Servings
Font
Back
Butter Chicken
4.9 from 168 votes

Butter Chicken

Butter Chicken is a creamy, mildly spiced dish featuring marinated chicken thighs cooked in a sauce of onion, ginger, garlic, Kashmiri red chili powder, garam masala, cashews, crushed tomatoes, and cream. The sauce is blended to achieve smoothness, complementing the tender chicken pieces. It’s traditionally served over basmati rice and garnished with fresh cilantro.

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Marinating Time
1 hr
Total Time
1 hr 40 mins
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 346 kcal
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

For the Chicken
  • 1 ½ pounds chicken thigh boneless, skinless
  • ½ cup Greek yogurt full-fat
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice fresh
  • 2 teaspoons ginger minced
  • 3 garlic minced, cloves
  • 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • 1 teaspoon Turmeric ground
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil or avocado oil
For the Butter Sauce
  • 1 yellow onion diced, medium
  • 2 teaspoons ginger minced
  • 3 garlic minced, cloves
  • 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • ½ teaspoon ground coriander
  • ½ teaspoon cumin
  • ¼ cup cashew nuts raw
  • 1 tablespoon coconut sugar or other sweetener
  • 1 (15-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 tablespoons butter or ghee, unsalted
  • ½ cup heavy cream or coconut cream
For Serving
  • basmati rice
  • cilantro freshly chopped

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Dice the chicken. Cut the chicken into 1-inch pieces and place it in a bowl.
  2. Marinate the chicken. Add the yogurt, lemon juice, ginger, garlic, red chili powder, garam masala, turmeric, and salt to the bowl. Stir it all together, then cover and refrigerate for an hour (or up to overnight).
  3. Cook the chicken. Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large saute pan. Place the marinated chicken in the fry pan and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, until the chicken is opaque. Transfer the chicken to a separate bowl.
  4. Make the sauce. Add the onions to the pan and saute for 3 to 4 minutes, until softened and translucent.
  5. Add the ginger, garlic, red chili powder, garam masala, coriander, cumin, and stir for another minute. Then add the cashews, crushed tomatoes, sugar, and water. Stir it all together, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 5 minutes.
  6. Transfer the sauce to a high-powered blender and blend for a minute, until smooth and creamy.
  7. Combine it all together. Wipe the pan clean with a paper towel (if you'd like to remove any lumps from the final sauce), then stir together the creamy butter sauce, butter, and heavy cream.
  8. Add the chicken back to the pan over medium heat and stir with the sauce for 3 to 5 minutes, until the chicken is warmed through.
  9. To serve. Enjoy the butter chicken on it's own, or serve it over basmati rice topped with fresh cilantro.

Notes

  • Kashmiri red chili powder can be replaced by a mix of paprika and cayenne pepper for similar flavor and heat.
  • Using pre-made ginger garlic paste simplifies preparation, substituting roughly 1 tablespoon for the fresh ginger and garlic in both marinade and sauce.
  • Cashews add creaminess but can be swapped for almonds, sunflower seeds, pine nuts, or omitted, though the sauce will be thinner without them.

Nutrition Information

Calories 346kcal (17%) Carbohydrates 8g (3%) Protein 26g (52%) Fat 23g (35%) Saturated Fat 9g (45%) Polyunsaturated Fat 2g (12%) Monounsaturated Fat 9g (45%) Trans Fat 1g (50%) Cholesterol 141mg (47%) Sodium 551mg (23%) Potassium 426mg (9%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 4g (8%) Vitamin A 637IU (13%) Vitamin C 4mg (4%) Calcium 62mg (6%) Iron 2mg (11%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6 servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 346

% Daily Value*

Calories 346kcal 17%
Carbohydrates 8g 3%
Protein 26g 52%
Fat 23g 35%
Saturated Fat 9g 45%
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g 12%
Monounsaturated Fat 9g 45%
Trans Fat 1g 50%
Cholesterol 141mg 47%
Sodium 551mg 23%
Potassium 426mg 9%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 4g 8%
Vitamin A 637IU 13%
Vitamin C 4mg 4%
Calcium 62mg 6%
Iron 2mg 11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.