Chicken

Tandoori chicken in butter sauce with okra and Bombay potatoes

Name: Brendan King's Tandoori chicken in butter sauce with okra and Bombay potatoes recipe
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 130 min
Total time: 170 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 4.00 Thai green chillies; 3 garlic cloves; 15g ginger; Juice of 1 lime; 40.00 ml mustard oil; 70g yoghurt; 40.00 ml Kashmiri chilli powder (from Indian grocers and spice specialists); 20.00 ml tandoori masala spice mix (we used Curry Master); 20.00 ml ground coriander; 30.00 ml ground cumin; 4.00 tsp garam masala; 1 tsp chaat masala (from Indian grocers and spice specialists); 1/2 tsp ground white pepper; 2.00 pinch dried kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves, from specialty and Indian grocers and selected supermarkets); 4 chicken marylands (we used Grassland Poultry); 3-80.00 ml ghee; 12 curry leaves; Lemon or lime wedges, to serve; 5 red desiree potatoes, peeled and washed; Ghee, to shallow-fry; 20.00 ml black mustard seeds; 12.5g ginger; 1 green chilli, thinly sliced; ½ tsp hing (asafoetida, gum resin spice, from Indian grocers and spice specialists); 1 tsp ground turmeric; Juice of 1/2 lemon; Coriander, finely chopped, to serve; 80.00 ml ghee; 4 green cardamom pods; 1 bay leaf

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Tandoori chicken in butter sauce with okra and Bombay potatoes

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by Brendan King

CHEF

Aug 27, 2025

This recipe is one that’s directly drawn from chef Brendan King’s own childhood. “My grandpa used to make marinated tandoori chicken, and Mum would pick me up from school with it wrapped in foil,” he says. “She’d bring it home and make a butter chicken sauce.” King’s version of his family-favourite dish showcases the delicious. Harvey Norman Produce Award-winning Grassland Poultry Sommerlad chicken, the quality of which King says has real wow factor. “I had it and was like, ‘OK, this is actually chicken’.”

You’ll need to start this recipe a day ahead.

2 Thai green chillies
3 garlic cloves
3cm fresh ginger (15g), chopped
Juice of 1 lime
2 tbs mustard oil
1/4 cup (70g) Greek-style yoghurt
2 tbs Kashmiri chilli powder (from Indian grocers and spice specialists)
1 tbs tandoori masala spice mix (we used Curry Master)
1 tbs ground coriander
1 1/2 tbs ground cumin
2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp chaat masala (from Indian grocers and spice specialists)
1/2 tsp ground white pepper
1 pinch dried kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves, from specialty and Indian grocers and selected supermarkets)
4 chicken marylands (we used Grassland Poultry)
3-4 tbs ghee
12 curry leaves
Lemon or lime wedges, to serve

Bombay potatoes

5 red desiree potatoes, peeled and washed
Ghee, to shallow-fry
1 tbs black mustard seeds
2.5cm fresh ginger (12.5g), finely grated
1 green chilli, thinly sliced
½ tsp hing (asafoetida, gum resin spice, from Indian grocers and spice specialists)
1 tsp ground turmeric
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Coriander, finely chopped, to serve

Butter chicken gravy

2 tbs ghee
4 green cardamom pods
1 bay leaf
1 cinnamon quill
2 cloves
2 Thai green chillies, split
2cm fresh ginger (10g), grated
1 garlic clove
1 red onion, finely chopped
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder (from Indian grocers and spice specialists)
1/3 cup (80ml) tomato passata
1 tbs honey
1/2 cup (125ml) pure (thin) cream
100g unsalted butter, cut into cubes
1 pinch dried kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves, from specialty and Indian grocers and selected supermarkets)

Bhindi (okra) bhaji

2 tbs ghee
1 tsp cumin seeds
2.5cm fresh ginger, finely grated
2 Thai green chillies
2 garlic cloves, crushed or finely grated
1/2 tsp hing (asafoetida, gum resin spice, from Indian grocers and spice specialists)
1/2 red onion, diced
400g okra (bhindi, from specialty and Asian greengrocers)
1 tsp ground fennel
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp chilli powder

Method

1.

For the marinade, blend the chillies, garlic, ginger, lime juice and oil to form a fine paste. Combine with remaining ingredients, except for the chicken, ghee and curry leaves. Rub marinade into chicken and leave to marinate overnight in the fridge.
2.

Next, prepare the potatoes. Slice potatoes into thick-cut chips. Rinse in water until water runs clear. Place in a saucepan of salted water and bring to boil over high heat. Cook for 10-12 minutes, until soft, but not falling apart. Strain and spread potatoes on a baking tray and place in the freezer for 15 minutes.
3.

While the potatoes chill, prepare the chicken. Preheat oven to 210°C/190°C fan-forced. Heat 3-4 tbs ghee in a large, heavy-based frypan over medium-high heat. Add curry leaves and fry for 45-60 seconds, until crisp. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel to drain, and set aside. Return the pan to medium-high heat. Remove excess marinade from chicken, reserving marinade. Place chicken marylands in the pan, skin-side down. Cook for 5-8 minutes on each side, until golden. Transfer to a small baking tray and drizzle over reserved marinade. Roast in oven for 25-30 minutes, or until cooked through.
4.

Meanwhile, to make the butter chicken gravy, add ghee to a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add cardamon, bay leaf, cinnamon and cloves and cook until fragrant. Add chillies, ginger and garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 6-8 minutes, until caramelised. Add turmeric, cumin, garam masala and Kashmiri chilli powder and cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes. Add some water to prevent sticking and burning spices, if needed.
5.

Add passata, reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 15 minutes. Add honey and cream. Cook for 2-3 minutes and then stir in butter and kasuri methi. Season to taste, then set aside and keep warm until ready to serve.
6.

To make the okra, add the ghee to a large frypan and cook over a medium-high heat. Add cumin seeds and fry for 2-3 seconds. Add ginger, chilli and garlic. Stir until fragrant. Add hing, then add onion. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent and soft. Increase heat to medium-high and add okra. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5-8 minutes. Add the remaining spices and season. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes. Add a splash of water, reduce heat to low and cook, covered, for 5 minutes, or until okra is just tender. Set aside and keep warm until ready to serve.
7.

For the potatoes, add ghee to a heavy-based saucepan (you’ll need 1cm melted ghee to shallow-fry the potatoes) over high heat. Add potatoes and fry for 4-5 minutes, until golden. Remove potatoes from pan and discard half the ghee. Add mustard seeds and fry for 30 seconds, or until they begin to pop. Add ginger and chilli and cook for 1 minute, stirring occasionally, or until fragrant. Add hing and turmeric and fry for 2-3 seconds. Add potatoes back to pan and gently toss to combine. Drizzle with lemon juice and sprinkle with coriander.
8.

Divide chicken marylands between 4 serving plates. Serve chicken with Bombay potatoes, butter chicken gravy and bhindi (okra) bhaji, topped with fried curry leaves and with lemon or lime wedges alongside.