Tandoori chicken pieces simmered in a tomato-cream-butter sauce with kasuri methi and cardamom — the original butter chicken preparation credited to Moti Mahal restaurant in Delhi, made here in the Ludhiana dhaba style that is less cream-heavy and more tomato-forward than the restaurant version.
Ingredients
600 g chicken — boneless thigh pieces
Marinade: 1/2 cup yogurt, 1 tbsp ginger paste, 1 tbsp garlic paste, 1 tsp red chilli powder, 1/2 tsp garam masala, salt, juice of 1 lemon, 1 tbsp oil
5 large tomatoes — blended smooth (the original uses ripe red tomatoes exclusively)
1 tsp red chilli powder, 1 tsp kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves — the essential flavour)
1/2 tsp garam masala, 1 tsp sugar, salt
1/4 cup fresh cream (less than restaurant versions), 1 tbsp butter for finishing
Method
Marinate the chicken: Mix chicken with all marinade ingredients. Marinate 4 hours or overnight.
Grill or roast the chicken: Grill on a very hot grill pan or roast in an oven at 230°C for 12 to 15 minutes until the chicken is charred in patches. The char from the grilling is essential — it provides the smoky character of the original butter chicken.
Cut into pieces: Cut the grilled chicken into medium pieces.
Make the makhani sauce: Heat butter and oil. Cook onion 8 minutes until golden.
Add ginger and garlic: Cook 2 minutes.
Add blended tomatoes: Add smooth tomato puree. Cook on medium heat stirring every 2 minutes for 12 to 15 minutes until very thick and dark red and the butter separates. The tomato must cook long and completely.
Add the grilled chicken: Add the grilled, charred chicken pieces. Stir.
Add cream and finishing butter: Add cream, kasuri methi, sugar, salt and garam masala. Add 1 tbsp butter. Simmer on low heat 5 minutes.
Serve: Serve with naan or paratha.
Note: Butter Chicken is credited to Kundan Lal Gujral who founded Moti Mahal restaurant in Daryaganj, Delhi, after partition. He is said to have created the dish by adding butter and tomato sauce to leftover tandoori chicken. The Ludhiana dhaba version is less cream-heavy than the Delhi or international restaurant version — more tomato-forward with a stronger kasuri methi character. Both versions are descended from the same Punjabi tandoori tradition.