This Butter Chicken Recipe is so easy and so delicious. It’s the perfect weeknight meal. Better than take out, you’ll love making this Indian Butter Chicken at home!
We are such huge fans of Indian cooking around here, especially saucy chicken recipes that we can eat with rice and warm pieces of naan.
This take on Indian butter chicken, also known as Murgh Makhani, is an huge favorite in my house. It is a spin on curry that has a creamy tomato based sauce. Every single person in my family loves it and it is on the menu at least twice every month. That’s truly saying something for a mom that is regularly developing new recipes for work.
While this recipe may vary a little from traditional butter chicken, I am certain it will become a favorite in your house as well.
This recipe has become a go to for my family! My husband loves requesting it. It’s super easy to make and delicious so thank you!
How to Make Butter Chicken
This is a brief step by step overview of how to make this delicious recipe. For the full recipe see the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Sauté the Onions
One of the keys to this recipe is to really let the onions cook down in oil first before you add anything else.
Melt the Butter
Add the butter to the sautéed onions and let it melt. Then add in the garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant.
Add the Chicken
Cook the chicken for just a minute or two so that the outside is no longer pink. You don’t need to cook the chicken all the way through, it will finish cooking with the sauce, and be perfectly tender.
Add the Seasonings
Add in the garam masala, chili powder, salt and black pepper. Toss the chicken in the seasonings to combine.
Make the Sauce and Let it Simmer
Stir in tomato puree, tomato paste, lemon juice, yogurt and half and half. Allow the sauce to simmer, cooking down for 10 minutes. There will still be lots of sauce left perfect for covering rice and dipping naan.
Storing Leftovers
Leftover butter chicken can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. I like to store it separate from the rice it is served with. Be sure to only reheat the food that you plan on eat.
Because of the dairy in this recipe, this isn’t a dish I would recommend for the freezer. As with all recipes, use your best discretion when it comes to leftovers.
If you make any of these great chicken recipes, leave me a comment and let me know what you think!
Butter Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion diced small
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter (56.5 grams)
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts diced into bite-sized pieces (453.6 grams)
- 1 tablespoon garam masala see note 1
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 8 ounces tomato sauce (226.8 grams)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1/4 cup plain yogurt (56.8 grams)
- 1 cup half and half see note 2 (227 grams)
- cilantro optional, for garnish
Instructions
- In a large skillet, heat extra virgin olive oil. Add diced onions to the pan and stir regularly, cooking until the onions are translucent, 5 to 7 minutes.1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 yellow onion
- Add the butter and allow it to melt completely. Then stir in the ginger and garlic, cooking for about 30 seconds to a minute or until fragrant. Be careful not to burn it.1/4 cup unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger, 2 cloves garlic
- Add the chicken and cook, stirring often until the chicken is no longer pink on the outside, about 2 minutes. No need to cook it all the way through as it will continue cooking as you add the rest of the ingredients and simmer the recipe.1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Now stir in the garam masala, chili powder, salt and black pepper. Then pour in the tomato sauce, tomato paste, lemon juice, yogurt and half and half. Stir to combine fully. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes to allow the sauce to reduce.1 tablespoon garam masala, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, 8 ounces tomato sauce, 2 tablespoons tomato paste, 2 teaspoons lemon juice, 1/4 cup plain yogurt, 1 cup half and half
- The sauce will reduce but still be quite saucy. Serve in a bowl over rice, garnished with fresh cilantro (if desired), and warm naan.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Garam Masala is a spice blend that you can find in the international food aisle. It is typically made of: black pepper, bay leaves, nutmeg, cumin, pimento, cloves, black cardamom, and coriander.
- A lot of butter chicken recipes call for cream, instead I used yogurt and half and half. This gives you perfect creaminess but is a little lighter without the heavy cream.
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Min says
Would substituting coconut milk for the half and half work or would it change the flavour?
It definitely would change the flavor, but I don’t know that it would change in a way that you wouldn’t enjoy. It would work in this recipe for sure.
Anita says
What would you recommend for make ahead and store?
I would recommend you make it all the way through. Let it cool, store in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Then pour it all in the skillet and heat over low heat, stirring occasionally, until warmed through. This recipe creates a ton of sauce, so you will have plenty for reheating it.
Carol Boyer says
I am so happy to have found this perfect butter chicken recipe. I don’t need to look any further! We love the blend of spices and how all the flavors come together. I have made this dish several times and highly recommend it.
I’m so happy you enjoy it so much! Thank you for taking the time to come back and tell me, Carol!
David Head says
Lisa, the recipe looks great, I definitely want to make it. I actually made my own Garam Masala recipe … so amazingly fragrant when you make it from scratch spices! Extra work but wow does it have loads of aroma and flavor! My question is about the chili powder in the recipe. Is this U.S. style chili powder? That seems like it would be out of place in this dish. Or is it something else?
While Indian chili powder would be best in this, the chili powder that is sold in US grocery stores will work in this recipe and add a nice subtle layer of spice.
karen anita says
the recipe is nicely simple and seems delicious , we try and get back to you with feedback.
Arie says
I just made this recipe tonight and baybee it was top notch for me I don’t even have to order high butter chicken meals from the restaurants no more because I can make it at home. Super simple and easy to follow along with I did add brown sugar at the end which was a good add on thank you so much for this recipe
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, Arie!
Leslie says
My family loved this recipe. My youngest daughter has lactose sensitivities so I made some adjustments that did not affect the flavor. Ghee instead of butter (she tolerates ghee), almond milk plain yogurt, and whole lactose free milk. She gave a hearty thumbs up!
I’m so happy to hear that you were able to make this recipe work for your family!
Nita says
I discovered a Butter chicken cook in sauce pouch at the very back of my grocery cupboard. The due date is April 2019. Will it still be fine to use? I
can’t wait to make the butter chicken- it looks so delicious!
Hi Nita! I can’t really advise you on weather or not to use a product that has expired. For this dish, you don’t need any pre made sauces. I hope that helps!
Heather says
I’m not used to Indian Cuisine, but I must have done something wrong. It ended up being kind of bland. I added everything specifically following the recipe- any suggestions on what might have went wrong? It sounded good!!
There is a lot going on here, so I’m really surprised to hear that it was bland. The only thing that I can think of is that your garam masala was a not great brand. But even with that, you have garlic, ginger, chili powder, and black pepper. If you didn’t simmer it long enough, it could be that it didn’t have time to all come together as a sauce.
Rachael Lavender says
I made this for dinner to night exactly as recipe stated. My family enjoyed it. Great recipe to add to our regulars. Thank you for sharing.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Rachael!