Butter Chicken

Name: Butter Chicken
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 1 h 25 min
Total time: 2 h 5 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 4 Lb Boneless Chicken Thighs, Cubed; 1.5 Cups Plain Greek Yogurt; 3 Tbsp Garam Masala; 2 Tsp Ground Cumin; 8 count Garlic Cloves, Minced; 3 Tbsp Fresh Ginger, Grated; 2 cans Crushed Tomatoes; 2 Cups Heavy Cream; 6 Tbsp Unsalted Butter; 1 large Yellow Onion, Diced; 3 Cups Basmati Rice, Rinsed; 1 Cup Fresh Cilantro; 0 Basmati For Serving

Rich tomato butter sauce, naan-ready

Prep: 40 min
Cook: 85 min
Serves 8
Difficulty: medium

Rich tomato butter sauce, naan-ready. Sized for a full crew, with timing that still works when the kitchen gets interrupted.

Why crews like it: A hall pick for regular dinner nights — one line, real portions, no drama at the stove.

1173Cal

63gProtein

103gCarbs

56gFat

Ingredients

4 Lb Boneless Chicken Thighs, Cubed
1.5 Cups Plain Greek Yogurt
3 Tbsp Garam Masala
2 Tsp Ground Cumin
8 count Garlic Cloves, Minced
3 Tbsp Fresh Ginger, Grated
2 cans Crushed Tomatoes
2 Cups Heavy Cream
6 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
1 large Yellow Onion, Diced
3 Cups Basmati Rice, Rinsed
1 Cup Fresh Cilantro
0 Basmati For Serving

Instructions

Rinse and start the rice: Rinse basmati until water runs clear. Simmer with 1:1.5 rice-to-water and a pinch of salt 15 minutes; rest covered 10 minutes off heat. Fluff and hold at 200°F in a covered hotel pan.
Build the yogurt marinade: Stir yogurt with garam masala, cumin, half the garlic and ginger, and salt until smooth. Toss cubed chicken until coated; marinate at least 30 minutes in the fridge.
Sear the chicken in batches: Heat 2 tbsp butter in a heavy pot over medium-high. Sear chicken in single layers until golden on the edges — not cooked through. Transfer to a hotel pan.
Sweat the aromatics: Lower heat to medium. Add remaining butter and diced onion; cook 8 minutes until soft and translucent. Add remaining garlic and ginger; stir 1 minute until fragrant.
Simmer the makhani sauce: Pour in crushed tomatoes and simmer 10 minutes, scraping the fond. Stir in cream and simmer 5 more minutes until the sauce coats a spoon and looks deep orange-red.
Finish chicken to 165°F: Return seared chicken and any juices. Simmer gently 12–15 minutes until thickest pieces read 165°F. Stir occasionally so nothing sticks on the bottom.
Balance the sauce: Taste for salt and a pinch of sugar if the tomatoes are sharp. Add a splash of cream if the sauce looks broken or grainy. Keep at a gentle simmer — do not boil hard after cream is in.
Hold through call interruptions: If tones drop, hold the pot covered on the warm side of the range at 140°F. Stir in a tablespoon of cream before service if the surface tightens.
Serve Butter Chicken for the crew: Mound fluffy basmati on sheet trays or bowls, then ladle saucy chicken over the rice. Finish with cilantro. Keep extra sauce in a labeled cambro for seconds.
Pack down leftovers: Cool chicken and rice in shallow pans within two hours. Reheat chicken to 165°F next shift; refresh rice with a splash of water.

Tonight's spread

Plate Butter Chicken with sides in separate pans so the crew can mix portions.
Line up Butter Chicken on the main counter with serving spoons — firefighters grab fast between calls.
Keep a backup tray warm in the oven at 200°F for late arrivals after a run.

Hall tips

Keep a backup tray warm in the oven for late calls — nothing worse than cold plates after a run.
Taste for salt at the end — hall palates run salty after long shifts.
Pull chicken at 160°F and let carryover hit 165°F — dry breast ruins crew morale.

Substitutions

Chicken thighs ↔ breasts (thighs forgive overcooking on the flat-top).

Leftovers

Cool leftovers in shallow containers within two hours — deep pots stay hot too long.
Label trays with date and reheat to 165°F minimum before second shift.

Large sheet trays
Instant-read thermometer
Aluminum foil