Easy butter chicken

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 220C/200C Fan/Gas Mix together the marinade ingredients in a small ovenproof dish, ideally cast iron, or a small roasting tin. Add the chicken and coat thoroughly in the marinade. Roast for 10 minutes.

Step 2

While the chicken is cooking, make the sauce. Heat the sunflower oil in a medium non-stick frying pan and cook the garlic and ginger over a low heat for 1–2 minutes, or until softened but not coloured, stirring constantly. Add the garam masala, cumin, coriander and turmeric and cook for 30 seconds, stirring.

Step 3

Sprinkle over the fenugreek and chilli flakes and cook for a few seconds more, then add the caster sugar and tomato purée. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add 6 tablespoons cold water and the cream and bring to a simmer. Season with salt, to taste.

Step 4

Take the chicken out of the oven and stir in the creamy sauce. Return to the oven for a further 10 minutes, or until the chicken is tender and the sauce is bubbling.

Step 5

Just before the chicken is done, roughly bash the cardamom pods in a pestle and mortar and remove the husks. Grind the seeds to a powder. Sprinkle the ground cardamom and remaining fenugreek over the butter chicken just before serving.