Chicken Makhani (Butter Chicken)

The trick to good butter chicken at home is in two places — getting some real char on the chicken before it goes into the sauce, and not being shy with the butter at the end. I do this in two pans: one to blast the chicken under the broiler, one to build the gravy. They meet in the middle.

Ingredients

For the chicken:

• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into large chunks
• 1/2 cup full-fat yogurt
• 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Kashmiri chile powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon neutral oil
• Kosher salt

For the gravy:

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
• 1 (28-oz) can whole peeled tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Kashmiri chile powder
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 cup heavy cream, plus more to finish
• 1 tablespoon honey or sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi), crushed
• Cilantro, for serving

Method

1. Whisk all the marinade ingredients in a bowl. Add the chicken, toss to coat, and chill at least 1 hour (or overnight).
2. Heat your broiler to high. Line a sheet pan with foil and arrange the chicken in a single layer. Broil on the top rack until charred in spots and cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes, flipping halfway. Don't move it to the sauce yet.
3. Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a deep pan over medium-high heat. Cook the onion until soft and golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Add ginger-garlic paste; cook 1 minute.
4. Add tomatoes (crush them in your hand as they go in), tomato paste, chile powder, coriander, and 1/2 cup water. Simmer 15 minutes, until thick. Blend smooth with an immersion blender or in a regular blender. Return to the pan.
5. Stir in cream, honey, and remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Season generously with salt. Add the charred chicken with any juices. Simmer 5 minutes to marry.
6. Off the heat, crush in the kasuri methi and finish with a spoonful more cream and chopped cilantro. Serve with naan or basmati rice.

A note: Use Kashmiri chile powder if you can — it's the source of the color, not the heat. Regular cayenne will give you a sauce that's red but also painful.