Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray. Spread uncooked rice evenly in baking dish.
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In large bowl, mix broth, tomatoes, melted butter, garlic, garam masala, ginger, salt and ground red pepper; stir in chicken and onions. Pour mixture evenly over rice in baking dish; cover with foil. Bake 40 minutes; stir. Replace foil; bake 15 to 20 minutes longer or until rice is tender, chicken is no longer pink in center and mixture is heated to at least 165°F in center of casserole. Stir; top with cilantro. Serve with cashews and sour cream.
Plain white rice works better than basmati in this recipe since it cooks through without getting mushy. Stir the casserole halfway through baking to ensure the rice isn’t over- or under-done.
Garam masala is a blend of ground spices commonly used in Indian cooking. In India, “masala,” is the generic word for a spice mixture (what we might call “curry” in the U.S.). The “garam” in garam masala refers to the fact that this particular masala includes spices that have a warming effect (but which aren’t hot on the palate). Typically, this blend includes: peppercorn, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, cumin and coriander. Garam masala is available in the spice section of most grocery stores.
Butter chicken typically features chicken in a sauce made of tomato, onion and butter or cream and flavored with garlic, ginger and chili peppers. It’s a “curry” that's famous around the world. Quick note: In the U.S., we tend to use “curry” to refer to a spice mixture and dishes featuring that spice mixture. In India, “curry” is a generic word akin to “gravy” in English.
Dress up (or heat up) this dish with more fresh toppings, like chopped roasted cashews or plain yogurt. If you want to turn up the spice level, add thinly sliced serrano chiles.
