Butter Chicken Sâuçá

Preparation

1. Step 1

   To make the marinated chicken, combine the garlic, salt, yogurt, chili powder, garam masala, and olive oil and stir to combine. Pour over the chicken and seal in a large resealable bag. Let marinate in the refrigerator overnight.

   Step 2

   To make the sauce base, heat a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the olive oil, tomato paste, cinnamon sticks, cardamom, bay leaf, Thai chiles, and ginger and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the water to the pan and deglaze, scraping the pan to remove any bits stuck on the bottom. Add the tomatoes, chili powder, garam masala, cashews, and fennel seed to the pan. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove the cinnamon sticks and bay leaves from the sauce, transfer the sauce to a blender, and purée. Set aside and keep warm.

   Step 3

   To make the Sâuça, prepare the rice according to the package instructions. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Drain the marinade from the chicken and transfer the chicken to the skillet, searing on all sides until browned all over but not cooked through.

   Step 4

   Add the reserved sauce base to the pan with the chicken and bring to a simmer for 1 minute. Add the butter, cream, honey, salt, and lime juice and simmer on low for 5 to 6 minutes. Bring the sauce to a boil, remove from the heat, and fold in the cilantro.

   Step 5

   Spoon about 1/2 cup of the rice onto your favorite flatbread, top it with the chicken mixture, and garnish with the chopped cashews and cilantro. Roll the flatbread around the filling, and enjoy. Repeat to make 7 more sandwiches.