Description
A creamy and flavorful Butter Chicken Pasta that combines tender chicken breast pieces with a rich, spiced tomato sauce inspired by traditional Indian butter chicken, tossed with perfectly cooked short pasta for a delightful fusion meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 10.5 oz (300 g) short pasta
Protein and Aromatics
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon (20 g) butter
- 1 lb (450 g) chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, finely chopped
Spices
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes
Sauce
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 cups (400 ml) tomato sauce (passata)
- 2 tablespoons almond butter
- 1 cup (200 ml) half and half (single cream)
- A handful fresh cilantro (coriander)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Prepare the pasta al dente according to the package instructions. Once cooked, reserve 1-2 cups of pasta water before draining the pasta to adjust the sauce consistency later.
- Sear the chicken: Heat olive oil and butter in a pan over medium-high heat. Add the bite-sized chicken breast pieces and cook them until they turn golden brown on all sides, ensuring they are mostly cooked through.
- Sauté aromatics: Add the diced onion, finely chopped garlic, and fresh ginger to the pan with the chicken. Cook until the onion is softened and the mixture is fragrant, about 3-5 minutes.
- Spice it up: Stir in the garam masala, ground cumin, ground coriander, chili powder, turmeric, and red chili flakes. Cook briefly, about 1-2 minutes, to toast the spices and release their flavors.
- Add sauce: Mix in the tomato paste and tomato sauce (passata). If the sauce is too thick, add some reserved pasta water to loosen it. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer.
- Thicken the sauce: Stir in the almond butter and half and half (single cream). Continue simmering the sauce until it thickens to a creamy consistency, about 5-7 minutes.
- Combine and serve: Toss the cooked pasta into the sauce, mixing well to coat evenly. Add the fresh cilantro and adjust seasoning with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve immediately while hot.
Notes
- Reserve pasta water to adjust sauce consistency without thinning flavor.
- Use almond butter for a nutty richness; peanut butter can be a substitute.
- Half and half can be replaced with heavy cream or full-fat milk for variation.
- Adjust chili powder and red chili flakes to control spiciness.
- This dish pairs well with a simple green salad or garlic bread.
