An AIP chicken makhani that brings curry back to the table

This is a rebuilt version of butter chicken, made so the warmth and comfort of curry night fit fully into how you eat now. Nomato sauce stands in for tomato, coconut milk replaces the butter and cream, and the spicing leans only on the aromatics that fit. When a craving for those old flavors hits, a dish like this meets it directly.

Chicken thigh brings clean, complete protein to anchor the meal. Turmeric, one of the spices used here, is a source of manganese and has long been valued for supporting a calm inflammatory response. Fresh ginger adds its own digestive support, and the nomato base carries a touch of beta carotene from its vegetables.

The dish rewards a little patience: the flavor deepens overnight. Make it with care, let the spices bloom, and serve it warm over cauliflower rice with presence and gratitude.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 small shallot, diced
• 1/2 small onion, diced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 tsp lemon juice (omit for interstitial cystitis)
• 2 tsp fresh ginger, grated
• 1 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/8 tsp mace
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 1/4 cup coconut milk
• 1 cup nomato sauce (check label for AIP-compliance)
• 1 lb chicken thighs, chopped

Swaps made: This is a reworked AIP version of butter chicken. Traditional makhani uses tomato, dairy butter and cream, and seed-spices like cumin, coriander, garam masala, and cardamom. Here, nomato sauce replaces the tomato, coconut milk replaces the butter and cream, and only AIP-permitted aromatics are used: garlic, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, clove, mace, and bay leaf. The source-listed black pepper, a seed-spice excluded on AIP, is omitted. Lemon juice is kept and flagged optional for interstitial cystitis.

Method

• Soften the shallot and onion in the coconut oil over medium heat until translucent.
• Add the garlic, lemon juice, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, cloves, mace, and bay leaf. Stir briefly to bloom the spices, about a minute.
• Pour in the coconut milk and nomato sauce and stir together for a couple of minutes.
• Add the chicken and simmer 15 to 20 minutes, until cooked through. Remove the bay leaf before serving.

Instant Pot variation

Use the saute setting to soften the shallot and onion in the coconut oil, then bloom the garlic, lemon, ginger, and spices for a minute. Stir in the coconut milk and nomato sauce, add the chicken, seal, and cook on high pressure for about 8 minutes with a natural release. Remove the bay leaf before serving (time estimated, please verify on first cook).

*Adapted from a-clean-plate*