I shared this on my Instagram reels recipe a few weeks back; here is the nitty gritty. Below is the picture play by play.
ingredients
2lbs chicken breast
1 cup buttermilk, divided
2 tablespoons tandoori masala, divided
1 teaspoon garama masala
1/2 teaspoon Dark Chili powder
1/2 teaspoon Kashmiri Chili Powder
1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
pepper to taste
1.5 tablespoons minced ginger
1.5 tablespoons garlic
3 cups chopped tomatoes
4 tablespoons of butter
sugar to taste
Steps
mix 1/4 cup butter milk, 1 tablespoon of tandoori masala and 1 teaspoon of salt, then marinate chicken overnight.
Sauce: start by browning garlic, ginger, garam masala, chili powders, tandoori masala
add chopped tomatoes
simmer with lid down for 5-10 minutes
use stick blender or vitamin simmer to desired consistency
add buttermilk, butter and sugar(to taste) stir well
cook chicken, chop and add to sauce
The day before . . .
You will marinate the chicken.
Big shoutout to Spicewalla for supplying me a ton of spices including the Tandoori Masala which is clutch for an all purpose Indian style marinade. I used chicken breast, cut it in half vertically and marianted it overnight in a mix of that Masala and Buttermilk. Why Buttermilk? Well I had some lying around and it made sense. Like yogurt, when you marinade meats in it, it will tenderize. Yogurt, heavy cream or even half and half works too. I personally avoid yogurt as it is so dense and gets in the way of the spices shining in the dish.
Make the sauce first.
Yeah, you make it separately,
Even the day ahead works, like when you marinate the chicken. Start by cooking up the ginger, garlic, and the spices in a heavy pot. For depth, I added garam masala and for heat, two chili powders(Dark Chili and Kashmiri) along with more Tandoori Masala. Once fragrant, add the chopped tomatoes, cover and simmer for at least 10-15 minutes. Then get it into a blender to use a stick blender and get it smooth like tomato soup. Add the buttermilk, butter and sugar to taste. Depending on how spicy/tangy you want it, taste as you pour the buttermilk and add the butter and sugar.
Cook that chicken
And add it to the sauce.
I like to use a grill pan but an outdoor grill would work wonders. I finish cooking the chicken in the oven if it's really thick but remember even if it's not all the way cooked, it will continue to cook in the sauce.
Grab a fork, maybe a spoon.
Serve over rice or cauliflower rice if you're like me and keeping the carbs in check. Of course naan bread is great but so is homemade flour tortillas. Another example of why I don't order Indian takeout anymore. Just get the right spices, that makes a huge difference.