Preparation

• Assemble all ingredients together to avoid last minute rush.
• Cut chicken breasts into roughly 1 inch pieces.
• Wash and finely chop ginger, garlic, tomatoes and coriander.
• Soak cashews in water for at least 2 hours.
• For the chicken marination, add the chicken pieces and all the marinade ingredients in a large Mixing Bowl. Gently mix everything together to get well incorporated.
  
• Cover the Mixing Bowl with cling wrap and refrigerate for 2-3 hours, or up to overnight.

Cooking

To Cook Chicken

• Heat a Skillet or Grill Pan over medium-high heat and add 1 tbsp of butter to the Pan.
• Working in small batches, cook the marinade chicken pieces on the skillet or grill pan for 5-7 minutes on each side until chicken is cooked. Do not over cook the chicken. Alternatively, you can cook the chicken in the oven or on a griller.
  
• Transfer the cooked chicken pieces into a separate dish. Keep aside for later use.

For Curry

• Now, melt 1 tbsp butter in a Kadai or Skillet or Cookpot on medium low heat. Add cinnamon, cloves, bay leaves(if using) and cardamom pods in the skillet or pot.
• Saute a little and add chopped ginger and garlic into it. Saute until raw aroma goes away.
• Now, add chopped tomatoes along with salt, red chili powder, sugar, and coriander powder.
• Cook until tomatoes are soften over low to medium flame.
• Add the blanched cashews also. Switch off the flame and let the mixture cool down a bit.
• Transfer it to a Blender and blend to a fine smooth puree. Add water, if required.
• Transfer the puree again to the Kadai or Cookpot.
• Now, saute the tomato masala until oil starts to separate over low flame.
• Add ½ tsp of butter. Make sure masala do not get burn from the bottom.
  
• Then, add water, as required. You can adjust the gravy consistency as you like but do not add too much. We need semi thick gravy consistency. We can always add more water later on, if required.
• Bring to a boil and add dried fenugreek leaves and garam masala. Mix well.
• Now, add cooked chicken in to the gravy.
• Cover and simmer for 5-6 minutes so that chicken soak the flavor of the spices.
• Then, add the heavy cream in the butter chicken and stir well. Switch off the flame.
• Garnish with some more cream and chopped coriander.
• Serve Butter Chicken with any bread of your choice like roti, naan, paratha or steamed rice and fresh onion rings.