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Recipe Details

Butter Chicken

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Marinating time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 569kcal
Cost: Moderate
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: butter chicken, chicken curry, Indian dish, mild curry

Ingredients

Chicken and Marinade:

  • 700 g 25 oz chicken breast (about 4 large breasts, diced)
  • 80 ml ⅓ cup natural yogurt (for marinating)
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice freshly squeezed
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala spice blend
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander ground spice
  • 1 teaspoon paprika mild
  • 1 teaspoon mild chili powder or to taste

For the Sauce:

  • 1 large onion peeled and roughly chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic peeled
  • 2 teaspoon minced ginger or fresh ginger
  • 3 tablespoon butter unsalted
  • 1 tablespoon sunflower oil for cooking
  • ¼ teaspoon salt to taste
  • 1 ½ tablespoon garam masala spice blend
  • 1 tablespoon curry powder mild or medium
  • 1 teaspoon paprika mild
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon ground
  • 120 ml ½ cup chicken stock (or water with a stock cube)
  • 400 ml 14 oz passata (tomato purée)
  • 2 tablespoon tomato purée for richer flavor
  • 2 teaspoon sugar to balance the acidity
  • 6 cardamom pods tied in string for easy removal
  • 175 ml ¾ cup double (heavy) cream (for creaminess)
  • Handful of chopped coriander for garnish

Directions

  • Place the chicken in a bowl with the marinade ingredients, stirring until well combined. Cover and leave to marinate for 1 hour (or overnight for deeper flavor).
  • In a food processor, blend the onion, garlic, and ginger until smooth.
  • Heat the butter and oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat.
  • Add the onion, garlic, and ginger mixture to the pan. Cook for 5–6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion begins to brown at the edges.
  • Add the marinated chicken to the pan and cook for 3–4 minutes until browned.
  • Sprinkle in the salt, garam masala, curry powder, paprika, and cinnamon. Stir well and cook for 1–2 minutes until the spices release their fragrance.
  • Pour in the chicken stock, passata, tomato purée, sugar, and cardamom pods. Stir everything together and bring to a boil. Simmer for 15 minutes.
  • Remove the cardamom pods and stir in the heavy cream. Allow the sauce to heat through.
  • Serve the butter chicken over rice, garnished with freshly chopped coriander.

Notes

This delicious butter chicken is perfect for a cozy dinner. Serve it with fluffy rice and enjoy the rich flavors. You can make it ahead or freeze it for later.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 569kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 42g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 197mg | Sodium: 731mg | Potassium: 615mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 1200IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 110mg | Iron: 3mg