Healthy Butter Chicken
Healthy Butter Chicken features tender air-fried chicken pieces simmered in a rich, aromatic gravy. Boneless chicken cubes are marinated with spices and air-fried to perfection. The onion-tomato sauce is delicately spiced with a homemade seasoning mix. It is enriched with cashew cream that lends a naturally velvety texture and a nutty depth, which is a healthier alternative to traditional fresh cream. This globally beloved dish delivers on comfort through its warm spices and bold flavors, and is sure to become a new favorite!
Equipment
- Dutch oven or pot
- air fryer
Ingredients
For the marinade:
- 3 lb chicken tenders bite size cubes
- 2 tbsp Greek yogurt
- 1 tbsp ginger paste
- 1 tbsp garlic paste
- ¼ tsp turmeric ground
- 1½ tsp chili powder
- 1½ coriander powder
- 1 tsp cumin ground
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp peanut oil
For the sauce:
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 onion pureed
- 2 tomato pureed
- 1½ tsp ginger paste
- 1½ tsp garlic paste
- ½ cup cashews soaked
- 1 star anise
- 3 black cardamom
For the spice mixture:
- 3 dried red chili (Kashmiri)
- 1 tbsp coriander seeds
- 1 tsp cumin
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 5 clove
- 3 cardamom
- 1½ tsp salt
- 15 saffron threads
- 1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves
Instructions
How to marinate and air fry the chicken:
- Prepare the ingredients.
- Mix the ingredients for the marinade and rub them onto the cubed chicken breasts. Let it marinate for 30 minutes.
- Arrange the marinated chicken pieces on a foil-lined tray, drizzle or mist the peanut oil. Air fry the chicken at 400 degrees F for 20 minutes. Flip the chicken over and air fry again for 10 minutes.
How to make the sauce and spice mixture:
- Prepare the ingredients. Purée the onion and tomato. Grind the soaked cashews with ¼ cup of warm water to a smooth mixture.
- To make the spice mixture, grind the ingredients in a spice grinder until fine and set it aside. Heat the butter until melted in a Dutch oven or a pan, temper it with star anise and black cardamom for a few seconds on medium heat. Add the puréed onion and sauté for 4-5 minutes or until lightly caramelized.
- Add the ginger and garlic paste and sauté for a few seconds and then add the puréed tomato, sautéeing for 3-4 minutes.
- Once the mixture has thickened, add the freshly ground spice mixture and pour in the ground cashew cream.
- Add the air-fried chicken. Rinse out the spice grinder with 2 cups of water and add to the pot. Cook it for 3-4 minutes and turn off the heat. Serve hot garnished with cilantro (optional).
Notes
1. Puréed onion must be sautéed for a couple of minutes to eliminate the raw smell and taste.
2. Chicken pieces can either be grilled or baked for this recipe. Slightly charred edges on the chicken pieces give it a more authentic and better taste to the Butter Chicken without the use of a tandoor oven.
3. The sauce must not be runny. To thicken the sauce, cook it for a few extra minutes.
Nutrition
Calories: 392kcalCarbohydrates: 13gProtein: 52gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 146mgSodium: 1257mgPotassium: 1162mgFiber: 3gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 594IUVitamin C: 13mgCalcium: 78mgIron: 3mg
