Indian butter chicken recipe

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Indian butter chicken with step-by-step photos and a video recipe. Butter chicken (also known as Murgh Makhni) is one of the popular curries in Indian restaurants worldwide. It is made with tandoori chicken simmered in buttery and creamy tomato sauce. Make this restaurant’s favorite dish at home with this easy recipe. Serve it with Naan bread, basmati rice, or jeera rice.

close-up of Indian butter chicken recipe served in a white bowl.

Similar to Chicken Tikka Masala, its sauce is made with tomatoes and cream. However, butter chicken is mild or sweet compared to chicken tikka masala.

I love making Indian food at home. You may also like our Chicken Bhuna Masala, Chicken Korma, and Dahi Chicken.

Table of Contents

Origin

The credit for the origin of the butter chicken recipe goes to Kundan Lal Gujral, the owner of the popular restaurant “Moti Mahal” in Delhi.

The restaurant was famous for its tandoori chicken. To reduce the wastage from the leftover unsold dry-out tandoori chicken this dish was invented.

He simmered the tandoori chicken pieces in mildly spiced tomato sauce rich in butter and cream. The result was the origin of smooth and velvety Murgh Makhani.

close-up of Indian butter chicken recipe in a white bowl. It is garnished with coriander leaves and cream.

About This Indian Butter Chicken Recipe

In this recipe post, I am sharing how to make an Indian butter chicken recipe. Originating from Northern India, this creamy chicken curry has all the delectable flavors of Indian cuisine.

Butter Chicken is also known as Murgh Makhani or Chicken Makhani. (Murgh means chicken and Makhani means buttery gravy).

Chicken Makhani is made with tender and juicy chicken marinated with yogurt and spices. It is then pan-seared until some char marks appear on them. Finally, it is then simmered in a buttery tomato-based gravy.

Instead of pan-searing the chicken, you can grill it or bake it in the oven.

The aroma and flavors of this Indian butter chicken recipe are just amazing. It tastes similar to what you get at restaurants or takeout!

For Meal Prep

This recipe if made from scratch is a bit time-consuming. To speed up the process, precook the chicken and prepare the curry sauce in advance.

For a quick dinner, heat the curry sauce, add precooked chicken, and let the chicken simmer in the sauce for 10 minutes. Finish with the addition of cream and kasuri methi. The butter chicken is ready in less than 15 minutes.

Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve it with Naan bread, Roti, Paratha, Basmati rice, or Jeera rice.

You may also like these other popular chicken curry recipes from this website:

Why You Need This Recipe

Easy step-by-step instructions with photos and a recipe video.
This recipe is easy to customize. Check out the ingredient list below for alternative ingredients. You can add or skip the ingredients as per your taste.
Make ahead recipe – You can cook it in advance. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Stays good for 2 days.
Family Favorite – Compared to other Indian curries it is a mild spicy curry. Everyone in the family including your little ones can enjoy the dish.
Well–Balanced flavor – This dish is mild in flavor. It is not too sweet or spicy. However, you can adjust the spices as per your taste and preference.
Gluten-free

What You Will Need To Make The Recipe

To marinate the chicken

Individually labeled ingredients to marinate chicken for making Indian butter chicken recipe are laid out on a table.

For making the sauce

Individually labeled ingredients to make butter chicken sauce are laid out on a table.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Chicken – I have used boneless skinless chicken breast. You can also use chicken thighs or bone-in chicken.
Yogurt – Use thick curd or full-fat yogurt. If you are using homemade curd for this recipe. Place a strainer over a mixing bowl and pour curd over it. Let the excess water drain off for 15-20 minutes. Use this thick curd or yogurt for the marinade.
Butter – This is the main ingredient that flavors the dish. I have used unsalted butter.
Ginger, and garlic – Basics of Indian cuisine. I have used fresh ginger and garlic. You can substitute it with store-bought ginger-garlic paste.
Onions – I have used a small red onion for flavor in this recipe. This is completely optional.
Spice powders – Coriander powder, garam masala powder, cumin powder, and turmeric powder.
Kashmiri red chili powder – It gives a bright red color to the curry sauce and is not spicy. You can substitute it with any other red chili powder but then add it as per taste.
Tomatoes – Use red juicy tomatoes for the recipe. Substitute it with canned crushed tomatoes.
Cashews – They make the gravy thick and creamier. You can substitute it with almonds.
Whole spices – I have used cinnamon, green cardamom, cloves, and peppercorns. You can skip one or two of them if you do not have all the whole spices.
Lemon Juice – It brightens up the flavors. Use fresh lemon juice for the recipe.
Salt to taste.
Sugar – You can use either white or brown sugar. It helps to balance the tanginess of tomatoes.
Cream – Use heavy cream for this recipe. You can substitute it with half-and-half.
Oil – To make authentic North Indian butter chicken recipe mustard oil is used. Mustard oil has a very strong flavor. I have used sunflower oil in this recipe. You can use any neutral flavor cooking oil.
Kasuri Methi (dried fenugreek leaves) – You can easily find it in Indian grocery stores nearby or purchase it online. It gives a very nice aroma and flavor to the dish.

For the detailed list of ingredients & their measurements, please check out the recipe card below.

Cooking Tips

For better results keep the chicken in yogurt marinade for at least 2 hours. Cover and keep it in the refrigerator. This spicy yogurt marinade makes the chicken juicy, moist, and flavorful.
Before pan-frying, take out the marinated chicken from the refrigerator and keep it on the kitchen counter until it comes to room temperature. If you pan-fry the chicken taken straight out of the refrigerator it will make the chicken hard or rubbery.
While taking out the chicken from the marinade bowl, drip off the excess marinade in the bowl and place only the marinated chicken on the pan. Do not pour excess marinade on the pan. It sticks to the pan and makes it difficult to fry the chicken.
Make sure the pan is hot enough. When you place the marinated chicken over it, you should hear a sizzling sound. It locks the juices of the chicken inside and keeps it juicy and moist.
The addition of onions is completely optional. For an authentic butter chicken recipe, onions are not added while making the sauce.
Grind the cooked tomato cashew masala to a fine paste. In restaurants, they pass this paste through a strainer to get a smooth velvety texture of the sauce.
The gravy thickens after some time. Add some hot water and stir to make it thin.

How to make Indian Butter Chicken Recipe (Step-by-step instructions with photos)

Preparations

Marinate the chicken

In a mixing bowl, combine chicken with marinade ingredients. Cover and marinate it for 30 minutes. For better results, marinate it for 2 hours (keep it covered in the refrigerator).
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For making the sauce

Heat 2 tsp of oil and 50 g butter (3 tbsp) on medium heat.
Once the butter melts, add onion and sauté until they are slightly soft.
Add garlic, ginger, and whole spices (cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, and peppercorns). Cook it for 2 minutes.
Next, add cumin powder, garam masala powder, coriander powder, Kashmiri red chili powder, and turmeric powder. Sauté it for a minute.
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Add tomatoes, remaining butter, cashews, and salt. Combine and cook it for 2 minutes.
Stir in ½ cup water. Let it come to a boil. Cover and cook it for 15 minutes until the tomatoes are soft and pulpy. Stir it in between as required.
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Remove and keep it aside to cool down.
Transfer the tomato masala to the mixer or grinder jar.
Grind it to a fine paste. If needed add 1/4 cup water.

Grill the chicken

Heat 2 tsp oil in a heavy bottom pan or grill pan over medium heat.
Take out the chicken from the marinade, and shake it to drip off the excess marinade in the bowl.
Place the marinated chicken pieces on the heated pan. Do not overlap the pieces. Cook the chicken in batches. Do not overcrowd the pan.
Cook for 4-5 minutes or until brown on one side. Flip and cook on the other side until brown. The chicken will not be completely cooked at this stage.
Remove and keep it covered. Same way cook the other chicken pieces too.
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Making Indian butter chicken

Transfer the prepared tomato-cashew paste to a heavy bottom pan on medium heat. Let it come to a boil.
Shred the chicken pieces and add them to the gravy.
Stir in sugar. Cover and cook it on low heat for 10 minutes or until the chicken is completely cooked.
Taste and add salt, if required.
Next, add cream and kasuri methi. Cook it until the gravy comes to a gentle boil. Switch off the heat.
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Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve with Naan or basmati rice.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cream used in butter chicken?

It is heavy cream or heavy whipping cream. You can also use fresh cream or half-and-half.

Is there an Indian name for butter chicken?

Yes, the Indian name is Murgh Makhani.

Is butter chicken the same as tikka masala?

No, both are different. Butter chicken is an Indian dish that is mild or sweet while chicken tikka masala is of British origin and is spicy comparatively

Serving Suggestions

You can serve it with

Naan bread, Basmati rice, or Jeera rice. Along with Raita and Salad for a complete meal.

Storage Suggestions

If you are planning to store the leftovers, store them within 2 hours of cooking.
Refrigeration – Allow the dish to cool down to room temperature then transfer it to an airtight container. Store it in the refrigerator. Stays good for 2 days
Freezing – Allow the dish to cool completely, and transfer it to freezer-safe containers. Stays good for a month. Label the containers with a date for easy reference.
Thawing and Reheating – If you’ve frozen the dish thaw it overnight in the refrigerator. Once thawed, transfer it to a heavy bottom pan/pot, add little water, stir, and reheat gently on the stovetop, stirring occasionally, until it is piping hot (and reaching an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C)). Alternatively, you can reheat it in the microwave, adding little water, stirring occasionally to ensure even heating.
Do not restore the food once thawed and reheated. It is better to store the curry in small portions and take out only the portion ready to consume to reheat.
Use your judgment and consider the specific conditions and freshness of the chicken when deciding to consume it. If the chicken has an off smell, unusual texture, or shows signs of spoilage, it’s best to discard it to ensure food safety.

Variations that you can try

You can substitute chicken with prawns, or lamb.
Make it vegetarian – Substitute chicken with paneer to make Paneer Butter Masala or vegetables like mushrooms.
Try making this Butter Chicken Biryani.

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