Butter Chicken in Creamy Tomato Sauce
Butter chicken made with yogurt-marinated thighs simmered in a spiced tomato cream sauce. This creamy Indian dinner comes together in about an hour.
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Butter chicken is the Indian takeout order that turns out to be genuinely easy at home. This butter chicken keeps the two steps that matter. A yogurt and spice marinade on the chicken. A sauce of butter, onion, crushed tomatoes and cream simmered until it turns deep orange. It’s mild, a little sweet, and it goes over basmati rice.
The yogurt marinade does two jobs. Its acid softens the chicken so the thighs stay tender in the sauce. It carries the garam masala, turmeric and cumin into the meat instead of leaving all the spice in the gravy. Thirty minutes is enough on a weeknight, and overnight is better if you think of it in the morning. That marinating time sits on top of the hour of cooking.
Cook the spices in the butter before the tomatoes go in. Ground spices are fat-soluble. So a minute in hot butter opens them up in a way that stirring them into liquid never does. That one minute is the difference between a sauce that tastes deep and one that tastes like spiced tomato soup.
Why You’ll Love This Butter Chicken Recipe
- Milder than most curries. Kashmiri chili powder brings color more than heat, so the sauce is warm and gentle enough for kids.
- Thighs that stay tender. A yogurt marinade plus a short simmer keeps the chicken soft rather than stringy.
- Regular grocery store ingredients. Garam masala, turmeric, cumin and crushed tomatoes are all standard stock now, and the fenugreek is the only thing you might have to hunt for.
- Better the next day. The sauce keeps thickening and the spices settle in overnight, which makes this one of the best things to pack for lunch.
Butter Chicken Ingredients
Kasoori methi, dried fenugreek leaves, is the ingredient that makes butter chicken taste like the restaurant version. Crush a teaspoon between your palms and stir it in at the end. It lives in the Indian aisle or online, and the dish is still good without it, just less familiar.
- 1 3/4 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
- 1/2 cup full-fat plain yogurt
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp Kashmiri chili powder (or 1/2 tsp cayenne)
- 1 tsp salt, for the marinade
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 4 tbsp butter, divided
- 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated, for the sauce
- 4 cloves garlic, minced, for the sauce
- 2 tsp garam masala, for the sauce
- 1 tsp ground cumin, for the sauce
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp Kashmiri chili powder, for the sauce
- 1 (15 oz) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 tsp salt, for the sauce
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves), optional
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish
- 4 cups cooked basmati rice, for serving
Recipe Variations
- Use boneless skinless chicken breast instead of thighs. Cut it into 1 1/2-inch pieces, sear it the same way, and cook it to 165°F, the same safe temperature the thighs need. Breast dries out faster, so pull it the moment it hits temperature.
- Make it dairy-free by swapping full-fat coconut milk for the yogurt in the marinade and coconut cream for the heavy cream, and use oil in place of the butter. It’s a different dish, closer to a korma, but it works.
- Leave the chicken out and make it with paneer. Marinate 14 ounces of cubed paneer for 20 minutes, pan-fry it 3 to 4 minutes until golden, and fold it into the finished sauce off the heat.
How to Make Butter Chicken
- Marinate the chicken: Stir the yogurt, 1 tablespoon ginger, 4 cloves garlic, 2 teaspoons garam masala, turmeric, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon chili powder and 1 teaspoon salt together in a bowl. Add the chicken pieces and turn them until every piece is coated. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes, or up to overnight for the best flavor.
- Sear the chicken: Heat the oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer, working in two batches, and cook 3 minutes per side until browned outside. It won’t be cooked through yet. Move it to a plate.
- Cook the onion: Lower the heat to medium and add the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter to the same skillet. Add the chopped onion and cook 6 to 7 minutes, stirring, until soft and just starting to brown at the edges.
- Bloom the spices: Stir in the remaining ginger and garlic, the 2 teaspoons garam masala, 1 teaspoon cumin, coriander and 1 teaspoon chili powder and cook 1 minute, until the kitchen smells like the whole spice cabinet. Stir the whole time here, because ground spices scorch fast in butter.
- Simmer the sauce: Pour in the crushed tomatoes and the 1 teaspoon of salt. Simmer 12 minutes, stirring now and then, until the sauce darkens and thickens enough that a spoon leaves a track across the bottom of the pan.
- Add the cream and sugar: Turn the heat to low and stir in the heavy cream and the sugar. Crush the kasoori methi between your palms and add it if you have it. The sauce should turn a soft orange.
- Finish the chicken and serve: Return the seared chicken and any juices on the plate to the skillet. Simmer 8 to 10 minutes, until the pieces are cooked through and register 165°F on an instant-read thermometer. Taste for salt, scatter the cilantro over the top, and serve over the basmati rice.
Recipe FAQs
What Is Butter Chicken?
Butter chicken, or murgh makhani, is a north Indian dish of yogurt-marinated chicken in a mild sauce of butter, tomatoes, cream and warm spices. It’s milder and sweeter than most curries, which is why it’s usually the first thing people order when they’re new to Indian food.
Is Butter Chicken the Same as Tikka Masala?
They’re close cousins. Butter chicken leans on butter and cream and tastes smoother and sweeter, while tikka masala usually carries onion and pepper in the sauce with more of a spice edge. Restaurants swap the two around constantly.
Can I Use Chicken Breast?
Yes. Cut it into 1 1/2-inch pieces and cook it to 165°F, the same temperature the thighs need. Watch it more closely, since breast goes from done to dry in about a minute.
How Long Should I Marinate the Chicken?
Thirty minutes makes a real difference, four hours is better, and overnight is best. Don’t push past 24 hours, because the acid in the yogurt eventually turns the surface of the meat mealy.
Is Butter Chicken Spicy?
Not very. Kashmiri chili powder is used mostly for its red color and carries mild heat. If you want more, add 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne with the sauce spices, or put a chili oil on the table.
Cooking Tips
- Let the marinade cling to the chicken instead of scraping it off. The yogurt browns in the hot pan, and those browned bits end up in the sauce.
- Run an immersion blender through the sauce before the cream goes in if you want the silky restaurant texture. Onion and crushed tomatoes leave it a little rustic otherwise, which is also fine.
- Add the cream to a gentle simmer, never a hard boil. High heat can split heavy cream in an acidic tomato sauce, and once it separates you can’t stir it back together.
Storage and Freezing
To store: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The sauce thickens in the fridge and the flavor is better on day two.
To freeze: Freeze for up to 3 months in a freezer container. Cream sauces can look grainy after thawing, so thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently while whisking and it comes back together.
To reheat: Warm on the stove over medium-low with a splash of water or cream, stirring, until the chicken reaches 165°F. In the microwave, go in 1-minute bursts and stir between each.
How to Serve Butter Chicken
Butter chicken wants basmati rice underneath it and naan alongside for scooping. A cucumber and tomato salad with lemon, or a small bowl of plain yogurt with a pinch of salt, cools things down and breaks up the richness. Leftovers over rice pack well for lunch the next day.
Loved This Recipe?
Butter chicken makes the whole house smell like a restaurant and still leaves you most of the evening.
Leave a star rating in the comments below, it helps other people find this recipe. Made it? Tag @allwellfed on Instagram, I love seeing this one in other people’s kitchens.
Butter Chicken in Creamy Tomato Sauce
Equipment
- Instant-Read Thermometer 165°F, checked in two spots rather than one.
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
- 1/2 cup full-fat plain yogurt
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger grated
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp Kashmiri chili powder or 1/2 tsp cayenne
- 1 tsp salt for the marinade
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 4 tbsp butter divided
- 1 large yellow onion finely chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger grated, for the sauce
- 4 cloves garlic minced, for the sauce
- 2 tsp garam masala for the sauce
- 1 tsp ground cumin for the sauce
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp Kashmiri chili powder for the sauce
- 1 (15 oz) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 tsp salt for the sauce
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp kasoori methi dried fenugreek leaves, optional
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro chopped, for garnish
- 4 cups cooked basmati rice for serving
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken: Stir the yogurt, 1 tablespoon ginger, 4 cloves garlic, 2 teaspoons garam masala, turmeric, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon chili powder and 1 teaspoon salt together in a bowl. Add the chicken pieces and turn them until every piece is coated. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes, or up to overnight for the best flavor.
- Sear the chicken: Heat the oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer, working in two batches, and cook 3 minutes per side until browned outside. It won’t be cooked through yet. Move it to a plate.
- Cook the onion: Lower the heat to medium and add the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter to the same skillet. Add the chopped onion and cook 6 to 7 minutes, stirring, until soft and just starting to brown at the edges.
- Bloom the spices: Stir in the remaining ginger and garlic, the 2 teaspoons garam masala, 1 teaspoon cumin, coriander and 1 teaspoon chili powder and cook 1 minute, until the kitchen smells like the whole spice cabinet. Stir the whole time here, because ground spices scorch fast in butter.
- Simmer the sauce: Pour in the crushed tomatoes and the 1 teaspoon of salt. Simmer 12 minutes, stirring now and then, until the sauce darkens and thickens enough that a spoon leaves a track across the bottom of the pan.
- Add the cream and sugar: Turn the heat to low and stir in the heavy cream and the sugar. Crush the kasoori methi between your palms and add it if you have it. The sauce should turn a soft orange.
- Finish the chicken and serve: Return the seared chicken and any juices on the plate to the skillet. Simmer 8 to 10 minutes, until the pieces are cooked through and register 165°F on an instant-read thermometer. Taste for salt, scatter the cilantro over the top, and serve over the basmati rice.
Notes
If you made this, leave a star rating down in the comments. It takes about ten seconds, and it’s how other cooks decide whether a recipe is worth trying.
