Butter Chicken
Butter Chicken is one of India’s iconic dish that is so tasty and yet so easy to make! It will surely be a family-favorite curry with its creamy texture, balanced spices, and savory flavor.
Whether enjoyed with naan bread, rice, or paired with a refreshing salad, butter chicken never fails to impress. My husband can’t get enough of it and my daughter enjoys dipping naan to the curry sauce. It’s a hearty dish that I make when we’re craving for Indian cuisine.
Did I mention that this popular curry is one of the easiest to make? It’s straight-forward and the ingredients are easy to find at grocers near you. So, if you ever had the chance to sample the dish in a restaurant or want to try making your own, this homemade butter chicken recipe will guide you!
What is Butter Chicken?
Butter chicken (Murgh Makhani) is closely similar to chicken tikka masala. Butter chicken is an Indian dish that originated in Delhi where chicken cutlets are marinated in spices and yogurt. The chicken is then cooked in a creamy, mildly spiced tomato-based sauce. It is a creamier curry with lighter colored sauce while tikka masala tends to have more tomato intensity and doesn’t have the same level of creaminess.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Cooking Tips
Other curry recipes you may like
By following this recipe plus cooking tips, you’ll be well on your way to cooking up your homemade butter chicken that’s bursting with flavor and sure to impress your family and friends!
Butter Chicken
Ingredients
Chicken Marinate
- 800 grams chicken breast (cut into bite-sized pieces)
- 1 1/2 tsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp red chili powder
- 1 1/2 tsp cumin powder
- 1 1/2 tsp garam masala
- 1 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp ginger (ground to paste)
- 1/2 tsp garlic (ground to paste)
- 1 pot (150grams) greek yogurt
Chicken Butter Sauce
- 2 tbsp 30 grams butter (or ghee)
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 medium onion (sliced)
- 3 medium tomatoes (sliced)
- handfull of cashew nuts
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp cumin powder
- 1/2 tsp garam masala
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 4 tbsp heavy cream
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 tsp ginger (ground to paste)
- 1/2 tsp garlic (ground to paste)
- salt (to taste)
Garnish
- cream
- fresh coriander leaves
Instructions
Marinate the chicken
- Make the ginger-garlic paste by combining ginger paste and garlic paste1/2 tsp ginger, 1/2 tsp garlic
- In a bowl, mix together chicken pieces, yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, coriander powder, red chili powder, cumin, turmeric powder, garam masala, lemon juice.800 grams chicken breast, 1 1/2 tsp coriander powder, 1 tsp red chili powder, 1 1/2 tsp cumin powder, 1 1/2 tsp garam masala, 1 1/2 tsp turmeric, 1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice, 1 pot (150grams) greek yogurt
- Ensure the chicken pieces are well-coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or preferably overnight.
Frying the chicken
- Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Add marinated chicken pieces and cook until browned and cooked through, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.1 tbsp vegetable oil
Make the sauce
- In the same pan, melt 15 grams or 1 tbsp. of butter and sauté onions until translucent. Add ginger-garlic paste, cumin, turmeric, coriander powder, garam masala, chili powder and mix to incorporate.2 tbsp 30 grams butter, 1 medium onion, 1 tsp coriander powder, 1 tsp chili powder, 1/2 tsp cumin powder, 1/2 tsp garam masala, 1/2 tsp ginger, 1/2 tsp garlic, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- Tip in tomatoes and cook for 2-3 minutes or until wilted. Mix in cashew nuts and cook for 1-2 minutes.3 medium tomatoes, handfull of cashew nuts
- Using hand-held emulsifier, blend the ingredients in the pan until smooth. Optionally, you can scoop mixture into a blender and blend until smooth.
- Once mixture is smooth, pour water and stir to incorporate. Simmer for 2-3 minutes.1/2 cup water
- Mix in heavy cream and simmer for additional 2 minutes. Add remaining 1 tbsp. butter and cook until butter is melted. Taste and adjust with salt if needed.4 tbsp heavy cream
- Add fried chicken pieces and gently toss to cover with sauce. Give it a final simmer of 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer in a serving bowl.salt
- Garnish with a drizzle of cream and top with fresh coriander leaves.cream, fresh coriander leaves
Video
Notes
- Â If you don’t have access to handheld emulsifier or blender, scoop the sauce mixture into a blender and blend until smooth then resume the cooking process.