Description
Butter Chicken, also known as Murgh Makhani, is a rich and creamy Indian dish made with marinated grilled chicken pieces simmered in a spiced tomato and butter sauce. It’s a restaurant favorite that’s easy to recreate at home.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1.5 lbs (700g) boneless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into chunks
- 1 cup plain yogurt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- Salt to taste
- 2 tablespoons butter (for cooking chicken)
- 2 tablespoons butter (for sauce)
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons ginger-garlic paste
- 1 can (14 oz) crushed tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- Fresh cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine yogurt, lemon juice, ginger-garlic paste, turmeric, garam masala, cumin, and salt. Add chicken and marinate for at least 1 hour, preferably overnight.
- Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a pan over medium-high heat. Cook marinated chicken until browned and cooked through. Set aside.
- In the same pan, add 2 tablespoons butter. Sauté chopped onion until golden brown.
- Add ginger-garlic paste and cook for 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
- Stir in crushed tomatoes, chili powder, coriander, and sugar. Simmer for 10 minutes until thickened.
- Blend the sauce with an immersion blender or in a regular blender until smooth (optional).
- Return the sauce to the pan, add cream, and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add the cooked chicken and simmer for another 5–10 minutes. Adjust salt and seasoning as needed.
- Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve hot with naan or rice.
Notes
- For smoky flavor, grill or broil the chicken before adding to the sauce.
- You can adjust spice levels by modifying chili powder amount.
- Use cashew paste instead of cream for a richer, nutty flavor.
- Butter chicken freezes well for meal prep.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 580mg
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 14g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 10g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 130mg