CLASSICS REVISITED(ISH): BUTTER (NO) CHICKEN CURRY

One of the most popular dishes on my blog is my veggie and healthy "no butter, no chicken curry", a twist on the old curry house favourite. It's a fabulous recipe but it was most defiantly ripe for those who aren't too fussed about watching the calories and really want to spoil themselves to a delicious and unctuous classic. It's still veggie friendly but this time I'm including the butter and cream as well as adding some additional little flourishes to really lift this dish up to the next level. It's full of sin's but we all need to be a bit naughty now and then!

So yeah, if your looking for a veggie friendly butter chicken then head on over my classic recipe here. You can tell it doesn't have the cream and butter that makes butter chicken a really rich and unctuous dish but it's the closest thing taste wise to it that I've created without those sin full additions. If your trying to be good then this new recipe below is really not for you.

What is the same as my previous recipe is that I'm going veggie again as that is the norm round our place. I've used Quorn chicken bites but other meat substitutes are available however I don't think anything beats Quorn in my opinion . You can have course use chicken if you are a raging carnivore, simply cut the chicken up into thumb sized chunks and chuck in in at the same time you would do the Quorn pieces in the recipe below and simmer for the ten minutes or until the chicken is cooked, juicy and tender.  The nuts and the coriander leaves are just for garnish and so can be left out if your are allergic or just don't have or like them. Peanuts could also work if your not a fan of cashews.

Lets get this butter chicken on the go. If you have time this is a great dish to slow cook too. Pop it in your slow cooker and the point were you add in your chicken to simmer. The longer you let it simmer away in there, the more intense those spices will be in the butter sauce. Then when your ready to serve stir through the last bit of butter and double cream. Delish!

Butter (No) Chicken

1 Chopped Red Onion

1 Grated Garlic Clove

1 Tbsp Grated Ginger

Handful Chopped Mushrooms

400g Tin Of Chopped Tomatoes

1 Tsp Curry Powder

Pinch Of Sugar

1 Tbsp Tomato Puree

50g Unsalted Butter

1 Tsp Garam Masala

1 Tsp Ground Cumin

1 Tsp Ground Coriander

200g Quorn Chicken Pieces

Salt And Pepper To Season

5 Tbsp Double Cream

Handful Chopped Cashew Nuts

Handful Chopped Fresh Coriander Leaves

1. Place a large oiled frying pan on a medium/high heat and add in the onion, garlic and ginger and fry until the onions begin to soften before adding in the mushrooms and frying until they begin to go soft.
2. Add in the chopped tomatoes, curry powder, sugar, tomato puree and 125ml water and bring the mixture to a boil whilst stirring  regularly.  Reduce to a simmer for around 5 minutes until the sauce has thickened slightly.
3. Add in half of the butter, the garam masala, cumin, ground coriander and Quorn chicken pieces. Bring back up to the boiland then reduce to simmer for another 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Add in the double cream and remaining butter and stir until the butter has melted and the sauce has become pale and even in colour.
5. Remove from the heat and garnish with the chopped nuts and coriander leaves.

The butter no chicken is ready to go! Of course with any curry it needs to be served with rice. That to me is the law but for this bad boy you also need to serve it with some naan or roti to mop up all that rich and creamy butter sauce which would be criminal to waste. Those crunchy little nuts also give a little a little bit of texture pop to what is otherwise a smooth and silky soft dish. Its great to give these classic recipes a makeover and turn them into something completely difference whilst still retaining that essence from the original. Why not give them both a go and see which you prefer!