Wood-Fired Butter Chicken on Kebab Skewers

By Ben Naylor

Who says butter chicken has to stay in the kitchen? This wood-fired butter chicken recipe takes one of Britain's favourite curries and cooks it entirely over live fire. Thread marinated chicken thigh onto skewers, char it over embers until the edges caramelise, then slide those smoky pieces straight into a cast iron pan of rich tomato and cream sauce simmering on the grill beside them. The char adds something the hob never could, a depth that cuts through the cream and makes you reach for seconds. This isn't fusion cooking or showing off. It's just butter chicken, done the way fire was always meant to cook it.

What You'll Need
  • Your Somerset Grill with Kebab Rack
  • Fin Skewers
  • Cast iron pan (around 30cm)
Additional Kit:
  • Tongs
  • Meat thermometer
Cooking Time: 2-3 hours
Services: 4-6

Ingredients For the Chicken:
  • 800g chicken breast fillets, cut into 4cm chunks
  • 150g plain yoghurt
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 3 cloves garlic, grated
  • 3cm piece ginger, grated
  • 2 tsp garam masala
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp kashmiri chilli powder (or paprika for less heat)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
Ingredients For the Butter Sauce:
  • 50g butter
  • 1 onion, finely diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, grated
  • 3cm piece ginger, grated
  • 2 tsp garam masala
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp kashmiri chilli powder
  • 1 x 400ml tin chopped tomatoes
  • 200ml double cream
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • Salt to taste
  • Fresh coriander, roughly chopped

Method

  1. Mix the yoghurt, lemon juice, garlic, ginger, garam masala, cumin, coriander, chilli powder, salt and oil in a bowl.
  2. Add the chicken chunks and coat thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight if you can.
  3. Set up your Somerset Grill with the kebab rack and light your charcoal or wood 45 minutes before cooking.
  4. Let the fire burn down to a good bed of embers. Hold your hand 10cm above them – you're looking for 3-4 seconds, a medium-high heat.
  5. Thread the marinated chicken onto the fin skewers, leaving small gaps between each piece for even cooking.
  6. Place your cast iron pan on the V Grill or Cattle Grid Grill to one side, away from direct ember heat. Add the butter and let it melt, then add the onion and cook for 5-6 minutes until softened
  7. Add the garlic, ginger, garam masala, cumin and chilli powder. Cook for another 2 minutes until fragrant.
  8. Pour in the chopped tomatoes and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring now and then.
  9. Place the kebab skewers on the rack, positioning them 10-15cm above the embers.
  10. Cook for 12-15 minutes, turning every 3-4 minutes. You're looking for golden char marks and an internal temperature of 74°C.
  11. The chicken will start to release its juices and develop a beautiful caramelised crust.
  12. Once the sauce has thickened, add the cream and honey. Stir well and let it simmer gently for 5 minutes.
  13. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt.
  14. Remove the chicken from the skewers directly into the butter sauce, letting those smoky, charred pieces soak up the rich, creamy tomato base.

    Scatter over the fresh coriander and serve straight from the pan with warm naan bread and basmati rice.
Top Tips

Adjustable Height: The kebab rack's adjustable height is your friend here. If the chicken's colouring too quickly, raise it up. If it needs more char, lower it closer to the embers.

Right Skewers: Use the fin skewers (the flat ones) for this recipe, they stop the chicken chunks from spinning as they cook, giving you even char on all sides. Save the wide skewers for larger cuts like whole fish or thick steaks.
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