Put the chicken pieces in a bowl and season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Toss to coat and set aside.

In a large, high-sided skillet or 6-quart pan, heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat until the butter melts.

Add the diced yellow onion and cook 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion begins to soften.

Add 3 teaspoons garam masala, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, and 1 teaspoon chili powder. Cook 1–2 minutes, stirring often, until fragrant and not browned.

Stir in the 6-ounce can tomato paste and 1 cup tomato sauce; whisk until smooth and cook 1–2 minutes.

Stir in 2 cups heavy cream until smooth, then add 1 bay leaf. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Keep the sauce at a low simmer while you cook the chicken.

In a separate large skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and the remaining 2 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat until hot and the butter melts.

Add the seasoned chicken to the hot skillet in a single layer (work in batches if needed). Cook 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is lightly browned on all sides.

Add the browned chicken to the tomato-cream sauce and stir to combine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the chicken skillet into the sauce.

Simmer the chicken in the sauce, uncovered, for 10–15 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened slightly.

Remove and discard the bay leaf. Squeeze the juice of ½ lime over the finished dish and stir once.

Garnish with cilantro leaves and serve.