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Butter Chicken Recipe (easy)
This Easy Butter Chicken recipe (murgh makhani) can be on your dinner table in just 30 minutes. The sauce is deliciously rich and creamy, just like butter chicken from your favorite Indian restaurant.
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
30 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 345 kcal
Course:
Dinner
Cuisine:
Indian
Ingredients
The Curry
- 2 2 tablespoons butter or cooking oil
- 2 2 yellow onions roughly chopped
- 3 3 tablespoons chopped ginger
- 6 6 cloves garlic crushed
- 28 28 ounce can of crushed or diced tomatoes
- 1 1 lb chicken breasts or thighs cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 1 cup water
- ¼ ¼ cup whipping cream, plain yogurt, or coconut milk
- 2 2 tablespoons almond butter
- 2-4 2-4 tablespoons coconut sugar can sub brown sugar
- sea salt to taste (I like about 2 teaspoons)
The Spices
- 1 1 tablespoon garam masala
- 1 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 4 4 cardamom pods seeds only - discard the pods
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large-sized frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, ginger, and garlic and cook for about 8 minutes, until well-browned, reducing the heat if necessary. While the onion cooks, place the spices in a small bowl.
- Add the spices to the pan and cook for 1 minute to remove their raw flavor. Pour the can of tomatoes into the pan and scrape the bottom to remove any bits that are stuck to the pan. Transfer to a blender and blend on high until smooth. Return the sauce to the pan.
- Add the chicken and water and bring the sauce to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan, and let the chicken cook through, about 10 minutes.
- Stir in the cream, yogurt, or coconut milk, the almond butter, and the coconut sugar. Season to taste with sea salt.
Cup of Yum
Notes
- Note 1: Using butter will give you the most authentic flavor. But if you need to avoid dairy, opt for oil.
- Note 2: I like to use canned tomatoes as they have better flavor than many store-bought tomatoes. But if it's tomato season, and you have some homegrown tomatoes, feel free to use a few of those instead!
- Note 3: Raw cashews are a more traditional ingredient. I opted to use almond butter so that you'll be able to blend this even without a high-powered blender. Feel free to use cashew butter, if you have that on hand.
- Note 4: If you don't have all of the spices, don't fret! Garam masala is the most important one here. If needed, you can substitute it with curry powder.
Nutrition Information
Serving
1 ½ cups
Calories
345kcal
(17%)
Carbohydrates
16g
(5%)
Protein
28g
(56%)
Fat
19g
(29%)
Saturated Fat
8g
(40%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
2g
Monounsaturated Fat
7g
Trans Fat
1g
Cholesterol
108mg
(36%)
Sodium
216mg
(9%)
Potassium
651mg
(19%)
Fiber
3g
(12%)
Sugar
7g
(14%)
Vitamin A
584IU
(12%)
Vitamin C
7mg
(8%)
Calcium
79mg
(8%)
Iron
2mg
(11%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 4servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 345
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1 ½ cups | |
| Calories | 345kcal | 17% |
| Carbohydrates | 16g | 5% |
| Protein | 28g | 56% |
| Fat | 19g | 29% |
| Saturated Fat | 8g | 40% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 2g | 12% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 7g | 35% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 108mg | 36% |
| Sodium | 216mg | 9% |
| Potassium | 651mg | 14% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 7g | 14% |
| Vitamin A | 584IU | 12% |
| Vitamin C | 7mg | 8% |
| Calcium | 79mg | 8% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.