Fast Recipes

Mild chicken curry

With India's murgh makhani as our culinary inspiration.

  • Serves 4 - 6
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This is our take on murgh makhani, the mildly spiced Indian classic that the western world calls "butter chicken". Traditional recipes call for tandoori chicken, but to make it speedy for weeknight meals we've used boneless chicken thigh to ensure juicy, tender meat.

Ingredients

  • 750 gm boneless chicken thigh (preferably skin on and trimmed), cut into 4cm pieces
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 tsp garam masala
  • ½ tsp turmeric, or to taste
  • 25 gm finely grated ginger
  • 180 gm natural yoghurt
  • 50 gm butter
  • 1 small onion, coarsely chopped
  • A splash of cream (optional), to finish
  • Coriander sprigs and steamed rice, to serve

Method

  • 1
    Combine chicken with tomato paste, spices and ginger, and 150gm yoghurt in a bowl. Set aside until needed.
  • 2
    Heat butter over a medium-high heat, add onion and stir occasionally until tender (5-7 minutes), then set aside.
  • 3
    Increase heat to high and add chicken to pan in batches, turning until seared (5 minutes). Return onion to pan with 1/2 cup water, or enough to just cover chicken and bring to a simmer. Simmer over medium heat until chicken is cooked through and sauce is well flavoured (10 minutes). Remove chicken and reduce sauce over high heat until thick (5 minutes). Blend the sauce with a hand-held blender, then return chicken to pan.
  • 4
    You can serve the chicken curry as is, or with a splash of cream, or extra dollop of yoghurt. Season to taste and serve scattered with coriander, with rice on the side.