Hairy Bikers Butter Chicken Makhani Recipe

Hairy Bikers butter chicken grinds one spice blend from toasted whole seeds, then splits it between a yoghurt marinade and a rich ghee sauce. The recipe comes from Great Curries under its proper name chicken makhani, serves 6 at around 565 kcal, and needs an overnight marinade.

The headnote explains that makhan means butter in Hindi, and 175g of ghee in the sauce proves the name is no exaggeration. That ghee plus 100ml of double cream is what gives the sauce its silky restaurant texture that most home recipes miss.

Grilling the marinated chicken on skewers under high heat is what gives this dish its charred smokiness, since the yoghurt coating blisters and caramelises. The pieces then drop into the hot sauce at the last moment, which means they keep their texture instead of turning soft from long simmering.

Hairy Bikers Butter Chicken Makhani Recipe

Author: Alex Saidani Cooking Method:Grilling Cuisine:British Indian Courses:Dinner

Difficulty:IntermediatePrep time: 30 minutesCook time: 40 minutesRest time: minutesTotal time:1 hour 10 minutesServings:6 servingsCalories:565 kcal Best Season:Summer

Description

Six chicken breasts are cut into pieces, marinated in spiced yoghurt, and threaded onto metal skewers. After cooking under the grill until the edges blacken, the pieces slide into a smooth butter sauce made from onions, tomatoes, ghee, and cream. Allow at least four hours for marinating, ideally overnight.

Ingredients

For the Marinade

• 1½ tbsp cumin seeds
• 1½ tbsp coriander seeds
• ½ tsp cardamom seeds, from pods
• 4 cloves
• ½ tsp black peppercorns
• 2 tsp ground fenugreek
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 2 tsp ground paprika
• 1 tsp hot chilli powder
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 25g fresh root ginger, peeled and finely grated
• 4 tbsp plain natural yoghurt

For the Butter Sauce

• 175g ghee, or 150g butter and 3 tbsp sunflower oil
• 2 medium onions, roughly chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, crushed
• 35g fresh root ginger, peeled and finely grated
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 4 fresh ripe tomatoes, chopped
• 3 tbsp tomato purée
• 1 tbsp caster sugar
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 100ml double cream
• Handful of fresh coriander, chopped

For the Chicken

• 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• Sunflower oil, for greasing skewers

Instructions

1. Toast and grind the spices: Put the cumin, coriander, cardamom, cloves, and peppercorns in a dry frying pan over a medium heat. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring regularly, until lightly toasted. Tip into a pestle and mortar or spice grinder, add the fenugreek, turmeric, paprika, chilli powder, and salt, then grind everything into a fine powder.
2. Marinate the chicken: Spoon 3 tablespoons of the spice mixture into a bowl and stir in the garlic, ginger, and yoghurt. Cut each chicken breast into 7 or 8 bite-sized pieces and stir them into the spiced yoghurt. Cover with cling film and leave in the fridge for at least 4 hours, though overnight is better.
3. Make the butter sauce: Heat 125g of the ghee in a large non-stick saucepan and add the onions, garlic, and ginger. Cover and cook over a low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the lid, turn the heat up slightly, and stir in the remaining spice powder and the turmeric. Fry for 3 minutes, stirring regularly.
4. Simmer and blitz: Stir in the tomatoes, tomato purée, sugar, and salt. Fry for 5 minutes until the tomatoes soften, then add 200ml of cold water and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the cream for the last 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and blitz with a stick blender or food processor until completely smooth. Cover and set aside.
5. Grill the chicken: Preheat the grill to its hottest setting. Thread the chicken pieces onto lightly oiled metal skewers, leaving 1 to 2cm between each piece. Place on a rack over a foil-lined grill pan and cook for 5 minutes, then turn and cook for another 4 to 5 minutes until charred and cooked through.
6. Combine and serve: Melt the remaining 50g of ghee in a non-stick frying pan and stir in the butter sauce. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Slide the chicken pieces off the skewers into the hot sauce, stir well, and bubble for a few seconds more. Scatter with fresh coriander and serve with rice.

FAQs

What is the difference between butter chicken and chicken tikka masala?

Both are creamy, spiced curries but the sauce is where they split. Butter chicken builds its richness from ghee and cream, while tikka masala leans on a yoghurt and tomato base without the heavy butter. The cooking method is similar, since both grill the chicken on skewers, but the sauces underneath are completely different.

Their chicken tikka masala from the same Great Curries book is worth trying alongside this one to taste the difference for yourself.

Can I use pre-ground spices instead of toasting whole ones?

You can, but the flavour drops noticeably. Toasting whole cumin, coriander, cardamom, cloves, and peppercorns for two minutes releases oils that pre-ground jars lost months ago on the shelf. Since that one blend covers both the marinade and the sauce, the effort goes twice as far.

Do I need a barbecue or will a normal oven grill work?

A regular oven grill on its hottest setting works perfectly, and that is what the book uses. Place the skewers on a rack over a foil-lined tray so the heat hits from above and any drips fall away. Use the highest shelf position so the chicken sits as close to the heat as possible, and turn the skewers halfway through.

Can I use chicken thighs instead of breast?

Thighs work well and stay moister through the grilling, since dark meat has more fat to protect it from the high heat. Cut them into the same bite-sized pieces and grill for the same time, checking a piece is cooked through before adding to the sauce.

Their chicken korma already uses thighs as the main cut, so if you prefer dark meat in curry that recipe is worth trying too.

What should I serve with butter chicken?

Plain basmati rice is the classic pairing, since it soaks up the rich sauce without competing. For a more impressive spread, their lamb biryani is a sealed-pot rice dish that would turn this into a proper feast.

If you want a second curry on the table, their chicken jalfrezi brings a sharp, spicy contrast that balances the creamy butter sauce.