Butter Chicken is your new favorite comfort dish!
This meal is a rich, silky masterpiece with spices and cream. It’s surprisingly easy to create at home!
This is the best recipe to serve with warm naan and fluffy rice, whether you’re having a family meal or trying to impress friends.
If you like comfortable foods like this one, you’ll also appreciate my Creamy Tomato Garlic Pasta Recipe, Creamy Pesto Pasta, and Creamy Sausage Pasta!
Things you need
- Chicken thighs without skin or bones
- Greek Yogurt
- Butter
- Garlic Cloves
- Onion
- Sauce for Tomatoes
- Sugar
- Heavy cream
- Chopped parsley that is still fresh
- Garlic powder
- Sweet paprika
- Curry powder
- Cayenne pepper
- Garam masala
- Salt
- Oil
- Black pepper
- Water
- Steamed rice
- Naan bread
Look at the recipe card for amounts.
Tools
- Cutting Board and Knife
- Big Skillet
How to do it
- Put the chicken in a marinade.
Put the chicken, salt, garlic powder, sweet paprika, curry powder, and Greek yogurt in a medium bowl. Mix it up well so that the chicken is evenly covered. Let it sit for at least 15 minutes while you get the other things ready. - Prepare the Chicken
Put 3 tablespoons of oil in a big skillet and heat it over medium-high heat. Add the marinated chicken and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring now and again, until the chicken is golden brown and done. Take the chicken out of the pan and set it aside. Don’t drain the oil. - Make the Sauce Base
Put the skillet on medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of butter. Scrape up any burnt parts and add a little water if necessary to deglaze the pan. Add the diced onion, minced garlic, and a little bit of salt. Sauté until the onion is clear and smells good. - Make the sauce
Add the sugar and tomato sauce and mix well. Let it cook for 2–3 minutes before adding the chicken back to the pan. Then add the heavy cream and mix well. Mix till the sauce acquires a lovely orange color. - Add spices and let them simmer.
If you’re using cayenne pepper, add it along with the garam masala, curry powder, and black pepper. Let the sauce simmer on low heat for 10 minutes so that the flavors may mix. Put in the rest of the spices. Add the rest of the spices and salt to taste! - Finish with butter
Add the last two tablespoons of cold butter and stir it in until it melts into the sauce. Add the last 2 tablespoons of cold butter and stir it in. Let it melt into the sauce for a smooth finish. If you want, sprinkle chopped parsley on top. If you want, you can sprinkle chopped parsley on top. - Serve and Enjoy
Serve hot with rice that has been cooked and naan bread. Enjoy the delicious, creamy richness! Serve with naan bread and steaming rice while it’s still hot. Enjoy the tasty, creamy bliss! (See the entire recipe video below)
Things you need
- For the Chicken and Marinade
- For the sauce for the butter chicken
- To Serve
Changes
- You can use skinless boneless chicken breasts, turkey, or tofu instead of skinless boneless chicken thighs.
- Greek yogurt can be replaced with regular plain yogurt, coconut yogurt (if you’re not eating dairy), or sour cream.
- Use ghee for a traditional taste, olive oil, or a plant-based butter substitute.
- Instead of garlic cloves, use 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder per clove or canned chopped garlic.
- You can use shallots, leeks, or onion powder instead of onions (1 teaspoon for a medium onion).
- Tomato Sauce: You can use canned tomatoes that have been pureed, fresh tomato puree, or tomato paste blended with water.
- Instead of sugar, use honey, maple syrup, or a small amount of stevia.
- You can use coconut cream, half-and-half, or cashew cream instead of heavy cream if you don’t want to use dairy.
Best advice
- Let the chicken marinade longer (up to 4 hours) for deeper, stronger flavors.
- Layer Your Spices: Lightly toast the spices in oil for a minute before adding liquids to bring out their smell and flavor.
- Add cold butter at the end to make a smooth, restaurant-quality sauce.
Keeping it safe
- You can keep leftovers in the fridge for up to three days if you put them in a container that doesn’t let air in. If the sauce thickens, add a little water or cream and cook it up slowly on the stove over low heat.
- If you want to keep it longer, freeze it for up to two months and then thaw it in the fridge overnight before heating it up again.
Notes
If the sauce gets too thin, mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with ⅓ cup of water and add it to the sauce. Let it simmer for about 5 minutes, and it will thicken right up!
Safety of food
- The lowest temperature you should cook at is 165 °F (74 °C).
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food that you used on raw meat before.
- After handling raw meat, wash your hands.
- Don’t leave food out at room temperature for long periods of time.
- Never leave food cooking without watching it.
- To stay away from dangerous chemicals, use oils with a high smoking point.
- When using a gas stove, make sure there is always excellent air flow.
Questions and Answers
- Is it okay to use chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts?
- Yes, of course! Chicken thighs are more flavorful and juicy than other cuts of chicken. Just change the cooking time a little bit, since thighs may take a little longer to cook all the way through.
- What else can I use instead of heavy cream?
- If you want something lighter and dairy-free, you can substitute coconut cream or full-fat yogurt. Just so you know, the taste will be a little different, but it will still be good!
- Should butter chicken be hot?
- Usually, it’s moderate with a little bit of warmth from the spices. You may make it hotter by adding additional cayenne pepper or leaving it out completely for a gentler version.
Keep scrolling down to find the recipe card!