Indian Butter Chicken

I love making exotic dishes but get turned off by having to buy a ton of ingredients for just one meal. Luckily, I’ve started to accumulate a modest spice collection, so making this recipe for butter chicken (India’s most popular chicken dish) was a breeze. Even if you don’t have some of these ingredients, it’s worth buying them because they can be used in so many other recipes (like this and this). Plus, they add a ton of authentic Indian flavor to the chicken without putting in any extra effort. It’s a great way to spice up weeknight meals and a great recipe to help you break out of your usual routine.

Indian Butter Chicken:

• Mash together 1" fresh ginger, 3 cloves garlic, 1 pinch cayenne pepper and 1 heaping tsp. chile powder until it turns into a paste.
• Add in 1/2 tsp. garam masala, 1 tbsp. lime juice, and salt and rub into 1 lb. bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs.
• Let the chicken marinate for an hour or so.
• Melt 1/2 stick butter in a small dutch oven* and add in the chicken thighs, skin-side down.
• Season with salt and pepper and cook for 5-7 minutes, or until skin is golden and crispy.
• Turn chicken and add in 2 sliced tomatoes and a pinch of sugar.
• Cover the pot with a lid and lower to a simmer and cook for 30-45 minutes, or until chicken is just cooked through.
• Remove the chicken and set aside to rest.
• Stir in 1 tbsp. heavy cream to the sauce and then pour on top of the chicken.

Serves two-three

*Or any heavy pot with high sides and a lid.