Ingredients:

  • 1.5 lbs chicken thighs, boneless, skinless, cut into 1.5-inch chunks
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.5 cup thick Greek yogurt, full fat
  • 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • 1 tsp mustard oil
  • 2 lbs ripe Roma tomatoes, pureed and strained
  • 2 oz unsalted butter, cold and cubed
  • 0.25 cup raw cashews, soaked and blended to a fine paste
  • 2 green chilies, slit
  • 1 inch ginger, julienned
  • 1 tbsp kasuri methi, toasted and crushed
  • 0.5 cup heavy cream
  • 1 tsp honey

Instructions:

  1. First Marinate: Toss chicken chunks with lemon juice, salt, and Kashmiri red chili powder. Let it rest for 20 minutes to break down protein fibers.
  2. Second Marinate: Add Greek yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, garam masala, and mustard oil to the chicken. Marinate for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to penetrate.
  3. Cooking the Chicken: Arrange chicken on a tray and bake at 400°F (200°C) for 15 minutes until the edges are blackened and the meat is firm. Alternatively, sear in a hot cast iron skillet in batches to avoid steaming.
  4. Prepare Makhani Sauce: Simmer the strained tomato puree with slit green chilies and julienned ginger in a heavy-bottomed kadai until reduced and thickened.
  5. Emulsify: Slowly whisk in the cold cubed butter and the prepared cashew paste to create a silky, stable sauce base.
  6. Finish and Simmer: Fold in the charred chicken pieces, heavy cream, honey, and crushed kasuri methi. Simmer briefly until the gravy reaches a glossy, rust-hued consistency.