Oven-Baked One-Pan Butter Chicken

Name: Oven-Baked One-Pan Butter Chicken
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 5
Ingredients: 1.2 kg bone-in chicken thighs; 1/2 cup plain yogurt; 1 cup tomato passata; 3/4 cup heavy cream; 1 tbsp ginger; 2 clove garlic; 1 tbsp lemon juice; 2 tbsp ghee or butter; 2 tsp garam masala; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp turmeric powder; 1/2 tsp chili powder or cayenne pepper; 1/2 tsp kosher salt; 1 1/2 tsp white sugar; 1/2 cup coriander leaves; basmati rice; naan

This oven-baked butter chicken delivers tender, juicy chicken in a rich tomato cream sauce with plenty of warm spices. It is an easy, family-friendly dinner that gives you classic butter chicken flavor with minimal hands-on work and only one baking dish to wash.

Servings5 Portions

Prep Time10 Mins

Cook Time45 Mins

Difficulty

Easy

Ingredients

bone-in chicken thighs
1.2 kg
plain yogurt
0.5 cup
tomato passata
1 cup
heavy cream
0.8 cup
ginger
1 tbsp
garlic
2 clove
lemon juice
1 tbsp
ghee or butter
2 tbsp
garam masala
2 tsp
ground cumin
1 tsp
turmeric powder
1 tsp
chili powder or cayenne pepper
0.5 tsp
kosher salt
0.5 tsp
white sugar
0.5 tsp
coriander leaves
0.5 cup
basmati rice
naan

Step-by-Step Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C), or 180°C fan-forced. Lightly grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish if needed.

In a large bowl, whisk together the yogurt, lemon juice, grated ginger, minced garlic, turmeric, garam masala, chili powder, cumin, and salt. Add the chicken thighs and toss until well coated.

For deeper flavor, cover and refrigerate the chicken for a few hours or overnight. If you are short on time, you can continue straight away.

In the baking dish, stir together the melted ghee or butter, tomato passata, heavy cream, and sugar until smooth. Arrange the marinated chicken on top in a single layer, smooth side up, then spoon any leftover marinade over the chicken.

Bake for 45 minutes, basting the chicken with the sauce after 30 minutes and again after 40 minutes. The sauce should darken to a deep orange-red and the chicken should be fully cooked through.