Butter Chicken: Ingredients & Nutritional Information
The origin of butter chicken dates back to the 1950s in Delhi. Its story began during this time at a popular restaurant called Moti Mahal. It is believed that the cooks of this restaurant chanced upon it while stewing tandoor-cooked chicken with tomato, butter and marinade juices.
It became a big hit with more and more visitors to the restaurant craving for it. Following this interesting episode, it started gaining universal acceptance as a savoury chicken item at the subsequent stages. Though the cooks behind the emergence of this dish did not know what they were up to, it became an international delicacy shortly thereafter.
Today, butter chicken has proliferated to various regions around the world. As a chicken item, it has acquired critical acclaim among a wide range of foodies. Such is the craze for it that it adds thousands of people to its fan base daily. More importantly, it has acquired a new name - murgh makhani.
Ingredients
The choice of ingredients may vary from one individual to the other, according to their preferred recipe for butter chicken. However, going by convention, one should ideally have different ingredients for marination and garnishing. These two aspects play a decisive role in determining the taste of the item when it is served hot after cooking.
The items used for the marination of butter chicken include onion and garlic paste, ginger paste, yoghurt, sugar, green cardamom and black cardamom. To garnish the dish for taste, one can add fresh cream and coriander leaves to it.
For the actual savoury feel of the dish, it is a good idea to serve it hot immediately after garnishing it. It also helps reap the nutritional benefits of the dish.
Nutritional information
On average, one 100g serving of butter chicken supplies the body with sufficient fats, carbohydrates and protein. Apart from 438 calories, it also consists of 28 grams of fat, 14 grams of carbohydrates, and 30 grams of protein. Also, it is high in sodium.
This is the general nutrition information about the dish. The calorie count and the other items may differ based on the choice of your butter chicken recipe. Though most health-conscious people hold it notorious for being unhealthy, butter chicken makes for a great snack option as long as one takes it moderately.
One needs to be a little careful with the consumption of this dish due to the high levels of sodium and saturated fat in it. Those who have a history of diabetes or high blood pressure should limit its intake. Further, such people would be better off consulting a dietician before deciding on the quantity of butter chicken they can take. They should proceed accordingly. Otherwise, indulging in its heavenly taste once in a while may not leave you feeling guilty.
