One Pot Butter Chicken Rice

Mix the chicken thighs with Greek yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, Kashmiri chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, garam masala, kasuri methi, lemon juice, and salt; marinate for 20‑30 minutes.

Heat a heavy‑bottomed pot, lightly spray with oil, and sear the marinated chicken until lightly browned on all sides; remove and set aside.

Add 0.5 tsp oil and 5 g butter to the same pot and melt.

Stir in the remaining ginger‑garlic paste and sauté briefly, then add the finely chopped onion and cook until softened.

Add the chopped tomatoes, Kashmiri chilli powder, cumin powder, garam masala, and salt; cook until the tomatoes break down completely and become a smooth sauce.

Add a splash of water and blend the masala in the pot until smooth.

Return the smooth masala to the pot, add the whole spices (cloves, green cardamom, cinnamon stick) and the soaked basmati rice; stir to combine.

Pour in the hot water or stock, return the seared chicken pieces to the pot, bring to a boil, then cover and simmer on low heat for 12‑15 minutes until the rice is cooked through.

Turn off the heat, keep the pot covered, and let it rest for 10 minutes.

Fluff the rice gently with a fork and divide the dish into two equal servings.