Rich, creamy, crowd-pleasing. Our go-to for impressing guests.
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|
| Onions | 2 large | Diced |
| Garlic | 6 cloves | Minced |
| Ginger | 2 tbsp | Fresh, grated |
| Butter | 100g | Plus extra for finishing |
| Tomato paste | 2 small tins | |
| Whole tomatoes | 2 tins | Crushed by hand |
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|
| Butter chicken spice mix | 3-4 tbsp |
| Bay leaves | 2 |
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|
| Chicken thighs | 1.5 kg | Boneless, cubed |
| Dates | 1 cup | Pitted, chopped |
| Red/green peppers | 2 each | Diced |
| Cashew nuts | ½ cup | Toasted |
| Coriander | 1 bunch | Fresh, chopped |
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|
| Chicken stock powder | 2 tbsp | MSG/umami boost |
| Salt | To taste | |
| Ingredient | Notes |
|---|
| Jasmine rice | Pressure cooker method |
| Coconut milk | Small drizzle on top |
| Fresh thyme | Garnish |
| Aniseed | Pinch for aroma |
- Get all ingredients ready.
- Sauté aromatics: Melt butter, add onions, garlic, ginger. Cook until soft and golden
- Toast spices: Add butter chicken spice and bay leaves, cook 1 minute
- Build base: Add tomato paste, cook 2 minutes. Add whole tomatoes
- Simmer: Let sauce reduce and deepen, 15-20 minutes
- Add chicken: Cube and add to sauce, cook until done (20-25 min)
- Sweeten: Add chopped dates, stir to dissolve
- Vegetables: Add peppers, cook 5 minutes until tender-crisp
- Finish: Add extra butter, toasted cashews, fresh coriander
- Adjust: Taste for salt, add stock powder if needed
- Serve over jasmine rice
- Drizzle with coconut milk
- Garnish with fresh thyme and aniseed
- Dates add depth and sweetness—don’t skip
- Chicken thighs stay tender better than breast
- Make ahead: improves after a day in the fridge
- Freezes well
Serves 6-8 | Active time: 30 min | Total time: 1 hour