Butter chicken is one of the most popular Indian dishes. Skip the restaurant and make this simple butter chicken recipe right at home! This easy Indian butter chicken recipe has amazingly tender chicken in a rich and creamy spiced tomato sauce. The chicken is made in one pan and cooks for just 20 minutes. Serve with steamed basmati rice and naan bread.
What is Butter Chicken?
Butter chicken (Murgh Makhani) is a popular curry dish originating in Northern India. It is made with chicken in rich and creamy spiced tomato gravy. It’s slightly sweet and packed with spices and so much flavor. It is very similar to tikka masala but is a very mild curry.
How to Make Butter Chicken?
- In a medium bowl, combine lemon juice, garam masala, cumin, and yogurt. Add the chicken and coat it with the yogurt mixture.
- Marinate for 30 minutes up to overnight.
- Heat a skillet and add 1 tablespoon of oil. Remove the chicken from the bowl and allow any excess marinade to drip off. Brown the chicken on both sides (about 6 minutes). Remove the chicken and set it aside on a clean plate.
- Over medium heat, melt butter then add onions cooking until tender. Add spices (ginger, garlic, cumin, garam masala, coriander, chili powder, turmeric, and cinnamon stick). Stir and cook for about 1 minute or until fragrant.
- Add the chicken broth, cooked chicken, crushed tomatoes, and sugar. Simmer for 10 minutes or until slightly thickened. Pour in the cream and cook for 5-10 minutes to allow the mixture to incorporate and thicken. Discard the cinnamon stick.
- Serve over rice and top with cilantro if desired.
What Spices go in Butter Chicken?
The best butter chicken recipe is made with various spices to achieve its amazing flavor. It has ginger, garlic, cumin, garam masala, coriander, chili powder, turmeric, and a cinnamon stick.
Substitutions and PRO TIPS:
- Chicken thighs are used because they are more tender and flavorful than chicken breasts.
- The best butter chicken recipe requires marinating the chicken. This step is necessary for flavorful and tender chicken so don’t skip it! The yogurt tenderizes the chicken and the spices add flavor.
- Half and half can be substituted for heavy cream for a lighter version. However, it won’t be as thick and creamy as heavy cream.
- Butter chicken is a mild curry. If you want some heat, add some cayenne pepper.
What to Serve with Butter Chicken?
I recommend serving the best butter chicken recipe with naan bread and basmati rice. The rice and naan bread soak up the rich and creamy sauce and make the perfect pairing.
Easy Butter Chicken Recipe
Yield: 8
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Marinating time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Butter chicken is one of the most popular Indian dishes. Skip the restaurant and make this simple butter chicken recipe right at home!
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken, boneless, skinless
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp coriander
- ½ tsp chili powder
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- 1 cinnamon stick
- ¾ tsp salt, or to taste
- ¼ cup chicken broth
- 14 ounces crushed tomatoes
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 cup heavy cream
- cilantro, optional garnish
Chicken Marinade
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tsp garam masala
- 1 tbsp cumin
- 1 cup plain yogurt
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine lemon juice, garam masala, cumin, and yogurt, Add the chicken and coat it with the yogurt mixture. Marinate for 30 minutes up to overnight.
- Heat a skillet and add 1 tablespoon of oil. Remove the chicken from the bowl and allow any excess marinade to drip off. Brown the chicken on both sides (about 6 minutes). Remove the chicken and set it aside on a clean plate.
- Over medium heat, melt butter then add onions cooking until tender. Add spices (ginger, garlic, cumin, garam masala, coriander, chili powder, turmeric, and cinnamon stick). Stir and cook for about 1 minute or until fragrant.
- Add the chicken broth, cooked chicken, crushed tomatoes, and sugar. Simmer for 10 minutes or until slightly thickened. Pour in the cream and cook for 5-10 minutes to allow the mixture to incorporate and thicken. Discard the cinnamon stick.
- Serve over rice and top with cilantro if desired.
Nutrition Information:
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 344Total Fat: 18.6gSaturated Fat: 8.6gCholesterol: 133mgSodium: 475mgCarbohydrates: 8gFiber: 2.3gSugar: 4.1gProtein: 35g
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