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overhead view of a serving of butter chicken in a white bowl with cilantro, rice, and lime wedges.
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4.64 from 11 votes

Butter Chicken Recipe

This butter chicken recipe is rich, creamy, and packed with bold flavor thanks to a yogurt-marinated chicken and a slow-simmered spiced tomato sauce. It’s a little more hands-on than a quick curry, but the results are completely worth it and taste even better than takeout.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time50 minutes
Marinating Time2 hours
Total Time3 hours
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 529kcal
Author: Becky Hardin

Equipment

  • High-Powered Blender or Immersion Blender
  • Fine-Mesh Sieve

Ingredients

For the Marinade:

  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts *
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice from ½ lemon
  • 3 tablespoons plain yogurt
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder **
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1½ teaspoons chili powder
  • 1½ teaspoons ground ginger
  • 2 teaspoons ground garam masala
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

For the Sauce:

  • 1 cup water
  • 2 Roma tomatoes chopped
  • 4 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 medium onion sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 green cardamom pods
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon **
  • 2 teaspoons ground garam masala
  • 1½ teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground paprika
  • 2 tablespoons cashew nuts
  • 1 pinch kosher salt
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter ½ stick, divided
  • 1 cup heavy cream room temperature***

Optional Garnishes:

  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
  • ½ lime sliced

Instructions

  • Cut chicken breast into bite-size pieces.
    1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • In a large bowl, add chicken and all marinade ingredients. Mix well and let chicken marinate for at least 2 hours (or overnight).
    1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 3 tablespoons plain yogurt, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1½ teaspoons chili powder, 1½ teaspoons ground ginger, 2 teaspoons ground garam masala, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
    marinating chicken pieces in seasoned yogurt in a glass bowl.
  • 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.
    1 cup water, 2 Roma tomatoes, 4 tablespoons tomato paste, 1 medium onion, 3 cloves garlic , 2 bay leaves, 2 green cardamom pods, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, 2 teaspoons ground garam masala, 1½ teaspoons chili powder, 1 teaspoon ground paprika, 2 tablespoons cashew nuts, 1 pinch kosher salt
    butter chicken sauce ingredients in a skillet with a wooden spatula.
  • Let it simmer on medium heat for 30-60 minutes.
    simmering butter chicken sauce in a skillet.
  • Remove cardamom pods and bay leaves.
    removing a bay leaf from butter chicken sauce with tongs.
  • Add the mixture to a blender and pulse for 3 minutes, until creamy and saucy.
    butter chicken sauce in a blender after blending.
  • Strain the sauce, then set aside in a bowl.
    straining blended butter chicken sauce over a fine mesh sieve with a rubber spatula.
  • In the same pan, add 2 tablespoons of butter.
    4 tablespoons unsalted butter
    melting butter in a skillet.
  • Add chicken and cook on medium heat for 7-8 minutes on each side, until thoroughly cooked.
    cooked marinated chicken pieces in a skillet.
  • Add the strained sauce, the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, and the heavy cream.
    4 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 cup heavy cream
    adding butter and butter chicken sauce to cooked chicken pieces in a skillet.
  • Simmer for 7 minutes, or until thickened.
  • Remove from heat, garnish with cilantro and lime, and serve with steamed rice.
    1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro, ½ lime
    creamy butter chicken in a skillet with a wooden spatula.

Video

Notes

*You can use boneless, skinless chicken thighs if you prefer, but they will take a few minutes longer to cook through.
**In place of all of the listed ground spices, you can use 7½ teaspoons of Tandoori Masala seasoning blend for the chicken and 5 teaspoons for the sauce. 
***In place of the heavy cream, you can use an equal amount of full-fat coconut milk.
Tips:
  • For an even smoother sauce, blanch and peel the tomatoes before adding them.
  • Reduce the amount of chili powder if you prefer a milder dish.
  • I like to let this dish simmer for a full hour, but if you're short on time, even just 30 minutes will meld the flavors beautifully.
  • Don't forget to remove the bay leaves and cardamom pods before blending the sauce. They will add a bitter and unpleasant flavor.
  • I like to strain the sauce after blending to make it extra silky, but you can skip this step if you don't mind the texture or are short on time.
  • When cooking the chicken, don't overcrowd the pan, or the chicken pieces will steam instead of getting a nice sear.
  • Chicken pieces are cooked through when they reach 165°F internally.
  • Add the room-temperature cream slowly, stirring constantly off the heat so it doesn't curdle.
  • Serve with steamed basmati rice, naan, or a side of sautéed vegetables.
  • Drizzle a little extra butter on top for richness.
  • Gently reheat in a pan over low heat, adding a splash of water or cream if the sauce thickens too much.
Make-Ahead: You can prepare the chicken and marinate it for up to 12 hours. The longer, the better! As a bonus, this dish gets tastier the longer it sits, so leftovers are even better the next day!
Storage: Store butter chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 days, or freeze for 3 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 529kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 39g | Saturated Fat: 22g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 172mg | Sodium: 632mg | Potassium: 908mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 2508IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 111mg | Iron: 2mg