Butter Chicken

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 a quick way to get the dish you crave without placing a call to your local restaurant! You will love how easy it is to make in the comfort of your own home, and it goes great with basmati rice and fresh homemade Naan bread!

This dish has a milder curry when compared to other Indian curries, which makes Butter Chicken a favorite among families with little ones. You can certainly add as much or as little chili as you wish.

A lot of the flavor of the chicken is infused in the marinade which sits overnight in the fridge. You can use boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts. We prefer dark meat, but go with what you like!

Ingredients and Substitutions

Tomatoes: Fresh ripe whole tomatoes are best used in this dish after blending into a puree. If you’re short on time feel free to use canned tomato puree.

Yogurt: This marinade requires a thick yogurt like Greek yogurt. If you use regular yogurt you will end up with too much moisture while grilling the chicken and a lot of the spices will be lost.

Spice: If you don’t want any heat, omit the chili and increase the amount of paprika in the dish.

Print Recipe

Butter Chicken

Author: rosemil86 Cooking Method: Saute Cuisine: Indian Courses: Dinner Recipe Keys: Dairy F Family Friendly

Difficulty: Intermediate Cook Time 30 mins Total Time 30 mins

Servings: 4

Ingredients

Servings

• 4 Chicken thighs (skinless, boneless)
• ²⁄₃ cup Greek yogurt
• 2 tbsp Lemon juice
• 2 tbsp Garam Masala
• 2 tsp Coriander (ground)
• 2 tsp Chili powder
• 2 tsp Turmeric
• 1 tsp Ginger (ground)
• 2 tsp Garlic powder
• ¹⁄₂ tbsp Salt
• 1 /2 tbsp Black pepper
• 1 ¹⁄₂ cup Tomato puree
• 3 tbsp Butter

Instructions

1. Marinade the Chicken

   Mix all the spices into a bowl and divide into two. Reserve half for the marinade and the other for the sauce.

   Season the chicken thighs with half of the seasonings and rub in well. 

   In a mixing bowl add the Greek yogurt and lemon juice. Incorporate your seasoned chicken into the bowl and mix until well coated. 

   Place chicken into a bag and marinate in the refrigerator overnight. 

1. Sear the Chicken

   In a large skillet, add olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter over medium high heat. When the pan is hot, add your marinated chicken and sear on both sides for 2-3 minutes.

   Remove your chicken from pan and set aside on a plate.

1. Make the Sauce

   In the same pan your chicken was cooked in without cleaning, add your tomato puree and the rest of your reserved seasonings. 

   Allow this to simmer and thicken for 5 minutes. 

   When your sauce has darkened and is thick, pour in your heavy cream and 2 tablespoons of butter.

   Add chicken back into the pan and simmer for 10 minutes until cooked through. 

Keywords: Butter Chicken, Chicken, Indian