Make the BEST Butter Chicken at home with this authentic Indian recipe. This Murgh Makhani is flavor-packed, creamy, delicious, and tastes better than your favorite Indian restaurant version. You only need a bowl of Basmati rice or some Tandoori roti or Naans to mop up the luxurious sauce.

Marinate chicken to make an Indian classic dish, Butter chicken recipe & grilled chicken (Tandoori chicken), simmered in a creamy tomato gravy/curry. The sauce is super silky, buttery, aromatic, and mildly spicy. This lip-smacking and delicious dish is hugely popular among Indian food lovers worldwide.

About Butter Chicken

Butter Chicken has a smooth, rich, and silky sauce but tikka masala has a texture from the chopped and caramelized onions. The original & authentic Chicken Makhani is made with grilled Tandoori Chicken. Bone-in chicken is marinated overnight with thick Hung curd (strained yogurt), spices, and herbs.

Since we are not equipped with tandoor at home, the marinated chicken has to be either roasted in a pan or in an oven or grilled on open fire (barbeque). For this post, I have done it in a pan. Feel free to grill/bake the chicken in the oven or on open fire.

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You’ll Need:

• 500g boneless chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste (or minced ginger and garlic)
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• Salt to taste
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or ghee
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 tomatoes, pureed
• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup water
• Fresh cilantro leaves for garnish

How To Make Butter Chicken:

Marinate The Chicken

1. In a bowl, combine yogurt, lemon juice, ginger garlic paste, garam masala, cumin, coriander, turmeric powder, and salt.
2. Add chicken pieces to the marinade, and make sure there is no excess moisture on your chicken. Pat them dry with kitchen tissues/paper, then coat them well.
3. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1-2 hours, or preferably overnight for the best flavor. The longer you leave the more tender and juicer the chicken is going to be. You can leave this for a maximum of 48 hours.

Prepare The Sauce/Gravy

1.  If using onion, sauté in 1 tablespoon oil until lightly golden, for 7 minutes. Cool down.
2. To a blender, add tomatoes, sautéed onions, cashews, and water. Blend to a smooth puree.
3. If you want you can also blend the cashews separately with water to a smooth cream.

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Make The Sauce

1. Remove the chicken from the refrigerator, to bring it close to room temperature.
2. Melt butter in a pan and add all the whole spices cinnamon, cloves, and, cardamoms.
3. When they begin to sizzle, stir in the ginger garlic paste and green chilies. Fry on low heat, for a minute or 2, till it turns fragrant but not burnt.
4. Turn off the heat and stir in red chili powder, garam masala, cumin, and coriander powder.
5. Stir in the tomato cashew puree. If it is not smooth, strain it into the pan. Mix well and cover partially. Bring it to a boil on medium-high heat, and reduce the heat to low or medium.
6. Cook until the puree turns thick, keep stirring occasionally. Pour hot water and simmer for 10 mins, until the sauce thickens & traces of fats are visible on top of the sauce. Remove the whole spices and discard at this stage

Grill or Roast Chicken

1. Spread 1 tbsp butter or ghee in a griddle/pan and heat it well. Place the marinated chicken pieces, spacing them a little apart.
2. Fry on a medium heat for 2 mins and turn them. Don’t burn and do not overcook.
3. Cook till the chicken is just cooked and all the marinade dries up It is not necessary to fully cook the chicken at this stage.
4. This way roast the chicken pieces in 2 to 3 batches, depending on the size of your skillet.

Combine Chicken and Sauce

1.  Add chicken to the butter chicken gravy.
2. Pour more hot water (about ½ cup, not in the recipe) if the sauce is too thick.
3. Cover and simmer for about 5 to 7 minutes till it becomes tender Stir in salt, sugar, and kasuri methi.
4. Taste test and optionally add more garam masala & another tablespoon of butter for additional flavor (both are optional).
5. Turn off and stir in the heavy cream.

Serve

Garnish Butter Chicken with chopped coriander leaves and some cream. Serve with rice or tandoori roti.

Nutrition Chart

• Calories: 400-450 kcal
• Protein: 25-30g
• Carbohydrates: 10-15g
• Fat: 25-30g
• Fiber: 2-3g
• Sodium: 600-700mg
  
• Nutrition values can vary based on specific ingredients and portion sizes. Adjustments may be necessary based on personal dietary requirements.

TIPS

• Marination is the key to getting flavorful, tender & succulent pieces of chicken.
• Yogurt in the marinade tenderizes the chicken so do not skip it.
• Makhani recipe never uses onion. However using them helps to
• balance the tang/sour taste of tomatoes, especially if you are using passata or canned tomatoes.
• The rich taste in the gravy comes from the cashews (or almonds) & cream.
• You can make the gravy ahead and refrigerate. Just grill the marinated chicken when needed and heat up the gravy. Then add the grilled chicken.

Serving and Accompaniments

Butter chicken is often served hot, garnished with fresh cilantro leaves and a drizzle of cream. It pairs wonderfully with naan, a traditional Indian flatbread, which is perfect for soaking up the sauce.

Steamed basmati rice also complements the dish well, providing a neutral base that allows the flavors of the chicken and sauce to shine.

Popularity and Adaption

Due to its popularity, butter chicken has seen various adaptations over the years. Some versions are spicier, while others emphasize the creaminess even more.

Vegetarian versions, using paneer (Indian cottage cheese) or vegetables instead of chicken, cater to different dietary preferences.

Flavor Profile

Butter chicken is known for its harmonious balance of spices and creaminess. It typically has a mildly spiced flavor profile compared to some other Indian dishes, making it more accessible to those who prefer milder heat levels. The butter and cream add richness, while the spices add depth and complexity to the dish.

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