If you love Indian food or Indian restaurants you’re probably familiar with this dish. We love Indian curries and butter chicken is a family favorite. We spent months and months perfecting our easy butter chicken recipe and process. This traditional Indian recipe has been adjusted somewhat to ensure the ingredients that are readily available in an American grocery store. We also use cut up pieces of chicken to make this a quicker weeknight meal for families. I love delicious recipes but don’t have all day to cook!
Butter chicken is a flavorful and aromatic dish with a unique combination of spices and a creamy tomato-based sauce. The dish has a mildly sweet, tangy and savory taste that is balanced with the richness of the cream and the butter.
The creamy tomato-based sauce is made with butter, cream, and a variety of spices such as ginger, garlic, and garam masala, which give the dish its distinctive flavor. The sauce has a rich and velvety texture that coats the chicken pieces and provides a delicious contrast to the smoky flavors of the chicken.
Overall, the flavor of butter chicken is complex, with a delicate balance of sweet, tangy, and savory flavors that are complemented by the richness of the cream and butter. The combination of spices and the creamy tomato-based sauce make butter chicken a truly delicious and satisfying dish.
Why You’ll Love This
- Flavor: This creamy butter chicken recipe is perfection! The tomato based sauce is creamy and rich. Plus the ingredients are all common in most U.S. supermarkets.
- Nutrition: 440 calories per serving, 33 grams of protein
- Time: Prep Time: 10 minutes – Marinade Time: 30 mins to 24 hours – Cook Time: 30 mins
- Diet: Vegetarian, Gluten Free, Keto Friendly
- Method: Stovetop, can be modified for Instant Pot or pressure cooker
ingredients
- 2-3 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs or breast, cut into bite sized pieces
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 9 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 Tbsps ginger, minced (or use ginger paste)
- 1 tablespoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 2 ½ teaspoon cumin
- 2 teaspoon chili powder
- 2 ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 2 tablespoon oil (vegetable or avocado oil)
- 2 tablespoon ghee (or butter)
- 14 oz tomato sauce (or a homemade tomato puree)
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 cup heavy cream (or full fat canned coconut milk)
- ½ teaspoon dried fenugreek
- fresh cilantro (optional)
How To Make It Gluten Free
This stovetop butter chicken recipe is naturally gluten free. As always, make sure your spices and ingredients don’t contain gluten additives.
How To Make It Dairy Free
To make this recipe dairy free, substitute the heavy cream for canned full fat coconut milk. We love this recipe with coconut milk and we always have some on hand even when we don’t have heavy cream. Substitute the ghee with oil. Use a dairy free yogurt or sour cream substitute instead of Greek yogurt. If you cannot find any, substitute for 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil.
Instructions
Full step-by-step butter chicken ingredients and instructions are in the recipe card below. You can print or save to Pinterest for later.
Prep: Using the recipe card below, measure and prepare spices and ingredients before beginning. This is especially helpful before making the sauce after browning the chicken. The process for adding spices and ingredients to the sauce goes rather quickly. Your garlic and ginger will burn if you are having to take time to measure all the spices as you go.
You will need a large pan or dutch oven. I recommend a 12″ skillet, if you have one.
Step 1: In a large bowl or ziploc bag, combine sauce ingredients: yogurt, 4 cloves minced garlic, 1 tablespoon ginger, 1 ½ tsps garam masala, 1 teaspoon turmeric, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon red chili powder and 1 teaspoon sea salt. Mix well. Add chicken pieces and toss to coat.
Step 2: For best results, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 24 hours. If you are in a hurry you can move straight to the cooking step.
Step 3: Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet or dutch oven over medium-high heat. When oil is sizzling hot, add chicken pieces, discard extra marinade. Cook until brown and flip. Do not overcrowd the pan. You might need to cook in 2 batches. When chicken is browned remove to a separate bowl, cover and set aside. The chicken will finish cooking later in the sauce.
Step 4: Reduce pan to medium heat. Heat 2 tablespoon ghee in the pan. Add 5 cloves minced garlic and 1 tablespoon minced ginger. Sauté for a minute or until fragrant. Add 1 teaspoon coriander, 1 ½ teaspoon cumin, 1 /2 teaspoon garam masala, 1 teaspoon chili powder and ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional) to the hot pan. Stir for about 30 seconds.
Step 5: Add the tomato sauce and salt. Use a silicone spatula or wooden spoon to scrape the bottom of the pan and get all the spices mixed into the tomato sauce. Reduce heat to simmer for about 5 minutes to allow flavors to combine. Stir occasionally. Reduce heat to low. Slowly pour in the heavy cream (heavy whipping cream), whisking to combine as you pour. Add the dried fenugreek. Stir.
Step 6: Add the chicken with juices back into the pan and cook for 8-10 minutes until the chicken is cooked through to 165°F and the sauce is thick and bubbling.
Step 5: If the sauce is too thick, add 1 tablespoon of ghee or butter. Stir to combine.
Step 6: Remove from heat. Garnish the tender chicken and creamy sauce with chopped cilantro. Serve with naan and rice.
Slow Cooker Butter Chicken
If you want to make your easy butter chicken into a crockpot recipe you will need to follow steps 1-5. Next add the browned chicken and the sauce from your pan to your slow cooker and cook on low until you’re ready to eat. Check the internal temperature of the chicken to make sure it is at at least 165°F.
Instant Pot Butter Chicken
This recipe can easily be converted into an Instant Pot butter chicken recipe. Follow steps 1 and 2 as directed. Then heat your Instant Pot to the saute setting. Continue steps 3 and 4 on the saute setting. Turn the Instant Pot off for steps 5 and 6. Do not add heavy cream yet! Then place the lid on the pressure cooker and set to lock. Make sure the vent is closed and cook on manual setting for 6 minutes. Manual release carefully and remove the lid. Add the heavy cream and fenugreek and stir to combine. Serve.
Butter Chicken Tips & Tricks
- Cut your chicken pieces to about ½-inch to 1-inch so they don’t take too long to cook. If they are all about the same size they will cook at the same rate in the skillet. Bite-sized pieces also cook quicker than whole pieces of chicken, reducing your total cook time.
- Measure your sauce spices BEFORE you begin making your sauce! Have them ready to go before heating up your ghee.
- If you have the time, marinate your chicken all day. The extra marinating time helps enrich the flavors.
- Taste the sauce while it’s cooking! Add more spice if you prefer.
- If using coconut milk, use the full fat kind and use mostly the solid cream part at the top of the can.
What To Serve With Butter Chicken
Butter chicken is typically served with rice (basmati rice or jasmine rice) or bread, such as naan or roti. The creamy tomato-based sauce of the dish pairs well with the neutral flavor of rice, making it a popular choice for serving with butter chicken.
Naan bread is another common accompaniment to butter chicken. Naan is a type of Indian flatbread that is soft and fluffy, and it can be used to scoop up the sauce of the dish. Roti is another type of Indian flatbread that is thinner and more crispy than naan, and it can also be served with butter chicken.
In addition to rice and bread, butter chicken can also be served with a variety of vegetable dishes or side salads. For example, a simple cucumber and tomato salad with a squeeze of lemon and a sprinkle of salt can provide a refreshing contrast to the rich and creamy flavors of the dish.
Overall, the key is to choose sides that complement the flavors of the butter chicken without overpowering them. Rice or bread, along with a simple side dish, is a classic combination that works well with the dish.
