Why settle for bland Butter Chicken when you can have rich, creamy perfection? My recipe delivers tender chicken thighs in a velvety sauce that’s spiced just right. Serve it with rice or Naan for a meal that’s sure to wow everyone at your table.
Indian Butter Chicken Recipe (Chicken makhani)
Our Indian Butter Chicken takes only 5 minutes to prepare and rivals my favorite local Indian restaurant menu item, murgh makhani, with similar tastes and textures as my Slow Cooker Butter Chicken.
Tender pieces of boneless chicken are coated and cooked in a buttery spice mixture then simmered in a comforting combination of heavy cream and tomato sauce to create a thick and savory butter chicken sauce.
If this is your first time making Indian food, you will love how easy it is to make in the comfort of your own kitchen; you may like making butter chicken at home even better than take out because you can adjust the spice level and thickness of your creamy curry-like sauce.
What is Butter Chicken?
Butter Chicken, or murgh makhani which means chicken with butter, is a delicious, Indian-inspired dish made with chunks of chicken smothered in a creamy sauce. Butter chicken is generally sweeter and milder in spiciness than the classic chicken curry dish, while tikka masala tends to be tangier and spicier.
Indian butter chicken recipes come in many shapes and forms; some use whole milk to create its creaminess, but I’ve opted to use a combination of heavy cream and butter because I think it tastes better.
Ingredients Notes
- Salted butter: You can substitute unsalted butter and a few pinches of salt instead.
- White onion: If desired, you can use red or yellow onions or several shallots instead.
- Minced garlic: You can use fresh garlic or jarred minced garlic for this recipe. You want to use about 6-8 cloves of garlic for this recipe.
- Cumin & Allspice: Substitute garam masala for the cumin and allspice if desired.
- Ground coriander
- Ground ginger: Substitute several Tablespoons of freshly grated ginger instead.
- Turmeric
- Sea salt
- Boneless, skinless chicken thighs (cut to bite-size pieces): Boneless skinless chicken breast can be substituted for the boneless skinless thighs, but it is much easier to overcook chicken breast and dry it out so be sure to check the cooking time.
- Tomato sauce
- Heavy cream
- Chopped fresh cilantro
In my opinion, full fat equals full flavor! For the best results, use butter instead of margarine and full-fat heavy cream.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Indian Butter Chicken
- Sauté The Spices: Sauté the onion in melted butter for 3-5 minutes until softened and translucent. Stir in the minced garlic and sauté until fragrant. Sprinkle in the cumin, coriander, ginger, allspice, turmeric, and sea salt and stir to combine. Cook just until the spices are fragrant.
- Cook The Chicken: Add the chicken and stir to coat with the spice mixture. Cook until lightly browned on all sides. Add the tomato sauce, stir, cover, and simmer until the chicken reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Cook In The Cream Sauce: Stir in the heavy cream and cook until the sauce is hot, thick and creamy. Mix in the remaining butter until melted and combined.
- Serve: Garnish with chopped cilantro (optional) and serve with rice and naan bread, optional. Enjoy your homemade Indian Butter Chicken!
Vegan Version
You can make this dish vegan by replacing the chicken with cauliflower and a can of chickpeas. Use coconut milk, vegan butter, and a plain coconut-milk-based yogurt if you want to thicken the sauce.
How To Thicken Your Butter Chicken Sauce
If you want to thicken your Butter Chicken sauce, there are a few simple ways to do so:
- Simmer: You can simmer the sauce for a longer period of time until it reduces and thickens. I recommend doing this before adding the heavy cream so that it doesn’t curdle and be sure to do so on the lowest heat possible so that the chicken doesn’t overcook. Keep an eye on it and stir often to prevent burning.
- Add a Thickening Agent: One of the easiest and most foolproof ways of thickening your sauce is with a thickening agent, such as cornstarch or flour. To do this, mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch or flour with 1 tablespoon of water to create a slurry. Then, whisk the slurry into the sauce and simmer until it thickens. Cornstarch only needs about 1 minute to thicken and can lose its thickness if overcooked. Flour will need 3-5 minutes to fully cook and thicken.
- Use Yogurt: You can also use yogurt to thicken the sauce. After adding the tomato sauce, whisk in 1/2 cup of plain yogurt instead of the heavy cream, until it’s fully incorporated into the sauce. Then, continue to simmer the sauce until it thickens. Be very careful not to overheat the sauce if you add yogurt as it can easily split and give your sauce a curdled look.
Just keep in mind that adding a thickening agent or yogurt may alter the flavor and texture of the sauce, so adjust the other seasonings as needed.
Proper Storage
- To Store: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- To Freeze: You can freeze your butter chicken in a freezer safe container for up to 2-3 months.
- To Reheat: To reheat, simply thaw it overnight in the refrigerator and reheat it in a saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally until it’s heated through. You can also reheat in the microwave, in short increments and stirring often.
More DElicious Dinner Recipes
Indian Butter Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons salted butter divided
- 1 medium white onion chopped
- 1½ tablespoons minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons cumin
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons allspice
- 1½ teaspoons turmeric
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1.5-2 pound package boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into 1 inch pieces
- 15 ounces can tomato sauce
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- Chopped fresh cilantro optional garnish
- Steamed basmati rice optional side
- Naan bread optional side
Instructions
- In a large saucepan or pot, melt 3 tablespoons of butter over medium heat.4 tablespoons salted butter
- Add the onion and sauté for 3-5 minutes until softened and translucent.1 medium white onion
- Stir in the minced garlic and sauté for another minute or until fragrant.1½ tablespoons minced garlic
- Sprinkle in the cumin, ground coriander, ground ginger, allspice, turmeric and sea salt and stir to combine.2 tablespoons cumin, 1 tablespoon ground coriander, 2 teaspoons ground ginger, 2 teaspoons allspice, 1½ teaspoons turmeric, 1 teaspoon sea salt
- Cook for another 30 seconds to a minute, just until the spices are fragrant.
- Add in the diced chicken and stir to coat with the spice mixture. Cook for 2-4 minutes or until the chicken is lightly browned on all sides.1.5-2 pound package boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- Add the tomato sauce, stir well and bring everything to a simmer.15 ounces can tomato sauce
- Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 8-12 minutes or until the chicken reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit internally.
- Once the chicken is just cooked, stir in the heavy cream and cook on low for another 5-7 minutes or until the sauce is hot, thick and creamy.¾ cup heavy cream
- Stir in the remaining 1 Tablespoon of butter until melted and combined.4 tablespoons salted butter
- Garnish with chopped cilantro, optional and serve with steamed basmati rice and naan bread, optional. Enjoy your homemade Indian Butter Chicken!Chopped fresh cilantro, Steamed basmati rice, Naan bread
Jenn’s Notes
- To Store: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- To Freeze: You can freeze your butter chicken in a freezer safe container for up to 2-3 months.
- To Reheat: To reheat, simply thaw it overnight in the refrigerator and reheat it in a saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally until it’s heated through. You can also reheat in the microwave, in short increments and stirring often.
- Keep in mind that adding a thickening agent or yogurt may alter the flavor and texture of the sauce, so adjust the other seasonings as needed.
- In my opinion, full fat equals full flavor! Use butter instead of margarine and full-fat heavy cream for the best results.
- If you want to thicken your Indian Butter Chicken, there are a few simple options to do so:
- Simmer: You can simmer the sauce for a longer period of time until it reduces and thickens. I recommend doing this before adding the heavy cream so that it doesn’t curdle and be sure to do so on the lowest heat possible so that the chicken doesn’t overcook. Keep an eye on it and stir often to prevent burning.
- Add a thickening agent: One of the easiest and most foolproof ways of thickening your sauce is with a thickening agent such as cornstarch or flour. To do this, mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch or flour with 1 tablespoon of water to create a slurry. Then, whisk the slurry into the sauce and simmer until it thickens. Cornstarch only needs about 1 minute to thicken and can lose its thickness if overcooked. Flour will need 3-5 minutes to fully cook and thicken.
- Use yogurt: You can also use yogurt to thicken the sauce. After adding the tomato sauce, whisk in 1/2 cup of plain yogurt instead of the heavy cream, until it’s fully incorporated into the sauce. Then, continue to simmer the sauce until it thickens. Be very careful not to overheat the sauce if you add yogurt as it can easily split and give your sauce a curdled look.
- Just keep in mind that adding a thickening agent or yogurt may alter the flavor and texture of the sauce, so adjust the other seasonings as needed.
This recipe is wonderful and easy to follow! It tastes authentic and flavorful!