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A delicious bowl of butter chicken with naan
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Butter Chicken Recipe

Butter Chicken - Tender, succulent, moist chicken breasts swimming in a rich, buttery and flavourful gravy accompanied by basmati rice.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Indian
Keyword butter chicken ingredients, Butter chicken recipe, butter chicken sauce, easy butter chicken recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 4 people
Calories 570.8kcal
Author Chef Lola Osinkolu

Ingredients

Chicken Marinade:

  • 1 ½ lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cut into ¾ inch cubes)
  • ½ cup plain yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon ginger (grated, minced, or paste)
  • 1 ½ tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoon garam masala
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil

Sauce:

  • 2 tablespoon ghee or unsalted butter
  • 1 large onion (chopped)
  • 1 ½ tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1 tablespoon ginger (grated, minced, or paste)
  • 14 oz crushed tomatoes
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 tablespoon coriander leaves
  • salt to taste

Instructions

Instructions:

  • In a large mixing bowl, add yogurt, ginger, minced garlic, cumin, garam masala, turmeric, and chili powder. Season with a pinch of salt. Stir to combine everything.
  • Add the chicken into the yogurt mixture and mix to coat the cubes evenly. Seal the bowl with foil or plastic wrap. Set aside and marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to 2 hours. Better if overnight.
  • In a large pan or pot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Divide the chicken into 2 to 3 batches. Once the oil is hot add a batch of chicken and saute for 4 to 6 minutes. Stir frequently to prevent burning.
  • Set the first batch aside and continue to repeat the process until all batches of chicken are sauteed.
  • In the same pan add 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the ginger and onions and saute for 4 to 6 minutes. Make sure to scrape up any brown bits in the pan.
  • Add the garlic, garam masala, and cumin. Saute for another minute or until fragrant. Stir constantly.
  • Pour the crushed tomatoes into the pan and season with the chili powder and some salt. Simmer for about 15 minutes or until the sauce thickens up and becomes a deep brown-red color.
  • Adjust the sauce’s consistency with a few tablespoons of water if needed. Add the chicken, sugar, and heavy cream to the pan. Stir constantly and cook for another 8 to 10 minutes until the sauce has reached the desired thickness.
  • Sprinkle the coriander leaves and turn the heat off.

Nutrition

Calories: 570.8kcal | Carbohydrates: 21.5g | Protein: 42g | Fat: 35.9g | Saturated Fat: 20.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9.8g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 199.3mg | Sodium: 1606.1mg | Potassium: 1169.9mg | Fiber: 3.7g | Sugar: 12.4g | Vitamin A: 1502.3IU | Vitamin C: 16.7mg | Calcium: 155mg | Iron: 3.3mg