Chicken Makhani (Butter Chicken)

Butter chicken — chicken makhani, properly — is the dish that ate the world. Every Indian restaurant from Buffalo to Berlin to Brisbane has it on the menu, usually misspelled, usually too sweet, usually made from chicken that was poached in the sauce instead of cooked separately. It has become the boneless skinless chicken breast of Indian cuisine: everyone says they like it, almost nobody is excited about it, and the version most people have eaten is a sad cousin of the original.

A really good butter chicken is none of those things. The chicken has actual char on it from a hot, direct-heat cook before it ever sees the sauce — that smoky edge is half the dish. The tomato base is concentrated and blended smooth, balanced by caramelized onions rather than added sugar. The cream is finishing, not foundation. The kasuri methi at the end pulls everything together and is what makes the dish taste alive instead of like a pleasant pink soup.

This is the version I learned to make in stages — the bones of it from my mother, who would marinate the chicken overnight and broil it under the oven's top element when she didn't want to deal with the grill; the rest from years of restaurant disappointments and a stubborn determination to figure out what the good versions were doing differently. The two-pan setup is the heart of it. One pan blasts the marinated chicken under the broiler. The other pan slowly builds the velvety tomato-butter gravy. They meet in the middle.

It also reheats beautifully, which is the actual reason every Indian restaurant has it on the menu. Make it on a Sunday for friends and eat the leftovers on Tuesday with rice. The second day is almost better than the first, which is the highest compliment I can pay any Indian dish.

Cooking tips

A yogurt marinade — at least an hour, overnight if you can plan ahead — keeps the chicken tender while infusing it with flavor.

Broiling the chicken instead of poaching it directly in the sauce delivers the smoky char that defines a great butter chicken.

Blending the tomato base smooth and returning it to the pan gives the gravy that silky, restaurant-style texture.

Kasuri methi at the very end — crushed between your palms — is what takes this from "tomato cream chicken" to actual butter chicken.

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. Marinate the chicken

Whisk all the marinade ingredients in a bowl. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Chill at least 1 hour, or overnight.

2. Char the chicken

Heat the broiler to high. Spread the chicken in a single layer on a foil-lined sheet pan. Broil on the top rack until charred in spots and cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes, flipping halfway.

3. Build the base

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 the ginger-garlic paste and cook 1 minute.

4. Simmer the sauce

Add the tomatoes (crush by hand as they go in), tomato paste, chile powder, coriander, and 1/2 cup water. Simmer 15 minutes until thick. Blend smooth, then return to the pan.

5. Bring it together

Stir in the cream, honey, and remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Salt generously. Add the charred chicken and any juices. Simmer 5 minutes.

6. Finish

Off heat, crush in the kasuri methi. Top with a spoonful of cream and chopped cilantro. Serve with naan or basmati rice.

A note: Kashmiri chile powder is the secret here — it gives the sauce its deep red color without the burn of cayenne. Regular cayenne will give you a sauce that's red AND painful. Smoked paprika does an OK job in a pinch, but if you can track down the real thing, do — it's sold at every Indian grocery and worth keeping around. You'll use it constantly.