Best Butter Chicken
This is my take on butter chicken. A mild but flavourful butter chicken sauce that you can easily make from scratch and has a little extra veggies than traditional butter chicken
Why This Recipe Works
- Once the marinading is done this recipe is actually very quick to pull together
- Easy method
- Made from scratch
- Tastes great, my kids love this butter chicken
Ingredients you will need
To make my Easy Butter Chicken Recipe you will need:
MARINADE
- yogurt
- minced ginger
- minced garlic
- garam masala
- paprika
- turmeric
- cumin
- chilli powder
- chicken thighs
CURRY
- onion
- carrot
- butter or ghee
- tomato puree
- cream
- brown sugar
Ingredients Notes & Substitutions
- Greek Yogurt: If you would like for your butter chicken sauce to be dairy-free you can substitute this for coconut yogurt or leave it out entirely. The yogurt does help with keeping the chicken tender but is not absolutely necessary.
- Chilli powder: This can be increased or decreased depending on your love of spice. Your curry will still be full of flavor even if you leave it out.
- Chicken thighs: I prefer chicken thighs in this recipe but these can be substituted for skinless chicken breasts. I typically buy boneless skinless chicken thighs but somehow made a mistake, I deboned the thighs before making my curry sauce.
- Butter or ghee: This can be substituted for coconut oil or another mild-flavoured oil.
- Tomato puree: This is sometimes called passata. You can use a couple of tablespoons of tomato paste if you don't have tomato puree.
- Cream: This can be substituted for coconut cream if you would prefer.
- Minced garlic: 2-3 garlic cloves minced.
Step-by-step instructions
Below are illustrated step-by-step instructions to make my Butter Chicken recipe, if you prefer just the written instructions then head straight to the printable recipe card below.
Marinade
If you have the time to marinade the chicken overnight that's ideal, but as long as you have is fine a few hours or even 20 minutes is ok.
Step one: In a large mixing bowl or container (large enough to hold the chicken) mix together the marinade ingredients.
Step two: Dice the chicken thighs then cover in the marinade. Refrigerate.
Curry
Step three: Grate the onion and carrot
Step four: Heat the butter or ghee in a large frying pan or skillet. Sautée the onion and carrot.
Step five: Increase the temperature to a medium-high heat. Add the marinated chicken and cook until the chicken is sealed. (Don't discard any leftover chicken marinade).
Step six: Once the chicken is sealed add the remaining ingredients; tomato puree, cream, brown sugar and any of the lef over marinade. Reduce the heat until your gravy is just simmering. Simmer for 30 mins. Stir occasionally.
Step seven: Season your curry with salt.
Step eight: Serve with steamed basmati rice.
Enjoy!
Top Tips
Here is how you can make these butter chicken perfectly every time!
- Season at the end with salt
- Serve your curry with fun sides, naan, poppadoms, and pickled vegetables such as pickled carrots or pickled cucumbers.
- I love a little coriander/cilantro with my curry but this herb can be a bit divisive so have it on the table for people to add as a garnish.
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FAQs
Butter chicken sauce is made with aromatics of ginger, garlic, onions and spices in a tomato base finished off with heavy cream
Butter chicken is also known as murgh makhani or chicken makhani.
Butter chicken is a very popular curry because it is a mild delicately flavoured curry that appeals to many people's palates.
Butter Chicken
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Ingredients
Marinade
- ½ cup yogurt 140 grams
- 1 Tablespoon minced ginger
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 Tablepsoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon chilli powder This can be increased to ½ a teaspoon or one teaspoon depending on your prerernce for heat.
- 800 grams chicken thighs (skinless boneless)
Curry
- 1 onion grated
- 1 carrot grated
- 3 Tablespoons butter or ghee
- 1 cup tomato puree 277g
- 1 cup cream
- 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
Instructions
Marinade
- If you have the time to marinade the chicken overnight that's ideal, but as long as you have is fine a few hours or even 20 minutes is ok.
- In a large mixing bowl or container (large enough to hold the chicken) mix together the marinade ingredients.
- Dice the chicken thighs then cover in the narinade. Refrigerate.
Curry
- Grate the onion and carrot
- Heat the butter or ghee in a large frying pan. Sautee the onion and carrot.
- Add the marinated chicken and cook until the chicken is sealed. (Don't discard any leftover marinade).
- Once the chicken is sealed add the remaining ingredients; tomato puree, cream, brown sugar and any of the left over marinade. Reduce the heat until your curry is just simmering. Simmer for 30 mins.
- Season your curry with salt.
- Serve with steamed basmati rice.
Notes
- Season at the end with salt
- Serve your curry with fun sides, naan, poppadoms, and pickled vegetables such as pickled carrots or pickled cucumbers.
- I love a little coriander/cilantro with my curry but this herb can be a bit divisive so have it on the table for people to add as a garnish.
- Greek Yogurt: If you would like for your butter chicken sauce to be dairy-free you can substitute this for coconut yogurt or leave it out entirely. The yogurt does help with keeping the chicken tender but is not absolutely necessary.
- Chilli powder: This can be increased or decreased depending on your love of spice. Your curry will still be full of flavor even if you leave it out.
- Chicken thighs: I prefer chicken thighs in this recipe but these can be substituted for skinless chicken breasts. I typically buy boneless skinless chicken thighs but somehow made a mistake, I deboned the thighs before making my curry sauce.
- Butter or ghee: This can be substituted for coconut oil or another mild-flavoured oil.
- Tomato puree: This is sometimes called passata. You can use a couple of tablespoons of tomato paste if you don't have tomato puree.
- Cream: This can be substituted for coconut cream if you would prefer.
- Minced garlic: 2-3 garlic cloves minced
Nutrition
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This dish was fantastic! Tasted like it came from a restaurant! My 100% Swedish husband said it was “so very good!” Making it again very soon!
So good!! Better than a takeaway!!
Oh I'm so glad you loved it!
Exactly what I was looking for. Easy and delicious.
Delicious, I swapped out chilli for curry powder.
Family favourite in our house. Chicken is so tender!
My fav toddler friendly butter chicken recipe! So delicious and my daughter loves to help make it.
Excellent curry for the kids (and adults!). I make it with coconut yoghurt and Alpro soy cream to make it DF, and sometimes cook the sauce and veges in a crockpot during the day while at work, then add chicken when I get home for another hour on high. I also add frozen chopped spinach for more hidden vege. Kids absolutely love this curry thanks !!