Indian Butter Chicken

One of my favourite cuisines is Indian. I love the bold, spicy, warm flavours. As a stay at home mom who tries to watch our grocery budget, I also appreciate how frugal preparing Indian cuisine can be. Stocking up on spices is a cheap way to make meals interesting. I've also found that unlike other ethnic cuisines, Indian food makes use of many ingredients you'd find in any typical North American grocery store. I came across this recipe for Butter Chicken a few years ago, and it's become a regular favorite in my weekly meal plan. My 11 year old daughter Mimi is always eager to come to the dinner table when she knows this delicious curry will be on her plate! I like to serve this dish with rice that has been steamed in chicken stock with turmeric added to it. At the last minute I like to add a few frozen peas to the rice for some more flavour and color. Of course, you can't have a curry without naan bread. I think my children enjoy scooping up the curry with their bread. That's another reason this meal is a hit...finger food is fun!

Indian Butter Chicken

1 ounce of butter
1 onion chopped
2 cloves of garlic chopped fine
2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts chopped into 1" cubes
1 teaspoon powdered ginger
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup of heavy cream
1 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon garam masala

Saute onion in butter over medium heat until the onion is translucent. Add the garlic and saute for a few seconds being careful not to burn it. Add the chopped chicken breasts and saute until almost cooked. Add the spices stirring to coat the chicken, and cook for a couple of minutes to release the full flavour of the spices. Add the heavy cream and tomato paste and stir to combine. Simmer gently for a couple of minutes, the curry will thicken just a bit. Garnish with garam masala or chopped cilantro. Serve and enjoy!