Indian butter chicken recipe
This 30-minute butter chicken is creamy, mild, and perfect for busy weeknights. Made with simple pantry ingredients, this family-friendly Indian dinner is better than takeout and easy enough for any night of the week. Serve with rice and naan for a comforting meal everyone loves.
Ingredients
For the chicken marinade:
- 2 lbs Boneless and skinless chicken, 1-inch cubes breast or thighs are both fine here
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger (or finely grated)
- 1 teaspoon Indian Kashmiri powder red chili powder, more or less to taste
- 2 teaspoons garam masala
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon Salt more or less to taste
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
For the sauce:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons Butter unsalted, or ghee
- 1 large white onion chopped
- 2 tablespoons garlic , minced
- 1 tablespoon ginger , minced or paste
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin . more or less to taste
- 1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 14 oz Crushed tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon Indian Kashmiri Powder Red Chili Powder, more or less to taste
- 1 1/4 teaspoons salt . more or less to taste
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon sugar to balance the acidity of the tomatoes
- 1/2 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves
Instructions
- In a zip-top bag or bowl, combine chicken with all the ingredients for the chicken marinade; let marinate for 30 minutes to an hour (or overnight if time allows).
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken in small batches, making sure not to overcrowd the pan. Saute until browned - about 3 minutes on each side. Set aside while you prepare the sauce.
- Heat butter in the same pan. Saute the onions until they turn translucent while scraping up any browned bits stuck on the bottom of the pan.
- Next, add the garlic and ginger and saute for 1 minute until fragrant, then add ground coriander, cumin, and garam masala. Let spices bloom for about 20 seconds until fragrant. Stir occasionally.
- Then add the crushed tomatoes, chili powder, and salt. Let simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Allow the sauce to thicken and become a deep red color.
- Remove from heat. Carefully pour the sauce into a blender and blend until smooth. If you have a smaller-sized blender, you may nee to do this in batches.
- Pour the sauce back into the pan. Stir in the cream, sugar, and crushed fenugreek leaves. Add the chicken and any collected juices back into the pan and cook for an additional 5-10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
- Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve with rice and Naan bread.
Notes
Marinate chicken at least 30 minutes for best flavor and tenderness. Overnight marinating produces deeper flavor.
Use boneless skinless chicken thighs for the most tender result. Chicken breasts work but can dry out more easily.
Do not boil after adding heavy cream. Keep heat low to prevent the sauce from separating.
Simmer the tomato sauce long enough to remove any raw or acidic taste before adding cream.
If sauce is too thin, simmer uncovered until reduced. For faster thickening, stir in a small cornstarch slurry and cook until glossy.
If sauce becomes too thick, add a small splash of cream or chicken broth to loosen.
Flavor improves after resting. This dish reheats very well and is excellent for meal prep.
For dairy free option, substitute coconut cream. Flavor will be slightly sweeter but still rich and creamy.