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Some Butter Chicken trivia/fun fact action before I dive into the recipe, because I found this SO interesting...
Butter Chicken, known as 'murgh makhani' in Urdu/Hindi was created in 1948 in India by a restaurant owner who wanted to prevent their leftover chicken tikkas from drying out and going to waste. His solution? A rich, buttery sauce to stir the chicken tikkas into. Boom, chicken tikkas saved and an attractive addition to his menu was born!
He probably didn't know what he had created would end up becoming one of the most famous Indian dishes in the world. The love for Butter Chicken has made its way across the globe and is now a favourite at many a British, American and European curry take-outs.
It's also adapted a lot...
🙉 The problem with Butter Chicken
Here's the deal.
The Butter Chickens you may have tried at Indian takeout joints and perhaps from recipes online are quite different to traditional South Asian flavour. Butter Chicken has evolved a lot to cater to non-South Asian taste buds.
In other words, it's become sweet, coconutty and sickeningly rich.
I've had a few Butter Chickens and each time I was left confused, underwhelmed and just plain disappointed.
(More like internally screaming 'What in the name of sweet creamy orange fenugreek-y madness is this?!?!?!?!')
I'm really sorry if that's the Butter Chicken you enjoy. This recipe isn't for you if you like the sweet, richer than a tax-evading millionaire, coconutty Butter Chicken.
🍛 This Butter Chicken recipe is...
- the perfect balance of creamy, buttery goodness without becoming overly rich
- made using a simple array of spices which aren't overpowering and allow the butter and cream to shine through
- in no way boring, despite the simple variety of spices!
- made using fresh ingredients that really pack a punch
- doesn't leave you feeling heavy and sick afterwards
This recipe is just such a winner. I am so excited to share it with you all! I've never been a fan of Butter Chicken, but I've now discovered that was only because I hadn't had the right one 😁
🔪 Method
You can watch the YouTube video for this recipe below. Alternatively, you can read the instructions under the video. As always, full ingredients list + instructions are at the bottom of this post.
We start off by marinating some chicken pieces (I prefer thigh) cut into bite-sized pieces with a mixture of yogurt, lemon juice, salt, red chilli powder, turmeric, coriander powder and garam masala. Allow this to marinate for about an hour.
Once the marination time is up, we're going to either grill, bake, pan-fry or air fry the chicken till it's charred on the outside. I chose to air-fry (took me 15 minutes on 200c to get a char), and any other method will take about the same time too. I didn't get a picture of the char but you can take a look at the recipe video to see how it looks! The char is the objective here.
Next up, we work on the sauce.
In a deep pot, add a mixture of oil and butter. Add cumin seeds, chopped onion and garlic to this and sauté it until it's fragrant and just about turning golden around the edges - do NOT brown them! We want to keep the onions as lightly coloured as possible for this recipe.
Add in spices (salt, paprika, coriander powder) and chopped green chilli and give them a toss for a 2-3 minutes.
Add in chopped tomatoes and stir them through. Then add ¾ cups/180ml water, turn the heat to low and put the lid on. Allow this to cook for 5-8 minutes, until the tomatoes just soften.
Once the tomatoes have softened, take the lid off and using an immersion blender, blend the mixture into as smooth a paste as you can get it.
To this, we're going to add double cream. Very gently bring this to a simmer over a medium heat.
Once at a gentle simmer, add the cooked chicken you prepared earlier. Stir it in and allow this to simmer with the sauce covered with a lid over a low heat for 5 minutes.
Stir in dried fenugreek and chopped coriander.
Finally, just before serving, finish off by stirring in some butter. If you're having this later, hold off this till just before serving.
And we're done!
🙋🏼♀️ Tips and helpful information
- Fresh tomatoes > tinned tomatoes for LIFE. When I was developing this recipe, I used a variety of tinned, puree and fresh including combinations of the three. Honestly, nothing beats fresh and I will die on this hill.
- This recipe uses a very minimal number of ingredients and I find this works best. Butter and cream are pretty heavy, rich ingredients and I feel like Butter Chicken becomes uncomfortably heavy and rich with aromatic whole spices.
- I've used mild paprika in the sauce - this is mostly for colour, but it does also add its own flavour but not really a hot one. There's green chilli in the sauce and red chilli powder in the chicken marinade to provide a small bit of heat. If you don't have paprika, you can also use Kashmiri red chilli or deghi mirch.
- This isn't a spicy recipe - I'd give this a 3/10 on the heat barometer. This makes it perfect for kids, or serving at dawats as the 'mild' option. If you'd like some more heat, I'd advise you to add some green chilli into the sauce.
❓ Frequently asked questions
🍽️ What to serve with Butter Chicken
Butter Chicken goes well served alongside Roghni Naan or rice. A zesty salad to cut through the richness works great with this, too.
I can show you how I make perfect basmati rice that would go perfect with this Butter Chicken here!
📋 Recipe
Quick 30 Minute Butter Chicken
Ingredients
For the chicken marination
- 1.1 lb (½ kg) boneless chicken cut into bite sized pieces - I prefer thigh
- 1.5 tablespoon (30 g) Greek or full fat yogurt
- 2 tablespoon (30 ml) lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 0.5 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 0.5 teaspoon garam masala powder
- 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
- ½ teaspoon salt to taste
For the sauce
- ¼ cup (65 ml) neutral oil e.g. sunflower oil, vegetable oil, canola oil
- 2 teaspoon (10 g) butter
- 1 medium (150 g) onion chopped
- 2 tablespoon chopped garlic
- 1.5 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 chopped green chilli
- 0.5 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 2 teaspoon coriander powder
- 4 teaspoon mild paprika powder if yours isn't mild, add 2 initially and adjust as per preference
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt to taste
- 5 small (375 g) tomatoes chopped
- ½ cup (120 ml) double cream heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoon dried fenugreek kasoori methi
- 2 tablespoon chopped coriander
- 2 teaspoon (10 grams) butter, to stir in at the end
Instructions
- (optional but recommended step) Marinate the chicken in all the marinade ingredients for one hour.
- Air fry, bake or grill the chicken pieces until they are charred and cooked through. This will take between 12-15 minutes at 180-200℃. Whilst the chicken is cooking, continue with the next steps.
- In a deep pot or pan, heat the oil and butter.
- Once the butter has melted, add the onions, garlic and cumin seeds. Sauté for a few minutes, until the onions begin to turn brown. We do not want to brown these much - this will take about 8-10 minutes.
- Add the green chilli and all the powdered spices. Sauté for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes and sauté for a minute, then proceed to add 1.25 (300ml) water. Cover, turn the heat down to low and cook for 5-7 minutes, until the tomatoes soften.
- Use a hand blender to blend the sauce until smooth.
- Add the double cream. Over a medium heat, bring the sauce to a very gentle simmer.
- Once at a gentle simmer, add the chicken pieces. Stir, then cover and cook on low for 5 minutes.
- Add and stir in the dried fenugreek and chopped coriander
- Just before serving, add the final 2 teaspoon butter and stir it in.
Notes
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Indy
Hi Fatima. I really love this recipe. But I'm cooking for 10 people today and tripling the recipe. Do I then triple the water to 90ml
Saima
Tastes great! I was scared at first with all the ingredients/ spices as I’m new to cooking but once you have all the spices and ingredients laid out it comes together quick!
Lets do it Pakistan
I still remember the first time I tried Butter Chicken at a tiny Indian takeaway in London — creamy, buttery, and just the right hint of spice. It completely changed how I felt about curry! Since then, it’s become my go-to order, whether I’m in the UK, Europe, or even back home. There’s just something so comforting about that rich tomato sauce and tender chicken… and don’t even get me started on scooping it up with warm naan. Pure heaven!
Ailiya
Made this and my husband told me my cooking has gotten too good 🥺🫶 As a working woman i dont have time to go through alot of recipes and everything i have tried from your page has been so spot on that I just search the recipe on your page and blindly follow through - result is ALWAYS amazing. ♥️
Fatima Cooks
Hi Ailiya! So happy to hear that, thank you for your trust in my recipes! Lots of love x
Unique places in the World
I appreciated the butter chicken trivia you shared! Knowing that **Murgh Makhani** originated from a clever use of leftovers and became a culinary sensation is truly fascinating. It adds such a meaningful context to the recipe and makes preparing it even more enjoyable. Thanks for adding that interesting tidbit—it really enriches the cooking experience!
Jill
My 1st Butter Chicken made for my Pakistani foster teenager. He rated it very good with a 👍.
Thank you Fatima, so easy to follow recipes.
Fatima Cooks
You're very welcome, so happy he enjoyed it!
Odile
I tried this recipe for the first time. Took years before doing so and I don't regret it. It is indeed not a heavy and creamy sauce like we can find in Belgium and the taste is very different from all other curries you can eat in Pakistan. All my guests loooved it and my Pakistani husband as well. It will be a regular from now on! Thanks!
Ro
This came out amazing! Definitely one to try and I will be making this again. Thank you for sharing this sis!
Fatima
Absolutely thrilled to hear!
Tamina
I cooked this yesterday and it was delicious! I like that you can amend the quantity and make a bigger/small batch and Fatima does all the calculations for you! Very easy recipe to follow.madebeasier with this function. Thank you!
Fatima Cooks
Thank you so much for your kind words - so happy you enjoyed the recipe!
Tasnim
I found the recipe really easy to understand and follow. It was enjoyed by all the family and you're right perfect spice level for little ones! Will definitely be making again. May Allah reward you for sharing your recipes.
Ranya
I'm cooking ramadan iftar for some friends but taking the food to their home. What is best way to make this set home and finish it off there?
Amal
I cannot stress how good this recipe is. I literally could not stop licking my plate. The actual best buttter chicken recipe out there!
Ayesha
So delicious. Perfect balance of rich and flavoursome
Niz
Finally a recipe that is not sickly sweet or heavy. Great flavour. Easy to follow and quick to cook up. What more could you ask for?? Just perfect! Looove it.
Fatima
Thank you so much! I’m so happy you enjoyed it! ❤️❤️
Niz
A beautifully balanced and flavoursome butter chicken. Not too heavy not too sweet. Just perfect! Now my go-to recipe!
Hanna
My first time making this and it turned out just perfect! So tasteful, everyone loved it. I love your way of cooking
Hafsa
Super easy to follow and made an absolutely perfect delicious butter chicken… I’ve only had it in restaurants so was convinced it wouldn’t be as good… It was better! I added a tiny drop more cream than the recipe but then I had doubled the recipe anyway and perhaps the restaurant I eat from use a bit more cream so I was looking for that specific flavour.
Sarah
Absolutely delicious. Thank you for this wonderful recipe. I have been searching for a good recipe and I don’t need to look any further. I also love that it is not time consuming.
Hafsa
Super easy to follow and made an absolutely perfect delicious butter chicken... I've only had it in restaurants so was convinced it wouldn't be as good... It was better! I added a tiny drop more cream than the recipe but then I had doubled the recipe anyway and perhaps the restaurant I eat from use a bit more cream so I was looking for that specific flavour.
Fatima
Thank you so much for sharing! I’m so glad you tried the recipe and enjoyed it! ❤️❤️