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Butter chicken in a round white dish.
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5 from 2 votes

Butter Chicken Recipe

Try this authentic Butter Chicken recipe. Juicy tender chicken in a flavorful, creamy tomato-based sauce! It can also be made in an instant pot. Serve it with naan or roti to mope up its rich and delicious sauce!
Author: Devy Dar
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Marinate20 minutes
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Indian, Pakistani
Servings: 4 people

Equipment

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric

For the chicken:

  • 1.3 pounds boneless skinless chicken
  • ½ salt or to taste
  • ½ lemon
  • ¾ cup natural yogurt
  • 1 small brown onion chopped
  • 1 clove garlic peeled
  • ½ inch ginger peeled
  • 1 fresh chili
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • ½ teaspoon orange food coloring optional

For the masala sauce:

  • 4 tablespoons tomato paste/ puree
  • 1 cup water
  • 4 ounces salted butter
  • 1 tablespoon grated ginger
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon salt or according to taste
  • ½ teaspoon sugar
  • ½ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro leaves and extra for garnish.
  • 1 fresh green chili finely chopped
  • 2-3 tablespoons of lemon juice. About ½ lemon
  • 1 cup single cream

Instructions

For the chicken:

  • Prepare the chicken. Add the lemon juice and salt to it. Stir well. You can pierce the poultry with a fork or a skewer. This little trick can help the chicken to absorb the flavor later.
  • Put the chopped onion, garlic, garlic, chili, garam masala, and yogurt in a food chopper or food processor. Blitz until everything is blended and you get a smooth mixture.
  • Pour the spice mixture into the chicken. Add food coloring if you use it. Mix well and leave the chicken to marinate for at least 20 minutes.
  • Arrange the chicken pieces on a baking sheet, then bake for 20 minutes in a preheated oven at 400°F/ 200°C or until the chicken is cooked through.

For the masala sauce:

  • Mix the tomato paste and a cup of water in a jug until you get a smooth tomato mixture.
  • Add the ginger,
  • Add the grated ginger, garam masala, ground cumin, salt, sugar, Kashmiri red chili powder, chopped cilantro, chopped chili, lemon juice, and cream. Mix well until all is combined and you get a smooth, creamy consistency.
  • Heat the butter in a large frying pan until it melts.
  • Pour the spicy tomato mixture over the butter and cook at medium heat as you keep stirring. Bring it to a simmer and cook for about 5 minutes.
  • Add the chicken pieces to the sauce. But don’t include the chicken juice from the roasting.
  • Simmer and stir the chicken in the sauce for 3-5 minutes or until the fat slightly separates from the edges.
  • Serve the chicken with sauce spooned over it.

Notes

  • You can use chicken with bones. But bear in mind that the cooking time will be slightly longer.
  • Ensure you don’t overcook the chicken, especially when you use boneless chicken, because it can go hard.
  • You can substitute Kashmiri red chili powder with cayenne pepper. Adjust the chili or cayenne pepper according to your liking.
  • Make your ground cumin by roasting cumin seeds in a frying pan and grinding them in an electric grinder.

Nutrition

Serving: 100grams | Calories: 622kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 46g | Saturated Fat: 27g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 223mg | Sodium: 876mg | Potassium: 1014mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1810IU | Vitamin C: 36mg | Calcium: 174mg | Iron: 2mg

Disclaimer

Nutritional info in this recipe is only estimate using online calculator. You should refer to it as a guide only. Please verify with your own data if you seek an accurate info.