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A white bowl half‑filled with fluffy basmati rice drizzled with cream, the other half with orange‑red Butter Chicken Recipe pieces in rich tomato‑cream sauce, garnished with chopped cilantro, served with a folded naan on the side on a dark stone table.

Butter Chicken Recipe

A rich, creamy tomato‑Butter Chicken Recipe curry that’s forgiving, one‑pot, and crowd‑pleasing even picky kids love it.
5 from 1 vote
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Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: Butter chicken recipe authentic, Butter Chicken recipe Cafe delites, Butter chicken recipe ingredients, Creamy butter chicken recipe, Easy butter chicken recipe tasty, Indian butter chicken recipe, Pakistani butter chicken recipe, Simple butter chicken recipe
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Marination Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 5
Calories: 450kcal
Cost: $12

Equipment

  • 1 Large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven
  • 1 Sharp knife (for chopping chicken & aromatics)
  • 1 Cutting board
  • 1 Wooden spoon (for stirring)
  • 1set Measuring spoons & cups

Ingredients

  • 1.5 lb Boneless chicken thighs - cut into 1″ pieces
  • ½ cup Plain yogurt - for marinade
  • 1 tablespoon Lemon juice
  • 2 cloves Garlic - minced plus 2 more for sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Fresh ginger - grated plus 1 more for sauce
  • 1 teaspoon Garam masala - plus 1 more for sauce
  • 1 teaspoon Salt - or to taste
  • 4 tablespoon Butter - divided; save 1 tbsp for finishing
  • 1 medium Yellow onion - finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon Tomato paste
  • 1 cup Crushed tomatoes
  • ½ cup Heavy cream - plus extra splash for reheating
  • 1 teaspoon Cumin - ground
  • 1 teaspoon Paprika
  • ¼ teaspoon Cayenne pepper - adjust for heat
  • 1 teaspoon Kasuri methi - dried fenugreek; optional
  • — — Fresh cilantro - handful choppe

Instructions

  • Combine chicken with yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, ginger, spices, and salt.
    Bright marble surface flat‑lay showing a shallow bowl of yogurt‑lemon marinade next to garlic cloves, a knob of fresh ginger, a halved lemon, a small dish of garam masala, a pinch bowl of sea salt, and a bowl of cubed, raw boneless chicken pieces lightly dusted with spice.
  • Cook onion until soft, then add garlic and fresh ginger for fragrance.
    Diced yellow onion being scraped from a white skillet into a bubbling orange‑cream sauce on a sleek induction cooktop.
  • Stir in tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, and spices, then simmer to thicken.
    A smooth, uniformly blended orange sauce bubbling gently in a white saucepan atop a modern cooktop.
  • Add the marinated chicken with its juices and simmer until fully cooked.
    Plated butter chicken in a bowl with creamy orange curry, tender chicken
  • Stir in butter and cream, then top with fresh cilantro before serving.
    Cubed chicken pieces marinating on a black baking sheet, each piece coated in yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, ginger, and garam masala.

Notes

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Nutrition

Serving: 250g | Calories: 450kcal (23%) | Carbohydrates: 10g (3%) | Protein: 25g (50%) | Fat: 35g (54%) | Saturated Fat: 18g (113%) | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 120mg (40%) | Sodium: 600mg (26%) | Potassium: 400mg (11%) | Fiber: 2g (8%) | Sugar: 6g (7%) | Vitamin A: 800IU (16%) | Vitamin C: 8mg (10%) | Calcium: 60mg (6%) | Iron: 2mg (11%)
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