Name: Butter Chicken Recipe
Prep time: 60 min
Ingredients: 1 lb. Chicken thighs or breasts (boneless and skinless, cut into small pieces); 1 tablespoon Grated garlic; 1 tablespoon Grated ginger; 100 g Plain yogurt; 1 tablespoon Lemon juice; Salt to taste; 1 teaspoon kashmiri Chili powder; 1/2 teaspoon Cumin; 1 teaspoon Garam masala; 2 tablespoons oil for frying; 1 tablespoon Oil; 5 tablespoon Butter (divided); 1 large Onion (chopped); 3 Tomatoes (Large, chopped); 1 tablespoon Garlic paste (grated garlic); 1 teaspoon Garam masala; 1/3 cup Cashew nuts; 1½ teaspoons kashmiri Chili powder; Salt to taste; 2 tablespoons Sugar; 1/4 teaspoon Cumin; 1 cup Water; 1 tablespoon Vinegar; 1/3 cup Cream; Coriander; Naan bread (for serving)

Butter Chicken Recipe

By David | Published: Aug 29, 2019 | Updated: Feb 14, 2025

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5 from 1 vote

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Butter chicken is a traditional Indian dish that popular all over India.
Learn how to make easy homemade butter chicken (murgh makhani). This recipe is so colorful, creamy, rich and super delicious. If you like Indian food you’re going to love this amazing dish!

A close-up of a dish of butter chicken garnished with fresh cilantro and a swirl of cream, served in a black bowl. A side of naan bread, adorned with herbs and garlic, is partially visible to the left of the bowl on a wooden surface.

Butter Chicken Recipe

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 1

WORK TIME 20

DIFFICULTY Easy

Course Main Course

Cuisine Indian

Servings yields

Ingredients

For the chicken marinate:

1 lb. (450 g) Chicken thighs or breasts boneless and skinless, cut into small pieces
1 tablespoon Grated garlic
1 tablespoon Grated ginger
100 g (100 g) Plain yogurt
1 tablespoon Lemon juice
Salt to taste
1 teaspoon kashmiri Chili powder
½ teaspoon Cumin
1 teaspoon Garam masala
2 tablespoons oil for frying

for the sauce:

1 tablespoon Oil
5 tablespoon (75 g) Butter divided
1 large Onion chopped
3 (500 g) Tomatoes Large, chopped
1 tablespoon Garlic paste grated garlic
1 teaspoon Garam masala
⅓ cup (50 g) Cashew nuts
1½ teaspoons kashmiri Chili powder
Salt to taste
2 tablespoons (30 g) Sugar
¼ teaspoon Cumin
1 cup (240 ml) Water
1 tablespoon Vinegar
⅓ cup (80 ml) Cream
Coriander
Naan bread for serving

Instructions

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DIRECTIONS

1. In a large bowl, season the chicken with salt, chili powder, cumin, grated garlic and grated ginger. Let sit in the fridge for 20-30 minutes to marinate.
2. In a large pan heat oil, add the chicken and fry for 5-6 minutes, until cooked. Remove from the pan and set aside.
3. In the same pan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter. sauté chopped onion for 4-5 minutes. Add chopped tomatoes, cashew nuts and water. Season with garlic paste, salt, chili powder, garam masala, cumin, sugar and vinegar. Simmer over low-medium heat for 15-20 minutes.
4. Blend the sauce with a hand blender or in a food processor (with the lid open) until smooth. Strain through a sieve. Pour back to the pan.
5. To the sauce add the remaining butter, cream and cooked chicken pieces. (if you have, add kasoori methi). Cook for 5-7 minutes. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and fresh cream.
6. Serve with naan bread or rice.

Video

Nutrition information is automatically generated and thus we can not guarantee it is 100% accurate.

3 Comments

Looks amazing.

February 7, 2021

The Cooking Foodie says:

at

Thanks 🙂

October 29, 2021
Reply

In the first step you didn’t say to add yogurt but it’s listed as a marinade ingredient. I’ve seen videos of the preparation and it appears to have the yogurt. Yes or no?

February 2, 2023