Jamie Oliver's 'very best' butter chicken recipe with gently spiced tomatoes and cashews

Jamie Oliver admitted there are "so many different recipes for butter chicken", but insists his is the "very best".

"This is my take," he said of the butter chicken creation. "We served so much butter chicken in our restaurant, so I went in search of the very best butter chicken recipe and researched how it all started."

The chef elaborated: "With its silky smooth, gently spiced tomato, cashew and cream gravy, it’s a comforting, warming dish that feels decadent."

Serving up to five people, the restauranteur promised that it's "not too tricky" to make.

A perfectly great crowd pleaser, here's how to make Jamie Oliver's tasty butter chicken.

Butter chicken

• 750g skinless, boneless chicken (thighs and breast), cut into bite-size pieces

For the marinade

• 10g ginger root, peeled and grated (shredded)
• Three large garlic cloves, peeled and grated (shredded)
• Two tsp tandoori masala
• One tsp ground cumin
• One tsp ground coriander
• One tsp ground black pepper
• One tsp salt
• Two tbsp yoghurt
• Juice of half of a lemon
• 30ml sunflower oil

For the sauce

• 500g tomatoes
• 50g butter
• 20g ginger root, peeled and grated (shredded)
• Six large garlic cloves, peeled and grated (shredded)
• One tsp tomato purée (paste)
• One tsp tandoori masala
• One tsp ground cumin
• One tsp ground coriander
• One tsp chilli powder
• One tsp salt
• One tsp sugar
• 30g ground cashew nuts
• 30ml double cream
• Six to eight green cardamom seeds, crushed
• Two tsp dried fenugreek leaves

To serve

• Indian flatbreads or rice

Method

Make the marinade

Mix all of the marinade ingredients together in a large bowl. Prick the chicken pieces with a fork to allow the marinade to penetrate the meat.

Add the chicken to the bowl and stir well to coat thoroughly. Cover the bowl and set aside in the fridge to marinate for at least a couple of hours.

Cooking

When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 180C fan (400F/gas six). Spread the marinated chicken out on a baking tray and cook in the hot oven for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the sauce

Blanch the tomatoes in a bowl of boiling water for a few minutes, then remove the skins. Cut into quarters and remove the seeds, then roughly chop and place in a food processor. Blitz to a smooth purée.

Heat the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat. Once melted, add the ginger and garlic and cook for one minute.

Add the puréed tomatoes, the tomato purée and cook for eight to 10 minutes, stirring regularly. Add all the spices, chilli powder, salt and sugar, mix well and cook for a further two minutes.

Lower the heat, then add the ground cashew nuts and cream, and stir well. Add 500ml of water. Bring the mixture to a boil, and when it starts bubbling, add the chicken, lower the heat and cook for a further eight to 10 minutes.

Sprinkle over the cardamom seeds and dried fenugreek leaves. Stir and leave to rest for at least 10 minutes before serving with rice or Indian flatbreads.