This easy chicken butter recipe is a great alternative to your regular takeout. This creamy curry comes together easily and is mild is spice but rich in flavor.
It’s so easy to make an amazing butter chicken at home, so skip the takeout this week and make a big batch of this awesome curry instead!
How to Make This Easy Butter Chicken Recipe
- Prep and cube the chicken breast.
- Mix together the marinade.
- Marinate the chicken at least 2 hours.
- Let the veggies simmer.
- Blend and strain.
- Cook the chicken in butter.
- Add in the strained sauce and let simmer.
- Serve and enjoy!
Be sure to see the recipe card below for full ingredients & instructions!
What is butter chicken?
Butter chicken is similar to chicken tikka masala and is one of the most popular chicken curries around the world. Chicken pieces are marinated in a yogurt mixture which creates juicy and tender chicken that is full of flavor.
Where did Butter Chicken originate?
Butter Chicken originated in Northern India. Today, it’s one the most popular recipes across the world.
Butter Chicken Ingredients
Butter chicken is a mild dish that has a tomato and cream base that is then flavored with herbs and spices for a rich and tasty dish. The spices and herbs used are:
- Garlic and onion powder
- Chili
- Ginger
- Garam Masala
- Bay leaves
- Cinnamon
- Cardamom
- Cilantro
The dish is intensely flavored and if you like your curries spicy, feel free to add in an extra chili or two. I love the warm heat of this recipe. Just so delicious.
Chicken Curry Made at Home
When you order butter chicken at a restaurant, no surprise it is cooked in a tonne of butter and it can be quite oily sometimes. This homemade version contains no butter but is still wonderfully rich, and so it is a far healthier option than ordering form your local takeout.
This Homemade Butter Chicken also contains no added refined sugar. It’s always better to make at home because you control all of the variables.
Recipe Tips and Notes
- Marinate the chicken for at least two hours.
- Make sure that your spices aren’t old and stale for maximum flavor.
- This curry can be made ahead of time and either kept warm on the stovetop or stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. It also freezes well.
- Serve the butter chicken with steamed rice, fresh cilantro, lime wedges and naan or poppadom if you like.
If you have tried this easy butter chicken recipe, or any other recipe on my blog, then please rate it and let me know how it turned out in the comments below!
Butter Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
MARINADE INGREDIENTS:
- 1 pound chicken breast
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ juice of lemon
- 3 tbsp yoghurt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 ½ tsp chilli
- 1 ½ tsp ginger
- 2 tsp garam masala
- ½ tsp black pepper
BUTTER CHICKEN INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup water
- 2 tomatoes chopped
- 4 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 onion sliced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 cardamom pods
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- 2 tsp garam masala
- 1 ½ tsp chilli powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 2 tbsp cashew nuts
- 1 pinch of salt
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tbsp fresh cilantro chopped
- ½ lime
Instructions
- Cut chicken breast into bite size pieces
- In a large bowl add chicken and all the marinade ingredients.
- Mix well and let chicken marinate for at least 2 hours
- In a large pan add water, chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, sliced onion, garlic, bay leaves, cardamom pods, cinnamon, garam masala, chili powder, paprika, cashew nuts and salt.
- Let it simmer on medium heat for 1 hour
- Remove cardamom pods and bay leaves
- Add the mixture in a blender and pulse for 3 minutes until creamy and saucy
- Strain the sauce, then set aside in a bowl
- In the same pan, add 2 tablespoons of the butter
- Add the chicken and cook on medium heat for 7-8 minutes on each side, until thoroughly cooked
- Add the strained sauce, the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and the heavy cream
- Simmer for 7 minutes
- Remove from heat, garnish with cilantro and lime and serve with steamed rice
Sandhya says
Delicious
Becky Hardin says
Thanks for stopping by and sharing!