a warm bowl for a cool evening
Velvet Butter Chicken
Tender chicken simmered in a silky tomato-cream sauce, gently spiced with garam masala, fresh ginger, and garlic. Finished with yogurt and half-and-half until the whole pan turns that signature glossy orange. Served with basmati rice and warm naan for scooping every last drop.
Prep
10 min
Cook
20 min
Serves
4
Course
Main
the method
Instructions
- 1
Soften the onion
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and stir regularly until translucent, about 4 minutes.
- 2
Bloom the ginger and garlic
Add the butter and let it melt completely. Stir in the ginger and garlic and cook for 30 seconds to a minute, just until fragrant — keep it moving so the garlic doesn't catch.
- 3
Sear the chicken
Add the chicken pieces and cook, stirring often, until the outside is no longer pink — about 2 minutes. It doesn't need to be cooked through; it'll finish in the sauce.
- 4
Spice and sauce
Stir in the garam masala, chili powder, salt, and black pepper, then pour in the tomato paste, tomato sauce, lemon juice, yogurt, and half-and-half. Stir until the sauce comes together into a smooth, glossy orange.
- 5
Simmer
Bring the pan to a gentle simmer and cook for about 10 minutes, until the sauce reduces slightly and the chicken is cooked through. It should still be plenty saucy — that's the whole point.
- 6
Serve
Spoon over a bed of basmati rice with warm naan alongside for scooping. A little fresh cilantro on top if you've got it.
Don't rush the simmer — those ten quiet minutes are when the spices, butter, and cream stop being separate things and become one velvety sauce. If it tightens up more than you like, loosen it with a splash more half-and-half right before serving.
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warm bowls, soft naan
Tear, scoop, repeat. The kind of dinner that asks you to slow down and use your hands.
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