Butter chicken is, and always will be, a mouthwatering local favourite, no matter the time of year! Our baked butter chicken recipe is filled with perfectly balanced fragrant spices to make this dish that much more delicious.

SERVES 8 // COOKING TIME 1 hour 40 min

INGREDIENTS
For the baked butter chicken
1 tbsp tandoori spice
2 garlic cloves, grated
1 tsp grated ginger
1 tsp salt
Juice of 1 lemon
100 ml vegetable oil
1 whole chicken
5 tbsp butter
400 g tin chopped tomatoes
1 onion, chopped
1 cup cream
1 tsp tomato paste
1 tsp cumin
For the coriander sauce
1 cup coriander
¼ cup mint
7 green chillies, chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
3 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp grated ginger
1 garlic clove, grated
½ tsp cumin, toasted
½ tsp salt
½ cup yoghurt

METHOD
For the baked butter chicken
1. Mix tandoori spice, garlic, ginger, salt, lemon juice and 3 tbsp oil. Coat the chicken in the mixture and leave to marinate for 1 hour.
2. Preheat oven to 180°C.
3. Heat remaining oil and butter in an ovenproof pot. Sear the chicken on all sides, then add the remaining ingredients.
4. Place pot in oven and bake for 1 hour 30 minutes. Remove from oven and leave the chicken to cool in sauce for 30 minutes.
5. Remove whole chicken from sauce and shred all meat off it. Return meat to sauce and warm through, stirring to mix.
For the coriander sauce
1. Place all ingredients, except yoghurt, in a food processor and pulse until smooth.
2. Fold in yoghurt.

Recipe & styling: Chiara Turilli & Amerae Vercueil
Photography: Andreas Eiselen // HMimages.co.za