Butter Chicken
Velvet-smooth tomato gravy, butter, cream, and tandoor-charred chicken — the dish that put Indian food on the global map. Originally invented in 1950s Delhi to use up leftover tandoori chicken, butter chicken (Murgh Makhani) balances tangy tomato with mellow dairy in a way nothing else quite does.
Prep Time
16 min
Cook Time
26 min
Servings
2
Calories
436 cal
🛠 Interactive Recipe Tools — Use them right here on this page
Smart Servings Scaler
- Chicken250 g
- Butter¼ cup
- Cream¼ cup
- Tomato1 medium
- Onion½ medium
- Ginger½ tsp
- Garlic1 ½ cloves
- Garam Masala½
- Salt½ tsp
All quantities scaled automatically from 2 servings.
Ingredients
Makes 2 servings · Use the Servings Scaler above to adjust
- Chicken250 g
- Butter0.25 cup
- Cream0.25 cup
- Tomato1 medium
- Onion0.5 medium
- Ginger0.5 tsp
- Garlic1.5 cloves
- Garam Masala0.5
- Salt0.5 tsp
Instructions
- 1
Marinate chicken in yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, garam masala, paprika, salt, and lemon juice for at least 1 hour. Overnight transforms it.
- 2
Char the chicken: pan-sear on high heat (or broil 4 min per side) until edges blacken and the inside is just done. Set aside. Those char marks are non-negotiable for authentic flavor.
- 3
For the gravy: melt butter, sauté finely chopped onion until soft. Add ginger-garlic paste and cook 30 seconds.
- 4
Add tomato puree (or blended canned tomatoes), kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves), turmeric, garam masala. Simmer 15 minutes until oil separates from the sauce. This is when it stops tasting raw.
- 5
Blend the gravy smooth with an immersion blender (or transfer to a regular blender). Return to pot. Add cream, a pinch of sugar, and the charred chicken. Simmer 5 minutes.
- 6
Finish with a generous knob of cold butter swirled in just before serving, plus crushed kasuri methi on top. Serve with naan or basmati rice.
Watch how to make Butter Chicken
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💡 Expert Tips
- 1.Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) is the secret ingredient most home cooks skip. Crush it between your palms before adding — releases the perfume. Indian grocery stores stock it cheaply.
- 2.The sugar isn't optional — tomatoes need it to balance acidity. Without it, the sauce tastes thin. Use ½-1 tsp per cup of tomato puree.
- 3.Char the chicken hot and fast. If you cook it gently, you lose the smoky flavor that distinguishes butter chicken from a regular curry.
- 4.Use real butter (Indian Amul brand if you can find it). Margarine ruins this dish. The cream should be heavy/whipping cream, not half-and-half.
🔬 Why It Works
Butter chicken is a study in fat-as-flavor. The cream and butter mellow the tomato's acidity and carry the spice compounds (garam masala, paprika) onto your palate. The blended sauce creates that silk-smooth signature texture — chunky onions in butter chicken is wrong. The yogurt marinade does double duty: lactic acid tenderizes the chicken's muscle fibers, and the calcium ions help proteins hold moisture during the high-heat sear. Kasuri methi adds the maple-like aroma that's the dish's olfactory fingerprint.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between butter chicken and tikka masala?▾
Can I make this without cream?▾
Why does restaurant butter chicken taste different?▾
How long does butter chicken keep?▾
4.9
687 home cooks rated this
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (recipe makes 2 servings)
* Percent Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Values are estimates.
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (recipe makes 2 servings)
* Percent Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Values are estimates.
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