Indian Butter Chicken Recipe combines warm spices with the simple ingredients of onion, butter, tomato and garlic creating tender chicken in a creamy tomato sauce. An easy chicken dinner that makes an impressive meal for entertaining too!
Butter Chicken Recipe
I love the warm spices, sometimes spicy heat and full flavored dishes abundant in the Indian cuisine.
Indian Butter Chicken, also known as Chicken Makhani, is a classic creamy butter chicken recipe that combines these warm spices with the simple ingredients of onion, butter, tomato and garlic creating a creamy tomato sauce surrounding tender chicken pieces.
Butter chicken is one on my favorites and I always order it when I’m at an Indian restaurant. But now I can make it at home and you can too!
A simple recipe, easy enough for a quick weeknight dinner, Indian Butter Chicken will also impress guests when you're entertaining.
Mildly spicy and creamy, this recipe is a good place to start if you're new to Indian food.
This recipe is a tasty butter chicken that will please many palates.
Butter chicken was created in Delhi, the capital territory of India in the 1950's.
As the story goes, the cooks at the Moti Mahal Restaurant would combine leftover marinade juices with butter and tomatoes and stew chicken pieces in the flavored mixture creating the much loved Butter Chicken by accident!
I'm so happy they happened upon this combination of deliciousness and once you taste it you will be too!
Our simple butter chicken recipe will soon become a family favorite on your dinner table!
I especially enjoy my butter chicken with naan and brown rice. Feel free to serve it with white rice or even jasmine rice.
Are you looking for a vegetarian butter chicken? Just substitute extra firm tofu for the chicken!
Don’t shy away from this recipe if you don’t have ground turmeric in your pantry because I’ve got the top basic kitchen Substitutions for Turmeric gathered together for you!
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Butter Chicken FAQ’s
What is butter chicken?
Butter chicken is a recipe for a dish that consists of chicken in a mildly spiced tomato sauce.
What are the main ingredients in butter chicken?
The main ingredients in a classic butter chicken recipe are:
- Chicken
- Butter
- Yogurt
- Spices
- Green chilies
- Coriander
What spices go in butter chicken
The classic spices in butter chicken are:
- chili powder
- cumin
- garam masala
- turmeric
Where does butter chicken originate from?
Butter chicken is an Indian dish that originated in Delhi, the capital territory of India, back in the 1950’s.
Butter chicken vs tikka masala
Both of these Indian chicken dishes are very similar, however, there are several differences.
- Butter chicken has less tomato flavor than chicken tikka.
- Chicken tikka is cooked in a tandoor
- Butter chicken has a creamy curry sauce without an intense flavor
- Chicken tikka masala has a stronger tomato flavor with less creaminess
- Chicken tikka is less creamy than butter chicken.
- Butter chicken is cooked in a pot over a fire
How do you make homemade butter chicken?
Scroll down for the full recipe instructions and ingredient amounts in the recipe card below
- Combine Greek yogurt, tomato paste, garam masala, chili powder, paprika, turmeric and kosher salt until blended. Add chicken pieces and stir until evenly coated. Let stand 20 minutes.
- In a large non-stick skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Cook garlic and ginger until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
- Add chicken and yogurt mixture and cook until chicken is browned.
- Add tomato puree. Bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat, stir in heavy cream and simmer for 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
Swirls of Flavor Recipe Tips
- Serve this recipe with cauliflower rice
- Serve your butter chicken with naan
Substitutions
- Substitute boneless chicken breasts for the boneless chicken thighs
- Substitute extra firm tofu for the chicken thighs
- Substitute white rice for the brown rice
Ingredients for creamy butter chicken recipe
- Greek yogurt
- tomato paste
- garam masala
- chili powder
- smoked paprika
- ground turmeric
- kosher salt
- boneless skinless chicken thighs
- butter
- garlic
- ginger
- tomato puree
- heavy cream
Easy Chicken Recipes
Why not try these other easy chicken recipes on your next dinner menu? You'll be happy you did!
If you're looking for a classic Italian chicken recipe then Chicken Picatta is it! Tender thin chicken breasts in a light lemon sauce with tangy capers, Chicken Piccata is a classic dish that every cook needs to have in their recipe line up!
Prefer to fire up the grill for some summertime goodness? Grilled Chili Spiced Chicken With Cilantro Lime Gremolata will soon become a go-to summertime favorite with it's fresh flavors sprinkled over perfectly seasoned chicken breasts.
And you'll definitely want to serve up Strawberry Basil Margarita Chicken brimming with the sweet juiciness of strawberries, fragrant aroma of fresh basil and the lime flavor of the must-have summertime Margarita cocktail.
Busy weeknights call for easy skillet dinners made with simple on-hand ingredients. Balsamic Skillet Chicken smothered in an intensely flavored double tomato sauce is just that! All it takes are basics like an onion, garlic, balsamic vinegar, sundried tomatoes and a can of diced tomatoes….and chicken, of course. Balsamic Skillet Chicken also cooks in one pot for any easy weeknight meal.
Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps combine ground chicken with fresh ginger, garlic and Thai basil for a burst of Thailand flavor! A quick cook on the stove top, spoon into lettuce leaves and drizzle with fresh lime juice and your taste buds will thank you!
Creamy Tomato Basil Chicken & Pasta combines the best of both worlds, chicken and pasta and makes it’s own velvety tomato sauce and gets its creaminess from a secret ingredient….cream cheese!
Indian Butter Chicken
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Ingredients
- ½ cup Greek yogurt
- 2 Tbs. tomato paste
- 1 Tbs. garam masala
- 2 tsp. chili powder
- 1 tsp. smoked paprika
- 1 tsp. ground turmeric
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 ½ lbs. boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut in bite size pieces
- 4 Tbs. butter
- 2 Tbs. minced garlic
- 1 Tbs. minced fresh ginger
- 1 ½ cups tomato puree
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 3 cups cooked brown rice
- 2 Tbs. chopped cilantro
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Instructions
- Combine Greek yogurt, tomato paste, garam masala, chili powder, paprika, turmeric and kosher salt until blended. Add chicken pieces and stir until evenly coated. Let stand 20 minutes.
- In large non-stick skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Cook garlic and ginger until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
- Add chicken and yogurt mixture and cook until chicken is browned.
- Add tomato puree. Bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat, stir in heavy cream and simmer over low heat 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
- Serve with cooked brown rice and sprinkle with chopped cilantro.
Notes
- Serve this recipe with cauliflower rice
- Serve your butter chicken with naan
- Substitute boneless chicken breasts for the boneless chicken thighs
- Substitute extra firm tofu for the chicken thighs
- Substitute white rice for the brown rice
Nutrition
First Published: April 10, 2018.. ..Last Updated: June 24, 2023 for better readability and user experience
Thank you so much for including Indian Butter Chicken in your newsletter! And thanks for taking the time to stop by Swirls. Happy cooking, Gwynn