Oct 06, 2022, Updated Aug 19, 2024
Why You’ll Love This Butter Chicken Recipe ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “This really is the best butter chicken. I found it years ago and is always my go to butter chicken recipe. I’ve had friends over and made curries and it’s always this one they ask for the recipe.” – KATRINA
Here’s What You Need
What is Indian Butter Chicken Sauce Made of? To make this Butter Chicken recipe a success, here’s everything you’ll need. I’ve broken it all down into ingredients, variations and the (basic) tools required.
A family favorite: Even little palates can’t get enough of this mild Indian curry. Simple to make: This recipe is easy to follow and has been made by THOUSANDS of readers. You’re going to love it, too!
Variations and Substitutions
Feel free to tweak the recipe with these ideas to make it your own.
Chicken breast Lemon juice Garlic and ginger Garam masala: A super-flavourful spice blend consisting of up to 10 different Indian spices (including cumin, ground ginger, black pepper, cinnamon, turmeric, cardamom, etc.). Vegetable oil, or ghee for richer flavor. Onion: Adds sweetness and body. It looks like a lot but once cooked down, it becomes an imperceptible part of the sauce. Some recipes call for sugar, but an authentic butter chicken recipe uses the proper cooking of onions (to golden and almost caramelized) to add the sweetness. Paprika, cayenne, cumin, cinnamon: for warm Indian flavor. Tomatoes: I usually use canned, but fresh work, too! If using fresh, you may need a splash of water. Heavy cream: Also called whipping cream, double cream, thickened cream or 35% m.f. cream depending where you live. Butter: Finishes the sauce with a rich, silky texture, adding body and gloss. Cilantro: optional, but beautiful in appearance and freshness.
Chicken thighs: More flavorful and moist than breast meat. Lemon Juice Substitute: You can use lime juice or yogurt for marinating the chicken if you’re out of lemon juice. Dairy free: If you’d like to make this dairy free, feel free to use coconut oil in place of the butter and full-fat coconut milk in place of the heavy cream.
Grab These Tools
Make sure you have these tools on hand to prepare the recipe smoothly.
Large saucepan or Dutch oven: For cooking the sauce and chicken together. Immersion blender: Ideal for blending the sauce directly in the pan to your desired consistency. Measuring spoons and cups: Essential for getting the ingredient proportions just right. Chopping board and knife: For prepping your onions, garlic, and chicken. Zip-top bag or shallow dish: For marinating the chicken effectively.
Make Ahead and Storage
Here are some tips to help you prepare this Butter Chicken in advance and store it for later enjoyment. I don’t think this extra cooking step is necessarily crucial, especially for the sake of an easy weeknight dinner. The marinade, however, is important because the chicken breasts don’t take long to cook. This means that they won’t absorb much of the flavour from the sauce itself. Here’s how to break it down into simple steps.
Marinate the Chicken
Start by prepping your chicken to ensure it absorbs all the wonderful flavors.
Combine chicken pieces, lemon juice, minced garlic, garam masala, and kosher salt in a zip-top bag or shallow dish. Mix well, ensuring each piece is coated. For best results, let the chicken marinate overnight in the fridge; if short on time, 30 minutes at room temperature will work too.
Prepare the Sauce
A great sauce is the heart of any curry, and this one is no exception.
Heat the vegetable oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven. Add chopped onions and cook on medium heat until they are golden brown—this usually takes about 20 minutes. To the onions, add coarsely chopped garlic and cook for about 1 minute until it’s fragrant. Stir in garam masala, paprika, cinnamon, and kosher salt. Cook for another minute to let the spices bloom. Add diced tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Blend and Simmer
Blending the sauce helps achieve a smooth, creamy texture that’s perfect for scooping up with garlic naan.
Once your tomatoes are softened and the spices integrated, add the heavy cream. Use an immersion blender to puree the sauce until smooth (if using a standing blender, be cautious of hot steam). Return the pureed sauce to the heat and bring it to a gentle simmer.
Cook the Chicken
Now, it’s time to combine everything and finish cooking.
Add the marinated chicken to the simmering sauce. Discard any leftover marinade. Cover and let it cook on medium-low heat for about 12 minutes. Check a piece to ensure it’s cooked through. The chicken should be tender but not overcooked.
Final Touches
Adding the final ingredients right before serving keeps the flavors fresh and vibrant.
Stir in the butter until it melts into the sauce. Taste and adjust salt if needed. If using, sprinkle chopped cilantro over the dish as a garnish.
Serve your Butter Chicken with warm, fluffy cheese naan or rice and enjoy the perfect meal!
Marinate overnight: For deeper flavor, marinate the chicken the night before you plan to cook. This saves time and enhances taste. Prep sauce in advance: You can make the sauce a day ahead and simply reheat it when you’re ready to add the chicken. Refrigerator storage: Keep leftover Butter Chicken in a sealed container in the fridge. It should last for up to 3 days. Freezing tips: This dish freezes well. Store it in airtight containers and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating. Reheating: Warm the Butter Chicken over low heat on the stove, adding a little water if the sauce has thickened too much. Stir frequently to avoid burning.
These steps ensure your Butter Chicken remains tasty and safe to eat, whether you enjoy it immediately or later.
How to Make Butter Chicken in the Pressure Cooker
A few simple changes if you prefer to make this recipe in an Instant Pot or other pressure cooker:
If you are a planner, marinate the chicken overnight for maximum benefit. If you are making this spontaneously, even giving the chicken half-hour to mingle with the marinade while you prep the sauce will make a difference. If you are a planner AND a perfectionist, feel free to add an extra step and char the marinated chicken cubes a bit on a grill/grill pan, or under a broiler for a few minutes before tossing them in the sauce.
Reduce the tomatoes from 2 cups to 1 1/3 cups. Prep the sauce as directed but don’t add the cream. Pressure cook on high for 3 minutes with a quick pressure release. Remove chicken and set aside. Stir cream into the sauce and blend with an immersion blender. Return chicken to sauce and serve.
How to Make Butter Chicken in the Slow Cooker:
If you’d like to make this recipe in a CrockPot instead, the most noteable difference is to leave the chicken breasts whole. This avoids drying them out, and they have plenty of time to absorb flavour from the sauce.
Marinate the chicken breasts whole instead of in pieces. Prep the sauce as directed then top with marinated chicken breasts (left whole instead of chopped) without adding the cream. Slow Cook on high for 3 hours then remove the chicken and cut into chunks. Stir cream into sauce and blend with an immersion blender for a lovely creamy texture. Return chicken to sauce and serve.
What to Serve With Butter Chicken
Fun Fact: In traditional Indian meals, bread or rice is served, but usually not both. It’s common to use your hands (no utensils) to scoop the chicken and sauce off your plate inside bites of of warm bread. It’s heaven.
Appetizers
Samosas: You must try my Potato Samosas or these incredible Chicken Samosas). Stuffed Naan: This Keema Naan or Aloo Naan are also delicious appies to share.
Vegetable Side Dishes
Raita: I love to serve every curry with my father-in-law’s Cucumber-Yogurt Salad. Salad: A simple tomato, cucumber and red onion salad dressed with lemon juice and olive oil + sprinkled with salt is also nice. Beans Poriyal (Indian Green Beans with Coconut) Aloo Gobi (Cauliflower with Potato Curry) is a delicious vegetable curry to add to the meal for a bigger crowd.
Next Reading: My Best Family-Favorite Indian Curry Recipes
Vindaloo Lamb or Pork curry Adarsh’s Chicken 65 Paneer and Greens Curry (aka Saag Paneer) or Palak Paneer Shrimp Korma Amma’s Masoor Dal Recipe, Chana Curry or Creamy Madras Lentils Butter Paneer The Chicken Korma recipe that Adarsh says will change your life. See also: Chicken Korma vs. Butter Chicken. Malai Kofta Coconut Curry Chicken
Just skimming through? Here are some quick answers to the commonly-asked questions.
