Ingredients

Chicken: Chopped into bite-sized pieces

Aromatics: Diced onion, minced garlic, and minced ginger

Marination: Yogurt, Garam Masala, Paprika, Turmeric, Cumin, Ground Coriander, Chili powder, Salt, Black pepper, and Lemon juice

Sauce Base: Tomato paste, Bay leaf, and Tomato passata

Finishing: Heavy cream, Honey (to balance flavors), Butter, and Fresh coriander (cilantro)

 Instructions

1. Marinate the Chicken

   In a large bowl, combine the chopped chicken with yogurt, garlic, ginger, and the spice blend (garam masala, paprika, turmeric, cumin, coriander, chili powder, salt, black pepper, and lemon juice). Mix well. (Optional: Let it marinate for at least an hour for better flavor).

2. Sear the Meat

   Heat some oil in a pan and add the marinated chicken. Cook until it gets a nice brown color on all sides, then remove the chicken from the pan and set it aside.

3. Prepare the Gravy Base

   In the same pan, toss in the diced onions and cook for a few minutes. Add a splash of water to deglaze the pan and scrape up all the stuck flavor. Add the remaining garlic, ginger, tomato paste, the same spice mix used earlier, and a crushed bay leaf. Cook for 30 seconds.

4. Simmer and Blend

   Pour in the tomato passata, mix well, and let it simmer for about 5 to 10 minutes. Once done, remove the bay leaf and blend the sauce until completely smooth.

5. Finish the Sauce

   Return the smooth gravy back to the pan. Stir in a pinch of garam masala, a touch of salt, a splash of heavy cream, a small drizzle of honey, and a cube of butter. 

6. Combine and Serve

   Add the cooked chicken back into the sauce and let it simmer for another 5 minutes until the chicken is hot through. Garnish with a bit more cream and fresh coriander before serving.