well incorporated.

Ladling the butter chicken into a serving bowl, drizzle with fresh cream and sprinkle crushed kasoori methi on top.