Dairy Free Butter Chicken
I haven’t seen many dairy-free Indian dishes. There are vegan versions but not dairy free. I experimented with this recipe and it gets as close as possible. This lactose-free version of the classic Indian dish, packed with all the aromatic spices and flavors you love without any of the dairy.
Ingredients
Base
- 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 medium size onion, roughly chopped
- 2 tomatoes, roughly chopped can also use tomato pure
- 4 tbsp oil/ vegan butter
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantrp
- 10 whole cashews soaked overnight
- 2 tbsp ginger garlic paste
- 4 tbsp vegan yogurt Silk® Plain Dairy-Free Soy Yogurt Alternative,
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
Whole Spices
- 2 tsp cumin
- 4 whole clove buds
- 2 tsp peppercorn
- 2 black cardamom pods can use green cardamom too
- 2 medium size bayleaves
- 2 inch stick of cinnamon
- 2 tsp dried fenugreek leaves crushed
Spice Mix
- 3 tsp coriander powder
- 2 tsp turmeric
- 3 tsp kashmiri chilli powder can use paprika
- 3 tsp chicken masala
- salt according to taste
Instructions
Preparing the chicken
- Start by curring the chicken thighs into bite-size pieces.4 boneless skinless chicken thighs
- In a bowl, mix together 1 tablespoon of oil, 2 tablespoons of dairy-free yogurt I use theSilk ® Plain Dairy-Free Soy Yogurt Alternative, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, 2 teaspoons of salt, 2 teaspoons of coriander powder, 2 teaspoons of turmeric, 2 teaspoons of Kashmiri chili powder or paprika, 2 teaspoons of chicken masala or garam masala, and 1 tablespoon of ginger garlic paste or grated ginger and garlic.
- Once the marinade is fully mixed, add the chicken pieces and marinate them for at least 1 hour, or up to overnight for the best flavor.
- You can either bake it in the oven at 375 degrees for 15 minutes on each side or cook it in a pan on medium-high heat for 25 minutes, flipping it halfway through. Cook the chicken until it is fully cooked through and set it aside when finished.
Butter Chicken Sauce
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a pan and saute roughly 1 tablespoon of ginger garlic paste, chopped onions, tomatoes or puree, and cashews for 5 to 7 minutes.
- Once the mixture is cooked, remove it from the pan and allow it to cool. Once cooled, blend the mixture until it reaches a puree-like consistency.
- As the tomato onion puree mixture cooks down, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in the same pan and add your whole spices: 2 teaspoons of cumin, 4 to 5 whole cloves buds, 2 teaspoons of black peppercorn, 2 whole star anise, 2-3 black cardamom pods (you can also use green), a 2-inch stick of cinnamon, and 2 medium-sized bay leaves.
- Toast the spices for 1 to 2 minutes on medium heat, then add the tomato onion puree to the pan and cook on medium heat until it starts releasing oils, which should take around 7 to 10 minutes.
- Add 1/4 cup of vegan heavy cream and stir to combine. You can use any non-flavored vegan heavy cream of your choice, but the Silk Heavy Whipping Cream Alternative Dairy Free is a good option.
- In addition to the cream, add the remaining spices: 1 teaspoon of turmeric, 1 teaspoon of Kashmiri chili powder or paprika, 1 teaspoon of chicken masala or garam masala, 1 teaspoon of coriander powder, 1 teaspoon of sugar, and salt. Mix everything together and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
Final Steps
- Add the chicken pieces along with any juices that have accumulated to the pan. Once the chicken is well coated in the sauce, add 1/2 cup of water and 1/4 stick of butter to the pan.
- The consistency of the gravy can be adjusted to your preference by adding more or less water. Cook it for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Do a taste test and adjust the spices as needed. Then, add some dried crushed fenugreek leaves to the pan and let the gravy simmer for 2 minutes on medium-low heat.
- To finish the dish, garnish it with cilantro, and a splash of vegan cream, and serve it with steamed rice or chapati and a side of onion salad.
