Chicken Makhani

What to make, what to make?? With this week being back to school for teachers, I didn't have time to go grocery shopping. I had limited veggie choices, as well as meat. I had a lb. and a 1/4 of chicken breast that I decided to take out to defrost, but I didn't plan on what I was going to do with it.

When coming home from work I thought about marinating chicken in a teriyaki sauce and serving with rice and veggies. But when I looked in the refrigerator, I had no ingredients to make the marinade. I mean, no ketchup, no soy sauce, no rice wine vinegar, no mirin. Not to mention I didn't have any more rice either. (time to go shopping!!)

So when Chad came home from work I told him the dilemma. Since we had eaten out the prior two nights, and we're trying to keep to a budget, going out again wasn't an option. I asked him to look at some recipes and he spotted one on allrecipes.com. It was Chicken Makhani (butter chicken). I looked at the ingredients, and because I was only missing a minor few I decided to make it. This recipe is so delicious, and the house smelled wonderful while it simmered. I served this over couscous (no rice, remember!)

The recipe is C&P'd with adjustments I made that are italicized.

Chicken Makhani

• INGREDIENTS
  
• 1 tablespoon peanut oil ( I used vegetable oil)
  1 shallot, finely chopped (omit)
  1/4 white onion, chopped (used 1/2 since I omitted shallots)
  2 tablespoons butter
  2 teaspoons lemon juice (I used fresh lime juice)
  1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste (1 1/2 Tbs. fresh ginger minced, and 2 Cloves garlic minced. I smashed with the flat side of the knife into a paste)
  1 teaspoon garam masala (upped to 1 Tbs)
  1 teaspoon chili powder (upped to 1 Tbs.)
  1 teaspoon ground cumin (upped to 1 Tbs.)
  1 bay leaf
  1/4 cup plain yogurt (upped to 1/2 cup)
  1 cup half-and-half (I used 1 1/4 C. heavy cream)
  1 cup tomato puree (1 and 1/4 cup of tomato sauce)
  1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
  1 pinch salt
  1 pinch black pepper
  
  1 tablespoon peanut oil (used vegetable oil)
  1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces (used chicken breast that I seasoned with S&P, and garlic powder)
  1 teaspoon garam masala (upped to 1 Tbs.)
  1 pinch cayenne pepper
  1 tablespoon cornstarch
  1/4 cup water (Omitted)

* I also used about 2 tsp. of curry powder, and threw in some sliced almonds while it simmered.

DIRECTIONS

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Saute shallot and onion until soft and translucent. Stir in butter, lemon juice, ginger-garlic paste, 1 teaspoon garam masala, chili powder, cumin and bay leaf. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add tomato sauce, and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in half-and-half and yogurt. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Season with salt pepper. Remove from heat and set aside.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Cook chicken until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat, and season with 1 teaspoon garam masala and cayenne. Stir in a few spoonfuls of sauce, and simmer until liquid has reduced, and chicken is no longer pink. Stir cooked chicken into sauce. (I browned all over and put into sauce to simmer for 15 minutes then added cornstarch and simmered 5 more)
Mix together cornstarch and water, then stir into the sauce. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes, or until thickened.