A super easy, full-flavored Butter Chicken recipe that rivals any restaurant or takeout!
Similar to Chicken Tikka Masala, Butter Chicken is one of the most popular curries at any Indian restaurant around the world. Aromatic, golden chicken pieces in an incredible, creamy curry sauce, this Butter Chicken recipe is one of the best you will try!
Why This Butter Chicken Recipe Works
One of the great things about my Butter Chicken Recipe is that the ingredients are fairly easy to find in your pantry or at your local supermarket. No need to visit dozens of different Asian grocers for one hard-to-find ingredient.
Easy-to-find spices, for example garam masala, turmeric, cumin, red chili powder, and salt, are all you need to make a great sauce. You may even have some of these in your kitchen cupboards.
If you don’t, you will find them at your local grocery store. We guarantee you’ll use them again in something like our Chicken, Green Bean and Butternut Squash Curry, Easy Coconut Shrimp Curry or even Skinny Satay Turkey Skewers
What’s In Butter Chicken?
- Ghee: Gives the dish its rich, creamy texture and enhances the flavors of the spices.
- Onions: Cooked until softened, onions form the base of the sauce, adding sweetness and depth.
- Garlic and Ginger: Again, these aromatics give the sauce a distinctive, fragrant flavor.
- Garam Masala, Cumin, and Chili Powder: Used to layer flavors with the marinade, adding warmth and spice to the sauce.
- Crushed Tomatoes: Provide acidity and help create a thick, rich base for the sauce.
- Thickened Cream: Adds creaminess and balances the acidity from the tomatoes, creating a luxurious texture.
- Salt and Sugar: Used to adjust seasoning and balance out the acidity of the tomatoes with a hint of sweetness.
How To Make Butter Chicken
A milder curry when compared to other dishes like our Chilli Garlic Butter Shrimp makes butter chicken a favorite among families with little ones. You can certainly add as much or as little chili as you wish. In other words, you are in total control of how spicy you make it.
As mentioned above, the aromatic, flavor-infused chicken begins with an easy yogurt marinade: plain yogurt, fresh garlic, ginger, and easy-to-find spices.
- Mix plain yogurt, garlic, ginger, garam masala, turmeric, cumin, chili powder, and salt and chicken pieces (thighs or breasts) and mix so it’s coated evenly. Allow to marinate for at least 30 minutes (or overnight in the fridge for deeper flavor).
- The Chicken: Heat a large skillet or pan over medium-high heat and add a small amount of oil. Cook the marinated chicken in batches, searing until browned on all sides, Then set aside.
- Sauce In the same skillet, melt butter and sauté onions until softened. Add garlic, ginger, and remaining spices (garam masala, cumin, chili powder) and cook until fragrant. Stir in crushed tomatoes, bringing the mixture to a simmer.
- Blend and Thicken the Sauce: Use an immersion blender to blend the sauce until smooth (or transfer to a blender). Return the sauce to the skillet, add cream, and stir well. Adjust seasoning with salt and sugar to balance flavors.
*Tip – The trick to making a great butter chicken sauce is to let the tomatoes cook off for at least 10-15 minutes until they are almost dry on your pan. Additionally, you can add a couple of tablespoons of water if the sauce becomes too thick
- Simmer: Add the seared chicken back into the sauce and simmer until cooked through and thickened, allowing the flavors to meld.
- Garnish: sprinkle fresh cilantro and serve with rice or garlic naan.
Sides For Butter Chicken
Now that you’ve got the main dish, what about sides? If you’re looking for good pairing options try or Garlic Naan, Easy Garlic Flatbread or our Black Beans & Rice for some rice with a bit more to it.
Recipe FAQ’s
The beautiful thing about this Butter Chicken Sauce is that you can prepare it ahead of time. Allow it to cool completely, store it in an airtight glass jar or container, and refrigerate for up to 48 hours.
Making it ahead of time will allow those deep flavors plenty of time to develop and shine through before adding your chicken. Of course, this is completely optional.
If there’s any Indian recipe that’s worth making at home, it’s butter chicken and this is the best butter chicken recipe you could try!
Butter Chicken is mildly spiced, making it suitable for those who prefer less heat.
You can adjust the spice level by modifying the amount of chili powder, adding cream or adding no chili at all to mellow the flavors.
If you’re looking for a chicken dish with no spice head over to our Chicken Stroganoff or Chicken Piccata
The vibrant orange color comes from a combination of tomatoes, turmeric, and chili powder in the sauce.
Other Chicken Recipes
- Crispy Boneless Chicken Thighs17 Minutes
- Garlic Mushroom Chicken Bites30 Minutes
- Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken2 Hours 15 Minutes
- Garlic Herb Butter Roast Chicken1 Hours 25 Minutes
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Butter Chicken
Ingredients
For the chicken marinade:
- 28 oz boneless and skinless chicken thighs or breasts cut into bite-sized pieces
- ½ cup plain yogurt
- 1 ½ tablespoons garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon ginger minced, or finely grated
- 2 teaspoons garam masala
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
For the sauce:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons ghee or 1 tbs butter + 1 tbs oil
- 1 large onion sliced or chopped
- 1 ½ tablespoons garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon ginger minced or finely grated
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 ½ teaspoons garam masala
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 14 oz crushed tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder adjust to your taste preference
- 1 ¼ teaspoons salt or to taste
- 1 cup thickened cream heavy or evaporated milk to save calories
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon kasoori methi or dried fenugreek leaves
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine chicken with all of the ingredients for the chicken marinade; let marinate for 30 minutes to an hour (or overnight if time allows).
- Heat oil in a large skillet or pot over medium-high heat. When sizzling, add chicken pieces in batches of two or three, making sure not to crowd the pan. Fry until browned for only 3 minutes on each side. Set aside and keep warm. (You will finish cooking the chicken in the sauce.)
- Heat butter or ghee in the same pan. Fry the onions until they start to sweat (about 6 minutes) while scraping up any browned bits stuck on the bottom of the pan.
- Add garlic and ginger and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant, then add ground coriander, cumin and garam masala. Let cook for about 20 seconds until fragrant, while stirring occasionally.
- Add crushed tomatoes, chili powder and salt. Let simmer for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally until sauce thickens and becomes a deep brown red colour.
- Remove from heat, scoop mixture into a blender and blend until smooth. You may need to add a couple tablespoons of water to help it blend (up to ¼ cup). Work in batches depending on the size of your blender.
- Pour the puréed sauce back into the pan. Stir the cream, sugar and crushed kasoori methi (or fenugreek leaves) through the sauce. Add the chicken with juices back into the pan and cook for an additional 8-10 minutes until chicken is cooked through and the sauce is thick and bubbling.
- Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve with fresh, hot garlic butter rice and fresh homemade Naan bread!
Erik Hanson says
So easy and wonderful. Unfortunately I made this dish having COVID, and couldn’t smell all the deliciousness!
Felice says
Excellent recipe. Followed the recipe as written except i omitted the kasoori methi or dried fenugreek leaves because I didn’t have any and I reduced the cream by half. Hubby loved it also. Said it was as good as butter chicken we would order at a restaurant. Will definitely be making this again.
Alison says
I’ve been making this recipe for years now. It’s a family favorite at our house, and is often requested for birthday dinners. We sometimes substitute the dairy with coconut milk/cream, and it’s delicious. The nahn recipe is fantastic too!