BUTTER CHICKEN

Butter Chicken (Murgh Makhani — chicken with butter) is one of the most popular curries around the world! Tender, marinated chicken is cooked in a luxuriously rich and creamy curry sauce. Skip the take-out– this recipe will rival any restaurant and can be made in the comfort of your home.

Butter Chicken

Butter Chicken has always been one of my favorite curries, and I am so excited to finally share my version with you! The chicken is so tender and juicy; it practically melts in your mouth, and the curry sauce is loaded with flavor and just the right amount of spice.

The great thing about Butter Chicken is that it is a much milder curry when compared to other Indian curries, so it’s very family friendly. In fact, my kiddos say this is their favorite curry dish! You can certainly add more spice to this dish, but as written, it is very mild.

I highly recommend using thighs in this recipe. The thighs simmer for a while in the curry sauce which heightens the flavor of everything. This results in ultra-tender chicken. Breast meat will work, but it won’t be near as tender or flavorful and you’ll have to watch the cook time a bit more carefully.

How To Make Homemade Butter Chicken

One of the best things about this recipe is that the ingredients are very easily accessible. No need to go to a specialty store or order anything online; you should be able to find everything at your local grocery store!

Double purpose spice blend: Many Indian curries call out seasonings for the chicken marinade and different ones for the curry/sauce. I’ve combined the two processes so you only have to make one spice blend. Half goes in the marinade and the rest in the sauce.
Marinate chicken: Mix the chicken with half of the spice blend along with a few other ingredients and set in the refrigerator to marinate. If you’re short on time, even 30 minutes of marinating time will yield good results. If you have a little more time, the chicken just continues to get more flavorful and more tender.
Curry sauce: When the chicken is done marinating, we cook it in a skillet along with some onion and the rest of the spice mix. After that, the rest of the ingredients are added to create the curry sauce. Everything is simmered until the chicken is tender and the sauce is thickened. And just like that, homemade Butter Chicken is ready to serve.

Spice Blend In Butter Chicken

If you enjoy Indian food, you likely have all these spices in your cabinet, and if not, they’re very common at just about any grocery store.

Garam masala
Turmeric
Cumin
Paprika
Cayenne pepper: Here’s where you can play a bit with spice; I add in very little (1/8 teaspoon) cayenne, which you can completely omit if you’re very sensitive to spice. Alternatively, you can increase up to a full teaspoon if you’d like some heat in this Butter Chicken.
Salt

To the spice blend we also add fresh minced garlic and minced ginger. I recommend fresh since they add so much flavor to the chicken and the sauce, but in a pinch dried ginger and garlic powder will work.

Butter Chicken FAQs

Why Is Butter Chicken Called Butter Chicken?

While there is butter in this recipe, there isn’t a whole lot, so why is it called Butter Chicken? This dish is prepared in a makhani (butter) gravy that uses butter and cream. Butter is actually not typical to Indian masalas, and using butter to sauté the onion and spices changes the flavor of the curry. So the recipe name calls attention to the departure from typical curries.

What Is The Difference Between Butter Chicken And Chicken Tikka Masala?

While these two curries are similar (and chicken tikka masala is a personal favorite of mine!), they do have a few differences.

Chicken Tikka Masala is typically less creamy than Butter Chicken.
Butter Chicken usually has less of an intense tomato flavor.
Finally, Tikka Masala is traditionally cooked in a tandoor while Butter Chicken is cooked in a pan over a fire.

Is Butter Chicken Actually Indian?

The dish was developed in the 1950s by three restaurateurs: Kundan Lal Jaggi, Kundan Lal Gujral and Thakur Dass, who were the founders of a restaurant– in India. The dish was created by chance when leftover chicken was mixed in a tomato gravy. That tomato gravy was rich with butter and cream.

What To Serve With Butter Chicken

We love Butter Chicken served over basmati rice (or plain cooked white rice).
You can serve pita bread, flatbread, roti (buttery Indian flatbread), or even Naan bread on the side.
Serve with an Indian vegetable stir fry as a side dish — think cauliflower, carrots, etc.
A very common accompaniment to Indian dishes is an easy cucumber and yogurt salad (called Raita); a plain cucumber salad would also make a delicious side dish.

Cooking Basmati Rice

Here’s how I cook the basmati rice:

Measure the rice and rinse it in a fine-mesh sieve until the water runs clear.
Place the rinsed rice in a bowl and cover it with water to soak for about 5-10 minutes.
While the rice is soaking, fill a large pot with water and set to boil.
Once the water is at a rolling boil, drain the rice and add it to the pot.
Cook, without reducing the heat, for 5 minutes (taste and ensure the rice is tender; add another minute if not) and then drain and fluff with a fork.

It might seem like a few extra steps, but I promise it is quick, and the rice is perfect every time.

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Make Ahead

This is a dish that just keeps getting better as it sits, making it great for meal prep or making ahead of time, if you have company coming (stress free!). We like this butter chicken even better on day 2.

Allow the food to cool completely and refrigerate for 2-3 days. Unfortunately, this is not a dish that freezes and thaws well.

More Chicken Recipes

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Chicken Ramen easy 30-minute dinner
Peanut Sauce Chicken with an easy and sweet peanut sauce
Chicken Larb healthy chicken Thai-inspired lettuce wraps
Chicken Gyros with the best easy Tzatziki

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