You’re probably not surprised when you see Gordon Ramsay make a world-class dish in a time crunch. The internationally renowned chef, restaurateur and competition cooking show host has passionately mentored countless cooks—and a lot of it has been timed and caught on camera.
Ramsay’s TV show, Next Level Chef, is currently airing its third season, and episode 5, titled "Curry in a Hurry," challenged competitors to turn out a delicious curry dish in 30 minutes. Chef Ramsay is sharing his own YouTube videos from the set and recently gave himself just 15 minutes to whip up a creamy and easy-to-make version of butter chicken that we can’t wait to try at home.
"I actually went all the way to India to the birthplace of butter chicken to really understand what it takes to get this chicken curry absolutely right," Ramsay says, presumably referring to the time he spent in India filming season 1 of his short-lived series Gordon's Great Escape. The dish features many ingredients you'd find in a classic Indian butter chicken, including healthy spices like turmeric and cloves, plus flavorful aromatics like garlic, onion and ginger.
He does veer away from more traditional versions by omitting kasoori methi (fenugreek) and opting for cayenne and paprika for heat and color instead of using Kashmiri chili powder, both of which you can use if you'd like. Still, it’s clear that everyone in the household will be looking forward to dinner more and more as this fragrant dish cooks and the aromas fill the air. Luckily, you won't have to wait long, since Ramsay’s “curry in a hurry” takes just under 15 minutes to make (not counting the rice). Read on for how to make this meal at home.
Before starting the chicken, you’ll want to prepare some basmati rice or any other rice you have on hand. To make dinner even easier, use microwaveable rice packs from the grocery store. Also, go ahead and slice a stick of butter into 8 1-tablespoon slices.
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To marinate the chicken, cut 1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken breast into 1-inch pieces—any larger and Ramsay says that the chicken will take longer to cook. (We also think boneless, skinless chicken thighs would be tasty if you prefer dark meat, plus thighs are higher in iron, a nutrient that supports your immune system, cognitive function and more.) Add the chicken to a large bowl and season with kosher salt, ground turmeric, cumin, coriander, garam masala, black pepper and cayenne pepper. Then, mix in yogurt (you can use strained yogurt), which will help tenderize the chicken. While Ramsay lets the chicken marinate for a few minutes, if you have time, let it stand for 30 minutes or even refrigerate overnight to deepen the flavor.
In the meantime, place a large skillet over medium heat to begin making the sauce. To the skillet, add a generous amount of grapeseed oil (about 2 tablespoons). Follow that up with a delicious concoction of sliced red onion, cardamom, cloves, ginger, garlic and Fresno chili. Your kitchen—rather, your whole home—will smell amazing right off the bat. Ramsay leaves the seeds in the Fresno chili for some extra spice, but you can remove them for a milder dish. From here, Ramsay adds a couple tablespoons of butter—just enough to keep the onions from burning as they are caramelizing. You’ll add sliced cilantro stems, garam masala, turmeric, cumin and cayenne pepper to the pan, then drop in more butter.
You might be thinking this is a lot of butter compared to a traditional butter chicken recipe, and it is. If you're watching your saturated fat intake, you may want to balance the rest of your week with some heart-healthier meals.
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Next, Ramsay begins to cook the chicken. He says, “If you want to go up to the next level, you can grill this chicken separately and then add it in,” but the stovetop works fine, too. Be sure not to flip the chicken around too much so each side can develop a nice char. While the chicken cooks, tomato purée and heavy cream are mixed into the sauce, and everything gets blended together in a heat-safe blender. The sauce takes on a distinctive hue that looks divine. Ramsay suggests passing the sauce through a fine-mesh strainer to make it easy to remove the whole spices plus give it an extra velvety texture, but you can skip this step if you'd like.
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For the final touches, pour the sauce back into your skillet off heat. Add the chicken and remaining butter, and place over low heat. Ramsay urges us not to bring the mixture to a boil at this point because you risk the butter separating from the curry. (Note: This method is a departure from more traditional versions of butter chicken where you intentionally cook it until it separates.) Grate lemon zest over the curry for a fresh bit of zing. Then, spoon it over rice and garnish with cilantro leaves for what Ramsay calls “the most amazing butter chicken, done beautifully in literally 14 minutes and 58 seconds.” I was keeping track, and he actually finished way earlier than that!
If you’re now in the mood for butter chicken like I am, you can find Ramsay’s full recipe in the video’s description. Or, if you have some more time on your hands, try our Slow-Cooker Butter Chicken. It’s a cozy, dairy-free rendition for those days when you need something super convenient, but packed with flavor.
