Recipes, re-invented from cooking shows
Butter Chicken with Garlic Naan
Prep. Time:
Baking Time:
Total Time:
1 hour 45 mins
45 mins
2 hours 30 mins
Serves:
Serves 4 (makes 6 naan)
Shakira created this dish for Celebrity MasterChef UK ™ Series 21. Her revamp of the father-inspired curry she cooked on day one rebuilds it as a butter chicken, with yogurt-marinated, chargrilled chicken thigh in a buttery, creamy tomato sauce. Garlic naan cooked on the day, a mango and lime raita...
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Ingredients
FOR THE CHICKEN AND MARINADE: ½ cup (120 g) plain whole-milk yogurt 1 tbsp lemon juice 1 tbsp finely grated ginger 4 garlic cloves, finely grated 2 tsp Kashmiri chili powder 1 tsp garam masala 1 tsp ground cumin ½ tsp ground turmeric 1 tsp fine salt 1 tbsp neutral oil 1½ lb (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into large chunks
FOR THE PINK PICKLED ONIONS: ½ cup (120 ml) white wine vinegar ½ cup (120 ml) water 1 tbsp sugar 1 tsp salt 1 large red onion, very thinly sliced
FOR THE NAAN DOUGH: 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling 1 tsp instant yeast 1 tsp sugar 1 tsp baking powder ¾ tsp fine salt ½ cup (120 g) plain whole-milk yogurt, at room temperature 2 tbsp melted butter or ghee About ⅓ cup (80 ml) warm water
FOR THE MANGO AND LIME RAITA: ¼ tsp ground cumin 1 cup (240 g) plain whole-milk yogurt 1 ripe mango, finely diced (about 1 cup) 1 lime, zested, plus 1 tbsp juice Pinch of salt
FOR THE BUTTER SAUCE: 3 tbsp unsalted butter 1 tbsp neutral oil 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped 1 tbsp grated ginger 1 tbsp grated garlic 1 tsp garam masala 1 tsp ground coriander 1 tsp Kashmiri chili powder ½ tsp ground turmeric 3 tbsp tomato paste 1½ cups (370 g) crushed tomatoes or passata ½ cup (120 ml) water 1 tsp sugar, adjusted to the tomatoes ½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream 1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi) 2 tbsp unsalted butter, to finish Salt, to taste
FOR THE GARLIC BUTTER: 3 tbsp butter 3 garlic cloves, minced 1 tbsp chopped cilantro (optional)
EQUIPMENT: Mixing bowls Small saucepan Glass jar Small dry pan Large saucepan Immersion blender (optional) Ridged grill pan or broiler Instant-read thermometer Heavy skillet or cast-iron pan Rolling pin Pastry brush
Method
STEP 1: MARINATE THE CHICKEN
In a bowl, mix the yogurt, lemon juice, ginger, garlic, Kashmiri chili powder, garam masala, cumin, turmeric, salt and oil. Add the chicken and coat it thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to overnight.
STEP 2: PICKLE THE ONIONS
Warm the vinegar, water, sugar and salt in a small saucepan, stirring until dissolved. Pack the sliced red onion into a jar and pour the warm brine over it. Leave for at least 30 minutes; the onion turns pink as it sits.
STEP 3: MAKE THE NAAN DOUGH
In a large bowl, combine the flour, yeast, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the yogurt and melted butter or ghee, then add the warm water gradually until you have a soft, slightly tacky dough. Knead for 5 minutes, cover and leave in a warm spot for 45 minutes, until puffy.
STEP 4: MAKE THE RAITA
Toast the ground cumin in a small dry pan over low heat for 20–30 seconds, until fragrant, then tip it out of the pan. Stir it into the yogurt with the mango, lime zest, lime juice and a pinch of salt. Chill until serving.
STEP 5: BUILD THE SAUCE
Melt the 3 tbsp butter with the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook the onion until soft and golden, about 8 minutes, then add the ginger and garlic for 1 minute. Add the garam masala, coriander, Kashmiri chili powder and turmeric and stir for 30–60 seconds to bloom the spices without scorching them. If they darken quickly, add a splash of water.
STEP 6: COOK OUT THE TOMATO PASTE
Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, for 2–3 minutes, until it darkens to brick red and smells sweet rather than raw. Add the crushed tomatoes, water and sugar. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. For a restaurant finish, blend the sauce smooth with an immersion blender.
STEP 7: CHARGRILL THE CHICKEN
Heat a ridged grill pan over high heat (or a broiler) until very hot. Shake the excess marinade off the chicken and cook it in batches, turning, until well charred in places and cooked through to 165°F (74°C), about 10–12 minutes. Thigh stays succulent at this temperature, so don't push it further.
STEP 8: FINISH THE CURRY
Crush the dried fenugreek leaves between your palms and stir them into the sauce with the cream. Add the chicken and simmer gently for 5 minutes. Off the heat, swirl in the remaining 2 tbsp butter and season with salt.
STEP 9: COOK THE NAAN
Melt the butter with the minced garlic over low heat and keep it warm. Heat a heavy skillet or cast-iron pan over high heat until very hot. Divide the dough into 6 and roll each piece on a floured surface into a teardrop about ¼ in thick. Cook one at a time in the dry pan for 1–2 minutes per side, until puffed with charred spots. Brush immediately with the garlic butter, scatter with cilantro and stack under a clean towel to keep soft.
STEP 10: PLATE
Serve the butter chicken with the warm naan, a spoonful of raita and a tangle of drained pink pickled onions.
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Instructions
FOR THE CHICKEN AND MARINADE:
½ cup (120 g) plain whole-milk yogurt
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp finely grated ginger
4 garlic cloves, finely grated
2 tsp Kashmiri chili powder
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp fine salt
1 tbsp neutral oil
1½ lb (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into large chunks
FOR THE PINK PICKLED ONIONS:
½ cup (120 ml) white wine vinegar
½ cup (120 ml) water
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 large red onion, very thinly sliced
FOR THE NAAN DOUGH:
2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling
1 tsp instant yeast
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp baking powder
¾ tsp fine salt
½ cup (120 g) plain whole-milk yogurt, at room temperature
2 tbsp melted butter or ghee
About ⅓ cup (80 ml) warm water
FOR THE MANGO AND LIME RAITA:
¼ tsp ground cumin
1 cup (240 g) plain whole-milk yogurt
1 ripe mango, finely diced (about 1 cup)
1 lime, zested, plus 1 tbsp juice
Pinch of salt
FOR THE BUTTER SAUCE:
3 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tbsp neutral oil
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp grated ginger
1 tbsp grated garlic
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp Kashmiri chili powder
½ tsp ground turmeric
3 tbsp tomato paste
1½ cups (370 g) crushed tomatoes or passata
½ cup (120 ml) water
1 tsp sugar, adjusted to the tomatoes
½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream
1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi)
2 tbsp unsalted butter, to finish
Salt, to taste
FOR THE GARLIC BUTTER:
3 tbsp butter
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp chopped cilantro (optional)
EQUIPMENT:
Mixing bowls
Small saucepan
Glass jar
Small dry pan
Large saucepan
Immersion blender (optional)
Ridged grill pan or broiler
Instant-read thermometer
Heavy skillet or cast-iron pan
Rolling pin
Pastry brush
Heading 5
Ingredients
STEP 1: MARINATE THE CHICKEN
In a bowl, mix the yogurt, lemon juice, ginger, garlic, Kashmiri chili powder, garam masala, cumin, turmeric, salt and oil. Add the chicken and coat it thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to overnight.
STEP 2: PICKLE THE ONIONS
Warm the vinegar, water, sugar and salt in a small saucepan, stirring until dissolved. Pack the sliced red onion into a jar and pour the warm brine over it. Leave for at least 30 minutes; the onion turns pink as it sits.
STEP 3: MAKE THE NAAN DOUGH
In a large bowl, combine the flour, yeast, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the yogurt and melted butter or ghee, then add the warm water gradually until you have a soft, slightly tacky dough. Knead for 5 minutes, cover and leave in a warm spot for 45 minutes, until puffy.
STEP 4: MAKE THE RAITA
Toast the ground cumin in a small dry pan over low heat for 20–30 seconds, until fragrant, then tip it out of the pan. Stir it into the yogurt with the mango, lime zest, lime juice and a pinch of salt. Chill until serving.
STEP 5: BUILD THE SAUCE
Melt the 3 tbsp butter with the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook the onion until soft and golden, about 8 minutes, then add the ginger and garlic for 1 minute. Add the garam masala, coriander, Kashmiri chili powder and turmeric and stir for 30–60 seconds to bloom the spices without scorching them. If they darken quickly, add a splash of water.
STEP 6: COOK OUT THE TOMATO PASTE
Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, for 2–3 minutes, until it darkens to brick red and smells sweet rather than raw. Add the crushed tomatoes, water and sugar. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. For a restaurant finish, blend the sauce smooth with an immersion blender.
STEP 7: CHARGRILL THE CHICKEN
Heat a ridged grill pan over high heat (or a broiler) until very hot. Shake the excess marinade off the chicken and cook it in batches, turning, until well charred in places and cooked through to 165°F (74°C), about 10–12 minutes. Thigh stays succulent at this temperature, so don't push it further.
STEP 8: FINISH THE CURRY
Crush the dried fenugreek leaves between your palms and stir them into the sauce with the cream. Add the chicken and simmer gently for 5 minutes. Off the heat, swirl in the remaining 2 tbsp butter and season with salt.
STEP 9: COOK THE NAAN
Melt the butter with the minced garlic over low heat and keep it warm. Heat a heavy skillet or cast-iron pan over high heat until very hot. Divide the dough into 6 and roll each piece on a floured surface into a teardrop about ¼ in thick. Cook one at a time in the dry pan for 1–2 minutes per side, until puffed with charred spots. Brush immediately with the garlic butter, scatter with cilantro and stack under a clean towel to keep soft.
STEP 10: PLATE
Serve the butter chicken with the warm naan, a spoonful of raita and a tangle of drained pink pickled onions.
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