BBQ butter chicken

The cook

1. 01

   Step 1GET THE MARINADE GOING

   Mix the yoghurt, garlic, ginger, garam masala, turmeric, cumin and lemon juice in a jug. Season with salt. Put the chicken in a non-reactive container, pour over the marinade and massage it into every fold. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight. This marinating time is additional to the prep time.

2. 02

   Step 2SORT THE FIRE

   Set up your BBQ for two-zone cooking at around 220°C, with a direct grilling area and a cooler side. Clean the grate and have metal skewers, tongs and a temperature probe ready. You’ll grill over the heat, then use the cooler side to keep the sauce from catching.

3. 03

   Step 3SKEWER AND GRILL

   Thread the chicken onto the skewers without bunching it tightly, letting excess marinade drip off. Discard the leftover marinade. Grill over direct heat for roughly 15–22 minutes, turning regularly, until nicely charred and the thickest pieces reach 74°C. Move to the cooler side if the outside colours before the centre is cooked. Breast chunks may cook faster, so trust the probe.

4. 04

   Step 4REST THE CHICKEN

   Transfer the cooked skewers to a clean tray and loosely cover. Rest for at least 5 minutes while you get the sauce going. Keep the chicken whole for now so those juices stay put.

5. 05

   Step 5BUILD THE SPICE BASE

   Heat the oil, butter or ghee in a high-sided cast-iron pan or Dutch oven over moderate direct heat. Fry the garlic and ginger for 2 minutes, stirring so they soften without burning. Add the crushed cardamom seeds, cloves, garam masala, dried coriander leaf and turmeric, plus any chilli. Stir for 30–60 seconds until fragrant. Warm spices, not scorched spices.

6. 06

   Step 6SIMMER THE TOMATOES

   Stir in the passata and lemon juice, scraping up the spice mixture from the bottom. Move the pan towards the cooler side and simmer gently for 10–15 minutes, stirring regularly, until slightly thickened and the raw tomato edge has softened. If it gets too thick, loosen with a small splash of water.

7. 07

   Step 7BRING IT TOGETHER

   Remove the chicken from the skewers and cut into bite-sized pieces. Stir it into the sauce with any resting juices, then add the butter and stir until melted. Keep the heat gentle; there’s no prize for welding dinner to the pan.

8. 08

   Step 8FINISH WITH CREAM

   Pour in the double cream and stir until the sauce turns a glorious orange. Warm gently for 3–5 minutes until the chicken is piping hot throughout. Avoid a fierce boil. Taste and adjust the salt, then take the pan off the heat.

9. 09

   Step 9GET STUCK IN

   Serve straight away with basmati rice, warm naan and a spoonful of brinjal pickle. That sharp aubergine pickle cuts through the buttery sauce beautifully. Keep some naan back for the last swipe of the pan.