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Butter Chicken Meatballs

Butter Chicken Meatballs reads richness 5.8, allium 4.8 and umami 4.7 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Indian main, about 45 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 5.1 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 3.3 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 2.4 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 2.4 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 6.2 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 5.6 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Richness 5.8 · Allium 4.8 · Umami 4.7 · Salinity 3.7 · Warm Spice 3.2 · Heat 2.9 · Herbaceous 2.9 · Sweetness 2.7 · Earthy 2.3 · Sourness 2.2 · Fruity 2.1 · Floral 1.5 · Nutty 1.2 · Bitterness 0.9 · Citrus 0.6

What's in it (15)

• chicken — 680 g
• bread crumbs italian style — 118 g
• egg — 100 g
• ginger — 15 g
• garlic — 12 g
• garam masala — 10 g
• salt — 6 g
• unsalted butter — 27 g
• yellow onion — 110 g
• tomato paste — 15 g
• tomatoes — 411 g
• cumin — 5 g
• cayenne pepper — 3 g
• heavy cream — 177 g
• cilantro — 7 g

Time & effort: about 45 min · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 132.3 kcal, 9 g protein, 9.3 g fat, 6.2 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains dairy · Contains egg — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (9 steps)

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment. In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, panko, egg, half the ginger, half the garlic, 1 teaspoon of the garam masala, and 3/4 teaspoon of the salt; mix gently with your hands until just combined (don't overmix, or the meatballs will turn dense).
2. Form into 20 meatballs, about 1 1/2 tablespoons each, and arrange on the baking sheet.
3. Bake the meatballs until browned outside and cooked to 165°F internal, 16-18 minutes.
4. While the meatballs bake, melt the butter in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly golden, 5-6 minutes.
5. Add the remaining ginger, remaining garlic, remaining 1 teaspoon garam masala, cumin, and cayenne; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 30 to 60 seconds.
6. Stir in the tomato paste and cook until it darkens slightly, about 1 minute, then add the crushed tomatoes and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, 8-10 minutes.
7. Reduce the heat to low, stir in the heavy cream, and simmer gently until the sauce is glossy and no longer looks broken, 3-4 minutes.
8. Nestle the baked meatballs into the sauce, spooning sauce over the top, and simmer until heated through, 3-4 minutes.
9. Season with more salt to taste, sprinkle with the cilantro, and serve hot over rice or with warm naan.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Peas and Paneer Curry (Matar Paneer) — Indian
• Skillet Chicken Curry with Peppers — Indian
• Palak Paneer with Garlic Naan — Indian
• Chicken Jalfrezi with Peppers and Onions — Indian
• Saag Paneer — Indian

Keep reading: what richness, allium, umami mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.