Nut Free Butter Chicken

Jazz up leftover chicken by recreating a nut free version of this popular restaurant-style butter chicken in under 30 minutes.

Course Mains

Cuisine Indian

Keyword Butter Chicken, easy chicken curry, nut free butter chicken

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 20

Total Time 25

Servings servings

Calories 567kcal

Author Nicole Shroff

Equipment

Medium Saucepan
Handheld Blender

Ingredients

1 full tandoori chicken small pieces
1 tablespoon oil or ghee
4 pods green cardamom
2 cloves garlic minced or grated
⅛ teaspoon ground mace
800 grams tinned tomatoes 28 oz
1 teaspoon cayenne powder
1 teaspoon salt to taste
1 teaspoon ginger minced
3 green chillies roughly chopped
120 grams crème fraîche ½ cup cream or yogurt
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon honey
3 tablespoons dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi)

Instructions

Add 1 tablespoon oil, 4 pods green cardamom and 2 cloves garlic (minced) to a medium saucepan and heat till the garlic has softened, take care not to let the garlic brown/burn.
Add the chopped 1 teaspoon ginger and 3 green chillies then sauté for 1 minute till fragrant.
Stir in 800 grams tinned tomatoes, ⅛ teaspoon ground mace, 1 teaspoon cayenne powder and 1 teaspoon salt, cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
Blend the tomato mixture till smooth then stir in 120 grams crème fraîche till combined.
Add 1 full tandoori chicken mixing well till fully coated in the sauce and cook for 3 minutes.
Stir in 3 tablespoons butter, 1 tablespoon honey and 3 tablespoons dried fenugreek leaves then cook for a further minute. Remove from the heat and serve with warm basmati rice.

Notes

Remove the chicken from the fridge half an hour before using so it is not cold when adding to the curry.

Smash the green cardamom to open the pods and expose the seeds.

Adding a little more or less of each spice should be fine except mace - accidentally adding too much mace could overwhelm and spoil the dish.

Serve warm with basmati rice.

Store in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to a month. Defrost in the fridge overnight and reheat in a saucepan on low-medium heat.

Nutrition