Welcome to the ultimate guide to creating a rich, creamy, and incredibly flavorful Butter Chicken Recipe right in your own kitchen. Forget takeout; this homemade version delivers that authentic, restaurant-quality taste you crave. It’s a dish that perfectly balances tangy tomatoes and luscious cream with aromatic spices, creating a velvety sauce that clings to tender, marinated chicken pieces. This recipe is designed to be straightforward, ensuring a spectacular result every time.
If you’ve ever wondered how restaurants achieve that signature silky texture and deep flavor, you’re in the right place. We’re breaking down the process into simple, manageable steps, from the crucial double marination of the chicken to the final simmer of the iconic makhani sauce. Prepare to impress yourself, your family, and your friends with this show-stopping meal.
Why This Is The Best Butter Chicken Recipe
This isn’t just another chicken recipe; it’s a culinary experience. What sets this Butter Chicken Recipe apart is its commitment to authentic flavor while maintaining simplicity. We use a two-step marination process that tenderizes the chicken and infuses it with spice. The sauce, or makhani gravy, is built on a foundation of ripe tomatoes, cashews for creaminess, and a carefully selected blend of spices, finished with butter and cream for that classic, velvety mouthfeel. It’s a foolproof method for achieving a complex, layered flavor that tastes like it simmered for hours.
What is Butter Chicken?
Butter Chicken, or Murgh Makhani, is a world-renowned dish originating from Northern India. It was famously created in the 1950s at the Moti Mahal restaurant in Delhi. The dish consists of tandoor-cooked chicken pieces simmered in a mildly spiced, creamy tomato-butter sauce. Its global popularity stems from its luxurious yet comforting nature—a perfect introduction to Indian cuisine for novices and a beloved classic for connoisseurs.
Key Ingredients for Authentic Flavor
The magic of this dish lies in its ingredients. While the list might seem long, each component plays a vital role in creating the signature taste and texture. Here’s what you’ll need:
For the Chicken Marinade
- Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are best for their flavor and tenderness, but breasts work too.
- Yogurt: Full-fat plain yogurt is the base of the marinade, tenderizing the chicken beautifully.
- Ginger-Garlic Paste: A cornerstone of Indian cooking, providing a pungent, aromatic base.
- Spices: A blend of Kashmiri red chili powder (for color, not intense heat), turmeric, garam masala, and salt.
- Lemon Juice: The acidity helps to tenderize the chicken.
For the Makhani Gravy (Butter Sauce)
- Tomatoes: Ripe, red tomatoes are essential for a vibrant and slightly sweet sauce.
- Cashews: Soaked raw cashews are the secret to an ultra-creamy sauce without being overly heavy.
- Butter: Unsalted butter is used generously, lending the dish its name and rich flavor.
- Aromatics: Onion, ginger, and garlic form the flavor foundation.
- Spices: Garam masala, ground coriander, cumin, and a touch of sugar to balance the acidity of the tomatoes.
- Kasuri Methi: Dried fenugreek leaves are non-negotiable for that authentic butter chicken aroma and taste.
- Heavy Cream: Stirred in at the end to create that iconic, velvety finish.
How to Make This Butter Chicken Recipe
Follow these steps closely for a perfect result. We’ll break it down into marinating the chicken, cooking it, and then preparing and finishing the incredible sauce.
Step 1: Marinate the Chicken
In a large bowl, combine the chicken pieces with all the marinade ingredients: yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, lemon juice, Kashmiri red chili powder, turmeric, garam masala, and salt. Mix thoroughly to ensure every piece is coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 8 hours for the best flavor.
Step 2: Cook the Chicken
You can cook the chicken in a pan or under a broiler. For the stovetop method, heat a tablespoon of oil or ghee in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken in batches, ensuring not to crowd the pan, until it’s golden brown and cooked through. Set aside.
Step 3: Prepare the Creamy Tomato Gravy
In the same skillet or a large pot, melt a few tablespoons of butter. Add the chopped onion and cook until softened. Add the ginger-garlic paste and cook for another minute until fragrant. Stir in all the spices for the gravy and cook for 30 seconds. Add the chopped tomatoes and soaked cashews, then add about a cup of water. Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook for 15-20 minutes, until the tomatoes are mushy and falling apart.
Step 4: Blend and Finish the Sauce
Carefully transfer the hot tomato mixture to a blender and blend until completely smooth. For an extra silky texture, strain the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve back into the pot. Return the sauce to a gentle simmer. Stir in the cooked chicken, the Kasuri Methi (crush it between your palms first to release its aroma), a touch of sugar, and the heavy cream. Let it simmer for 5 more minutes for the flavors to meld. Taste and adjust salt if needed. For another delicious chicken dish, try this Alice Springs Chicken Recipe (coming soon).
Tips for the Perfect Butter Chicken
- Don’t Skip the Marinade: Marinating is crucial for tender, flavorful chicken. An hour is good, but a few hours is even better.
- Use Chicken Thighs: They stay more moist and tender than chicken breasts, though both work.
- Toast Your Spices: Briefly cooking the ground spices in the butter (a process called “blooming”) deepens their flavor significantly.
- Don’t Overcook the Chicken: Remember the chicken will simmer in the sauce later, so cook it until it’s just done to prevent it from becoming tough.
What to Serve with Butter Chicken
Butter chicken is a rich dish that pairs wonderfully with simple accompaniments that can soak up the delicious gravy. Serve it with fluffy basmati rice or warm naan bread. For a complete meal, add a side of cucumber raita to cool the palate or a simple green salad. If you love rice bowls, you might also enjoy our easy teriyaki chicken bowl. And for a perfect bread side, consider this vegan and gluten-free naan recipe (coming soon).
Storage and Reheating Instructions
Butter chicken tastes even better the next day as the flavors have more time to meld together.
- To Store: Let the butter chicken cool completely, then transfer it to an airtight container. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- To Reheat: Gently reheat on the stovetop over low heat until warmed through. Avoid microwaving, as it can make the chicken tough and cause the sauce to separate.
- To Freeze: You can freeze butter chicken for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before reheating gently on the stove.
Frequently Asked Questions
Authentic butter chicken has a subtle sweetness to balance the tanginess of the tomatoes. This usually comes from the tomatoes themselves, onions, and sometimes a small amount of sugar or honey. It should be balanced, not overly sweet.
For a similar creamy texture, you can substitute heavy cream with evaporated milk, half-and-half, or a paste made from blended cashews and water. Full-fat coconut cream can also be used, but it will impart a coconut flavor to the dish.
Butter Chicken (Murgh Makhani) is known for its creamy, buttery, and milder tomato-based sauce. Chicken Tikka Masala typically has a more complex, robust flavor profile with prominent spices and a less creamy, more tomato-forward gravy.
The most important ingredient for authentic flavor is Kasuri Methi, or dried fenugreek leaves. Crushing them before adding them to the sauce releases their unique, aromatic flavor that is signature to the dish.
For a silky-smooth sauce, it’s essential to use a high-powered blender to puree the tomato and cashew mixture. For a guaranteed restaurant-quality texture, strain the blended sauce through a fine-mesh sieve before adding the chicken.
The Ultimate Butter Chicken Recipe
This Butter Chicken Recipe is a testament to the beauty of Indian cuisine—rich, fragrant, and deeply comforting. It’s a dish worth mastering, and with these detailed steps, you’re well on your way. We hope you love making and sharing this incredible meal.
If you try this recipe, please leave a comment below and let us know how it turned out! We’d love to see your creations on Pinterest.
Butter Chicken Recipe (Easy & Authentic)
Ingredients
Equipment
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine chicken pieces with all marinade ingredients (yogurt, 1.5 tbsp ginger-garlic paste, lemon juice, chili powder, 1 tsp garam masala, turmeric, and salt). Mix well, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 8 hours.
- Heat oil in a large skillet or pot over medium-high heat. Add the marinated chicken in a single layer (work in batches if necessary) and cook for 3-4 minutes per side, until golden brown and cooked through. Remove the chicken and set aside.
- In the same pot, melt 2 tbsp of butter over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook until soft, about 5-7 minutes. Add 1 tbsp of ginger-garlic paste and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Stir in the ground cumin, 1.5 tsp garam masala, and ground coriander. Cook for 30 seconds until aromatic. Add the crushed tomatoes, soaked cashews (with their water), and 1 cup of water. Bring to a simmer.
- Cover the pot, reduce heat to low, and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes, until tomatoes have broken down.
- Carefully transfer the hot mixture to a high-powered blender. Blend until completely smooth. For an extra velvety sauce, pour the blended sauce through a fine-mesh sieve back into the pot.
- Return the pot to low heat. Stir in the remaining 2 tbsp of butter, the heavy cream, sugar, and the cooked chicken. Crush the dried fenugreek leaves between your palms and stir them in.
- Simmer for 5-10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Do not boil. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve hot with naan or basmati rice.
Notes
Soaking the cashews is crucial for a creamy sauce.
Crush the Kasuri Methi (dried fenugreek leaves) between your hands before adding to release its full aroma.
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