Best Butter Chicken Recipe Ever (Better Than a Restaurant!)

Combine all ingredients in a zip-top bag or shallow baking dish, massaging the marinade into the chicken. Let stand at room temperature while you prepare the sauce, or marinate in the fridge overnight.

Heat oil (or ghee) over medium heat in a large saucepan or dutch oven. Add onions and slowly cook until golden, about 20 minutes, reducing heat if they are getting crispy or browning quickly.

Add garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in 1 tbsp of the garam masala (see notes), plus the paprika, cumin, cinnamon, cayenne and salt; cook 1 minute more to let the spices toast.Add tomatoes; cook 2 minutes, then add cream.Carefully puree using an immersion blender or regular blender.The sauce base will look quite thick at this point (see notes below). Taste, and if you prefer a lighter taste or color, blend in an additional 1 cup tomatoes.

Add the chicken to the sauce, along with the marinade. Cover, and simmer over medium-low heat until chicken is cooked through, about 12 minutes (remove a couple of pieces to make sure they are no longer pink inside). A gentle simmer is required to gently cook the breasts so they don't become tough, and you don't want to overcook them.

Stir in butter, taste and add more garam masala (up to 2 tbsp more) and additional salt if needed. Serve sprinkled with cilantro, if desired.