Butter Chicken Recipe

Butter Chicken (Murgh Makhani) with silver spoon

4.98 from 464 votes

Butter Chicken is creamy and easy to make right at home, in one pan with simple ingredients! Full of incredible flavours, it rivals any Indian restaurant! Aromatic golden chicken pieces in an incredible creamy curry sauce, this Butter Chicken recipe is one of the best you will try!

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

Total Time45

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Indian

Keyword: butter chicken, curry, Indian

Servings: - 6 people

Calories: 538kcal

Author: Karina

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

US - Metric

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 homemade Naan Bread!

Notes

Adjusting Spice Levels: The chili powder in this recipe creates a mild spice. If you prefer more heat, add extra chili powder or finely chopped green chilies. For a milder version, reduce the chili powder or omit it entirely.

Consistency of the Sauce: If the sauce becomes too thick, add a tablespoon or two of water or cream to thin it out to your desired consistency.

Make Ahead Option: The sauce can be prepared a day in advance if you're short on time. Store it in the refrigerator and reheat gently before adding the cooked chicken.

Nutrition