Easy & Simple "Homemade" Chicken Makhani aka Butter Chicken with Quinoa

This is for the broke and hungry-craving Indian Food lovers! I am an average cook in the kitchen so this recipe is easy and cheap! Indian food all "homemade" is truly an art in my opinion so this is really a cheat recipe!

"Murgh" Makhan, Chicken Makhani or Butter Chicken is Indian food for anyone! It's mild and succulent! A very good friend of mine introduced me to Indian food just last year and my life changed forever lol! I love to go out for Indian food but it can be expensive (1 plate is over $15 where I live) and can be very HEAVY in calories and other non-needed ingredients.

In my opinion this recipe is hardly "homemade" but it does cut down the cost and calorie intake from Indian take-out food. I have tried A LOT of different types/brands/restaurants of butter chicken and this brand I adore; Sharwoods Butter Chicken! I can make it at home with the chicken I buy, cut, and dice with no extra mysterious oils being put in. And instead of the white Indian rice and Naan it normally is served with in restaurants, I can pair it with a healthier alternatives, like quinoa and no Naan (Sadly lol). I do recommend since this is a preservative jar of sauce to limit yourself and your families to once every 2 weeks or once a month. Or if you can make your own Butter Chicken Sauce GOOD FOR YOU! Show me your ways :) 

Don't forget to log your meal into your myfitnesspal app!

Serves about 2 people (with some leftovers) 
Time: About 30 min

What you'll Need:
3/4 cup Dry Organic Plain Quinoa (Makes about 2 cups prepared)
2 Chicken Breasts (mine were about 10 oz total)
1 Jar Sharwood Butter Chicken Sauce
1 Tbsp Fat Free Half and Half (I used Land-O-Lakes)
2 Tbsp Fresh Basil (if you have it)

Directions:
1. Put dry Quinoa into a pot and prepare as directed on package (mine always takes longer)
2. Trim any extra fat off of the Chicken Breasts and dice into small cubes
3. Grab a medium sized sauce pan and place diced chicken onto it and start to cook
4. Once the chicken is cooked through (no longer pink), add the jar of Sharwood, half and half and basil

5. Once that all heats up, check on Quinoa (it should be all done; soft and no longer watery)
6. Turn off heat, place Chicken and it's sauce on top of Quinoa
7. Enjoy!!!

***Reminder to measure out all of your portions!

Serving Size:
1 cup Chicken and Sauce 245 Calories
1/4 cup (Dry) Quinoa (makes about 1/2 cup cooked) 160 Calories
Total Calories: 405 Calories 

*Thank you to my friend Mallory for opening my eyes to Butter Chicken, I love you!