Tomato-Free Butter Chicken
Prep: 30 min (plus marinating) · Cook: 45 min · Serves: 4
Ingredients
- 2 lbs chicken breast
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- 2 Tbsp fresh ginger, grated
- 2 cloves garlic, grated
- 1 Tbsp kosher salt
- 2 tsp ground turmeric
- 2 Tbsp garam masala, divided
- ½ tsp ground coriander
- 12 oz CARINARA Cracked Pepper
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup roasted cashews
- 6 Tbsp butter, divided (4 Tbsp kept cold)
- Chopped cilantro, for garnish
- Rice or naan, for serving
Created for CARINARA by Chef Mathew Evers
Add to Cart - Cracked Pepper
No cast iron? A heavy stainless steel pan works too.
Directions
Make-ahead tip: marinate the chicken overnight in the fridge. The flavor gets deeper and dinner comes together fast the next day.
- Cut the chicken into 1" cubes. Mix the Greek yogurt, ginger, garlic, salt, turmeric, and half the garam masala. Stir in the chicken and marinate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
- Preheat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add 1 Tbsp butter and the marinated chicken in an even layer. Let it brown without touching for 1–2 minutes, turn, and cook 1–2 minutes more.
- Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
- Add 1 Tbsp butter, the remaining garam masala, coriander, and cashews. Toast lightly until fragrant.
- Add the CARINARA and heavy cream. Stir and simmer for 1–2 minutes, then transfer to a blender and blend until completely smooth.
- Return the sauce and chicken to the skillet. Cover and simmer on medium-low for 20–25 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
- Uncover and stir in the 4 Tbsp cold butter. This gives the sauce extra richness and body.
- Garnish with cilantro and serve with rice or naan for scooping. Enjoy!
Grocery list
Everything you need, grouped by aisle:
Produce
- Fresh ginger (for 2 Tbsp grated)
- Garlic (2 cloves)
- Cilantro (1 bunch)
Meat
- Chicken breast (2 lbs)
Dairy
- Greek yogurt (1 cup)
- Heavy cream (1 cup)
- Butter (6 Tbsp)
Spices
- Kosher salt (1 Tbsp)
- Ground turmeric (2 tsp)
- Garam masala (2 Tbsp)
- Ground coriander (½ tsp)
Pantry
- CARINARA Cracked Pepper (12 oz)
- Roasted cashews (½ cup)
- Rice or naan, for serving
About the Chef: Mathew Evers
Changing what senior dining looks like
For the past 9 years, Mathew has led the culinary program at Brookestone Meadows, a skilled nursing and rehab facility in Elkhorn, NE. His mission: change how people think about senior dining. That means in-house menus and recipes, cooking from scratch, and thoughtfully curated multi-course dinners.
"I had a lot of fun creating these CARINARA Sauce based recipes and I hope that anyone that tries them enjoys them as well!"
Off the clock
When he's not cooking, Mathew is spending time with his wife, their 9-year-old son, and their family dog, Mochi.
Rooted in Omaha's food scene
A chance meeting with local restaurant legend Chef Clayton Chapman, formerly of The Grey Plume, pulled Mathew further into Omaha's food community. Since then, he's worked alongside:
- Chef Andrew Novak, Chef/Owner of All-in-Thyme Bakery & Café
- Chef Gerald Dimabuyu of The Fifth Taste Food Truck
- Chef Ben Maides of Au Courant
- The opening crew at La Vita Nuova/Alta.1897, Olde Town Elkhorn's newest dual concept
Shop CARINARA → Happy cooking! 🥕
1 comment
Mathew is my son. He has been cooking for a long time and our family loves his creativity. He is a great chef and people are lucky to get to enjoy his presentations. Delicious. From- A proud mom