From the team of chef's at the University of Nottingham

Serves: 4

Cook time: 50mins

Difficulty: Medium

A creamy, flavour packed classic that will fill you up any night of the week. This butter chicken curry recipe feels like home with it being so simple but so tasty at the same time. This was served in catered halls and now you can recreate at home!

Ingredients

Marinade:

• 400g Chicken breast & thigh, diced
• 2 tbsp Murgh makhani curry paste
• 1 tsp Ginger, minced
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1/2 tsp Garam masala
• 2 tbsp Yoghurt (optional for extra tenderness)

Butter chicken sauce:

• 1 tbsp Rapeseed oil
• 160g Onions, diced
• 160g Mixed peppers, diced
• 1 clove Garlic, minced
• 1 tsp Ginger, minced
• 1/2 tsp Chilli powder (adjust for spice preference)
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric
• 1/2 tsp Ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp Ground coriander
• 2 tbsp Murgh makhani curry paste
• 200ml Water
• 80g Desiccated coconut
• 50ml Double cream or coconut milk (for creaminess)
• 2g Fresh coriander, chopped (for garnish)
• 1 tbsp Butter (for extra richness)

Serve with:

• Naan (1 per person)
• 400g of basmati rice

Method

1. Marinate the chicken

• In a bowl, combine the diced chicken with Murgh Makhani paste, ginger, salt, garam masala, and yoghurt.
• Mix well and let it marinate for at least 30 minutes (or overnight for deeper flavour).

2. Cook the base

• Heat rapeseed oil in a pan over medium heat.
• Add onions and garlic, sautéing until golden brown and fragrant.
• Stir in ginger, mixed peppers, chilli powder, turmeric, cumin, and ground coriander, cooking for 1-2 minutes until aromatic.

3. Cook the chicken

• Add the marinated chicken to the pan, cooking until browned on all sides.
• Stir in Murgh Makhani curry paste and let it cook for a further 2-3 minutes.

4. Simmer the sauce

• Pour in 200ml water and mix well, scraping up any bits from the pan.
• Stir in desiccated coconut and let the sauce simmer for 10-15 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked (core temp 75°C).
• Add double cream or coconut milk and butter, stirring until smooth and creamy.

5. Cook the rice

• Rinse 400g basmati rice under cold water until the water runs clear.
• Add rice to a pot with twice the amount of water (800ml water).
• Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10-12 minutes.
• Turn off the heat and let it sit, covered, for 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork.

6. Serve & garnish

• Taste and adjust seasoning if needed with salt and pepper.
• Sprinkle with chopped fresh coriander.
• Serve hot with rice & a warm naan.

This dish was inspired by the food served on campus. Sign up for your MealPass to make the most of catering on campus, even if you're not in catered halls.