Lazy day cooking: Chicken Makhani ( Indian butter chicken) with peach yogurt

I was exploring my new neighborhood the other day and walked in Draeger's supermarket in Los Altos. I was happy to see a lot of food/product I used to buy them in Whole foods Market are also available in Draeger's and even more. And when I was browsing the Oriental food section, I found this prepackaged Indian butter chicken cooking sauce. Then there my creativity kicks in. As much as I love spices, but since I don't cook Indian food that much, I wouldn't want to bother preparing all the spices needed in the recipe. This prepackaged cooking sauce comes in handy and I can always add some fresh spice to jazz up the taste. And I love butternut squash, it is perfect to cook with this creamy dish. 

One more note is I did my experimental Indian butter chicken with peach yogurt!!!!  There is yogurt in the ingredients if you start from scratch. I thought it won't hurt to add more or alter the recipe to my likeness.

Sharwood's Butter Chicken cooking sauce 

Trust me, the peach yogurt butter chicken is soooo good and the freshness and fruity taste from peach yogurt makes kids wonder: hum... hum... Mom, what exactly is that whiff of fruit scent lingering in my mouth. :)  

Here I pour 1 jar of prepackaged butter chicken sauce after I sautee' ginger-garlic, turmeric powder, cayenne, some lemon juice with chicken.

Chicken Makhani (Indian Butter Chicken) with peach yogurt

NOTE: The chicken can be pre-marinated in lemon, salt, yogurt, cumin powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder for an hour 

• 1 jar of Sharwood's Butter Chicken cooking sauce ( Now you really don't need rest of the ingredients just throw in chicken to sautee' before add the whole jar in. But sometimes more is more. ^O^) 
• half of medium butternut squash (cut into cubs) 
• 1 medium tomatoes (cut into tiny pieces) plus 1 TBSP tomatoes paste
• half lemon juice ( to marinate your chicken with a bit lemon juice)
• 1 cup of milk ( half cup of almond milk if you want to avoid dairy) 
• 3 TBSP cream ( I didn't add it) 
• 1 clove of minced garlic
• some minced fresh ginger 
• pinch of chili powder/cayenne ( more if you want it more spicy) 
• 1 bay leaf 
• 1 tsp of garam masala or chicken masala 
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder 
• salt n' pepper 

1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Sauté butternut squash until soft n' add diced tomatoes in. Stir in lemon juice, ginger-garlic paste with milk, cream, chili powder, cumin, coriander   powder, turmeric powder and bay leaf. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add tomato/ tomato sauce or paste, and cook for 1 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in peach yogurt. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring frequently and don't let the water evaporate too much. Check the consistency of the sauce. Season with salt pepper. Remove from heat and set the gravy aside.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat in a skillet. Cook chicken until lightly browned, about 10 minutes and add in milk/cream/peach yogurt for another 1 min.. Reduce heat, and season with 1 teaspoon chicken masala and chili pepper. 
3. Add sauce into the chicken and add some water if it is too thick. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes, or until thickened.

You can enjoy Indian butter chicken with 

some naan made on tawa, a simple vegetable pulao, brown rice or even plain rotis. 

Another day of my kind of cooking!
xoxo Rachel