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Butter Chicken

A creamy and flavorful butter chicken recipe that is easy to prepare, making it perfect for weeknight dinners or special occasions.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Calories: 600

Ingredients
  

Marinade Ingredients
  • 1.5 pounds skinless boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized chunks
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
  • 0.5 teaspoon curry powder
  • 1 tablespoon Greek yogurt
Cooking Ingredients
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 3 tablespoons butter (divided)
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
  • 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 0.5 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional for heat)
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • 0.5 teaspoon curry powder
  • 0.25 cup freshly chopped parsley (optional, for garnish)
  • to serve Naan bread
  • to serve Steamed rice

Method
 

Marinate the Chicken
  1. In a bowl, mix chicken chunks with salt, garlic powder, paprika, curry powder, and Greek yogurt. Make sure all the chicken pieces are coated well. Cover the bowl and let marinate for at least 30 minutes.
Cook the Chicken
  1. Heat the vegetable oil in a large pan over medium heat. Once hot, add the marinated chicken pieces. Cook the chicken until it is golden brown on all sides, about 5-7 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
Prepare the Sauce Base
  1. In the same pan, add 2 tablespoons of butter and let it melt. Once melted, add the minced garlic and diced onion. Sauté until the onion is soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
Build the Sauce
  1. Add the tomato sauce to the pan along with the sugar, 1 teaspoon of salt, and black pepper. Stir everything together and let it simmer for about 5 minutes.
Season and Simmer
  1. Return the cooked chicken back to the pan. Pour in the heavy cream and add the cayenne pepper if you like a bit of heat. Stir to combine and let everything simmer for another 5-10 minutes.
Finish with Butter
  1. Stir in the garam masala and an extra ½ teaspoon of curry powder. Let it rest for a few minutes off the heat.
Serve
  1. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley and serve hot with naan bread or steamed rice.

Notes

If you have leftovers, allow the dish to cool completely and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.