Adam Liaw’s butter chicken ‘bolognese’ is the mash-up you didn’t know you needed

Name: Adam Liaw’s butter chicken ‘bolognese’ is the mash-up you didn’t know you needed
Cook time: 1 h
Yield: 4-6
Cuisine: Italian,Indian
Ingredients: 2 tbsp vegetable oil; 1 brown onion, grated; 2 tbsp garlic and ginger paste; 1 cinnamon stick; 1 tsp ground turmeric; 1 tsp paprika; 1 tsp ground coriander; ½ tsp ground cumin; 500g chicken mince; 400g tomato passata; 1 tsp sugar; 1 tsp salt; 1 tsp garam masala; 200ml thickened cream; 1 tbsp dried fenugreek leaves, or 2 tbsp roughly chopped coriander leaves

Two of Adam Liaw’s most popular masterclass dishes join forces in this speedy crowd-pleaser.

Adam Liaw

May 5, 2025

Serve butter chicken “bolognese” with steamed rice or Indian breads.William Meppem

easyTime:30 mins - 1 hourServes:4-6

It’s not spaghetti bolognese. And it’s not butter chicken. Just the best parts of both combining to create a surprisingly quick crowd-pleaser.

Ingredients

2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 brown onion, grated
2 tbsp garlic and ginger paste
1 cinnamon stick
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp ground coriander
½ tsp ground cumin
500g chicken mince
400g tomato passata
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp garam masala
200ml thickened cream
1 tbsp dried fenugreek leaves, or 2 tbsp roughly chopped coriander leaves

Method

Step 1
Heat a large casserole dish over medium heat and add the oil, grated onion and garlic and ginger paste. Fry, stirring frequently, for about 4 minutes then add the cinnamon stick, turmeric, paprika, ground coriander and cumin and stir for 2 minutes.
Step 2
Add the chicken and stir to coat in the spices, breaking up the mince as you stir. Add the passata, sugar, salt and about ½ a cup of water. Bring to a simmer and simmer covered for 20 minutes.
Step 3
Stir through the garam masala, cream and fenugreek (or coriander leaves), remove from the heat and allow to stand, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Serve with steamed rice or Indian breads.