Recipe
Lime Butter Chicken
Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 25 min
Serves: 4
Canadians adore Butter Chicken. Not only has it soared to one of Canadians most ordered entrées in Indian restaurants but you can even buy frozen prepared butter chicken in most supermarkets. So you know it is a great main for your next party and if you follow our easy version you can quickly make it at home and fortunately the flavour improves with being made ahead. My version adds a little excitement with lime juice to wake up the complex flavor and cut the richness. Another plus of this version is that less than a teaspoon of butter a serving adds a luxuriousness of flavor to this already pleasingly fiery sauce. It’s a snap to double or triple this recipe if you’re having a crowd. Be sure to have rice to soak up all the complex flavoured sauce.
Contributed By: Developed for CFC by Monda Rosenberg
Ingredients
4
skinless boneless chicken breasts
2 cups (500 mL)
chicken broth
1
jalapeno including seeds, finely chopped
3
garlic cloves, crushed
finely grated peel and juice of 1 lime
1 tbsp (15 mL)
ground cumin
1 tsp (5 mL)
garam masala (optional)
1/2 tsp (2.5 mL)
salt
1 cup (250 mL)
table cream
1/2 cup (125 mL)
whipping cream
2
tomatoes, coarsely chopped
2 tbsp (30 mL)
cornstarch
2 tbsp (30 mL)
cold butter
1 cup (250 mL)
frozen peas (optional)
1/2 cup (125 mL)
coarsely chopped coriander
Instructions
1
Cut chicken into large bite-size pieces, about 1 inch (2.5 cm) wide. In a large frying pan, combine broth, jalapeno (If you are not a fiery fan remove seeds before chopping), garlic, lime peel and juice, plus cumin, garam masala and salt. To develop flavor, boil gently, uncovered, until reduced to about a cup (250 mL), about 10 minutes.
2
Stir in cream, tomatoes and chicken. Cover and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat so mixture just simmers. Simmer, covered and stirring often, until chicken feels springy when tapped, about 10 minutes.
3
In a small bowl, stir cornstarch with 2 Tbsp (30 mL) water. Increase heat to medium. Stir fairly constantly until thickened, about 3 minutes. Cut cold butter into 6 pieces. Add one piece to the sauce and stir constantly until melted. Repeat with remaining pieces. Add peas, if using, and stir often until hot. Turn into a serving dish or spoon over rice on plates and sprinkle with coriander.
