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    You are here: Home » Chicken

    Published: Jun 20, 2018 · Modified: Sep 11, 2021 by Saima · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases · This blog generates income via ads.

    Indian Butter Chicken Recipe

    705 shares
    Jump to Recipe
    Butter chicken in a bowl with salad on the side

    A truly decadent dish, this Indian butter chicken recipe is a magic combo of butter, tomatoes, yogurt, cream and spices. Guaranteed to make you reach out for more! Both stovetop and instant pot recipes included.

    Try this boneless chicken handi and this white chicken karahi too if you like tasty Indian curries. They're very different from butter chicken but every bit as addictive!

    Ah, butter chicken. Who has not heard of butter chicken? It brings to mind a dhaba (a small, rustic eatery) on a long, winding highway in North India: a pit stop for travel weary people digging into strictly no-frills but excellent meals under the shade of a massive, leafy tree. Butter chicken with crisp tandoori rotis happens to be a hot favourite.

    Now, this is not exactly light or everyday fare as you already probably know (butter + cream!) but it’s one that will astonish your taste buds. The tomatoes and cream come together to make a silky smooth gravy that's a little tangy, very creamy and out-of-this-world delicious. In one word: addictive.

    Besides, pure butter and cream are, anyday, better than the trans fats (think store-bought cookies and cakes) we put into our bodies. Remember, this is real, whole food we're cooking, minus any artificial ingredients. So if you’re somewhat of a health freak like me, ignore that little nagging voice in your head and indulge. Just don't make a habit of it;-) Have butter chicken with any Indian bread like naan and a salad. It pairs well with rice too, so go ahead and spoon some of it on a plateful of hot, steaming rice.

    I infintely prefer my homemade butter chicken over the ready-to-eat dinners available in most supermarkets. For one, they've got loads of preservative and colour. The one or two brands that I tried turned out to be extremely spicy and oily. And ultimately, what really got to me was that the gravy had a too-sharp edge which I immediately detested. I love the milder version I make in my own kitchen.

    At least I know exactly what goes into it and I can control the spice and ingredients. In this version, for example, I've not gone overboard with anything. For starters, there is no oil, only butter. The cream is within reason too (3 tablespoons, not the whole tetrapack). The food colour is barely there (a pinch) since the dark red tomato paste does its job pretty well. And yet, the taste is not compromised at all as you will discover when you make it.

    My Indian butter chicken recipe is a true weekend special and worth all the effort in my book!

    How to make butter chicken 

    1. Marinate the chicken.
    2. Bake it in the oven until half done.
    3. Make the sauce on the stovetop or in the instant pot and add the baked chicken.

    Let's have a look at each of these steps.

    Step 1 - Marinate the chicken 

    Whisk together yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, chickpea flour, minced green chillies, Kashmiri chilli powder, coriander powder, garam masala, lime juice, a pinch of orange food colour and salt in a large baking dish. Add the chicken, mix well and cover the dish with cling foil. Keep in the fridge for 3-4 hours.

    Step 2 - Bake the chicken 

    Preheat your oven to 400 F and keep the marinated chicken in the middle rack for 35-40 minutes. The chicken will just start getting browned at 40 minutes.

    Step 3 - Make the sauce and add the chicken

    Stovetop - Heat the butter in a large saucepan and add whole spices. When they sizzle, add the onion puree and ginger garlic paste and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the tomato puree, Kashmiri chilli powder, salt and sugar. Simmer for 15 minutes. Add ½ to 1 cup water if the sauce becomes too thick or starts to stick to the bottom of the saucepan.

    Once the sauce is done, add the baked chicken (liquid, scrapings and all) and cook for another 15 minutes. Finally, add the cream, stir and serve.

    Instant Pot - Switch on your instant pot to sauté and wait for the display to show HOT. Add the butter and whole spices. When the spices sizzle, add the onion puree and ginger-garlic paste. Sauté for 5 minutes. Add the tomato puree, Kashmiri chilli powder, salt and sugar. Simmer for 15 minutes. Add ½ to 1 cup water if the sauce becomes too thick or starts to stick to the bottom of the pot. Cancel sauté.

    Once the sauce is done, add the baked chicken (liquid, scrapings and all) and secure the lid. Make sure the steam release handle is on 'sealing' and press the pressure cooking button. Adjust to high and set the timer to 5 minutes. When the timer beeps, let the chicken rest for 10 minutes, then release pressure by turning the steam release handle to 'venting'. Finally, open the pot, add the cream, stir and serve.

    Other chicken curries you might like 

    Chicken Madras - Hot, vibrant and deeply flavoured with spices.
    Achari chicken - A bold and spicy chicken curry made in Indian pickling spices.
    Palak Chicken - Boneless chicken breast and spinach leaves simmered in an onion-tomato gravy made creamy with cashews.
    Pepper Chicken - An easy, 5-ingredient chicken that takes just 30 minutes on the stovetop.
    Almond Chicken Korma - Tender pieces of chicken in a sumptuous and creamy almond gravy.

    Best side dishes for butter chicken

    Chicken is fantastic with some basic bread or plain rice, but if you want to move away from the same old and do things differently, try some new side dishes to go with it. Here are a few recipes that complement it perfectly:

    • Whole Wheat Naan - Soft, pillowy and healthy naan bread made with whole wheat flour or atta.
    • Cumin Rice - Basmati rice flavored with cumin and other whole spices.
    • Dal Makhani - Buttery, curried lentils and kidney beans.
    • Bombay Potatoes - Crispy and spicy baby potatoes with soft insides.

    These are just a few possibilities. Find a lot more recipes for what to serve with chicken curry in this post: 20+ Best Side Dishes for Chicken Curry. You'll never run out of ideas for interesting sides!

    Indian Butter Chicken

    Easy Indian Butter Chicken Recipe

    Saima Zaidi
    A no-fail Indian butter chicken recipe that is sure to please. The magical combo of butter, tomatoes, yogurt, cream and spices will make you reach out for more!
    5 from 5 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 1 hr 5 mins
    Marination 2 hrs
    Total Time 3 hrs 15 mins
    Course Dinner
    Cuisine Indian
    Servings 6 servings
    Calories 226.7 kcal

    Equipment

    • Oven
    • 6-quart Instant Pot Duo OR a saucepan
    • Baking dish
    • Blender

    Ingredients
     
     

    For the marinade

    • 2 lbs chicken bone-in, cut into 12 pieces
    • 5 tablespoon yogurt lightly beaten
    • 2 tablespoon chickpea flour (besan)
    • 2 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
    • 1 teaspoon garam masala powder
    • ½ jalapeno pepper minced
    • 1 tablespoon coriander powder
    • 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chilli powder
    • 1 key lime squeezed
    • a pinch of orange food colour
    • 1 teaspoon sea salt

    For the sauce

    • 4 tablespoon butter
    • 1 black cardamom
    • 4 cloves
    • 10 peppercorns
    • 2 green cardamom
    • 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chilli powder
    • 2 cups tomato puree
    • 1 medium-sized onion pureed
    • 2 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
    • 1 tablespoon sugar
    • 3 tablespoon fresh cream
    • 1 teaspoon sea salt

    Instructions
     

    Preparation

    • Whisk together the marinade ingredients in a baking dish and add the chicken. Wrap with cling foil and refrigerate for 2 hours.
    • Preheat the oven to 400 Fahrenheit. Place the baking dish in the middle rack and bake for 30 minutes.

    Stovetop Instructions

    • While the chicken is cooking in the oven, prepare the sauce. Melt butter in a saucepan and add whole spices.
    • When the spices start to sizzle, stir in the onion puree and ginger-garlic paste. Sauté for 5 minutes.
    • Add the tomato puree, Kashmiri chilli powder, salt and sugar. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Check once and add half cup water if the tomato gravy is too thick.
    • Add the baked chicken along with any scrapings and liquid from the baking dish. Cook for 15 minutes more.
    • Stir in the cream and serve hot with naan or rice.

    Instant Pot Instructions

    • Switch on your instant pot to sauté and wait for the display to show HOT. Add the butter and whole spices.
    • When the spices sizzle, add the onion puree and ginger-garlic paste. Sauté for 5 minutes. Add the tomato puree, Kashmiri chilli powder, salt and sugar. Simmer for 10 minutes. Keep adding splashes of water if the sauce becomes too thick or starts to stick to the bottom of the pot. After 15 minutes, add 1 cup water and cancel sauté. Deglaze the pot.
    • Add the baked chicken (liquid, scrapings and all) and secure the lid. Make sure the steam release handle is on 'sealing' and press the pressure cooking button. Adjust to 'high' and set the timer to 5 minutes.
    • When the timer beeps, let the chicken rest for 10 minutes, then release pressure by turning the steam release handle to 'venting'. Finally, open the pot, add the cream, stir and serve hot with naan or rice.

    Notes

    1. I am a huge fan of homemade, wholewheat rotis, but butter chicken calls for heavier breads like naan and tandoori roti. The humble roti just won’t do in this case, so go for the naan! Here's a whole wheat naan recipe from the blog.
    2. If you don't have Kashmiri chilli, add any red chilli powder you do have like cayenne. Reduce the quantity though as the former is mild compared to other varieties.
    3. You can add pureed tomatoes instead of the store-bought tomato paste if you so wish. Choose the reddest tomatoes you can find for a pleasing rich-coloured gravy and whiz in a blender. Six medium sized ones will do.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 226.7kcalCarbohydrates: 18.1gProtein: 18.3gFat: 10.2gSaturated Fat: 5.1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 65.8mgSodium: 1308.1mgFiber: 2.9gSugar: 9.4g
    Keyword butter chicken, indian butter chicken, instant pot butter chicken
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
    « Mutton Dopyaza (Instant Pot Mutton Stew)
    Indian Vegetable Spring Rolls Recipe »
    705 shares

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Elaine @ Dishes Delish says

      June 20, 2018 at 6:46 pm

      5 stars
      Okay, I'm convinced! I need to make your delicious recipe! I've never had Indian butter chicken and just looking at your photos makes me want to rectify that!!

      Reply
      • Saima says

        June 20, 2018 at 7:26 pm

        Hey, thanks Elaine! Do tell how it turned out:-)

        Reply
    2. aditi bahl says

      June 21, 2018 at 6:43 am

      Butter chicken is my favourite. And this one looks so perfect. Am surely trying your recipe soon.

      Reply
      • Saima says

        June 21, 2018 at 11:47 am

        Thanks for commenting, Aditi. Do try it:)

        Reply
    3. Renee Gardner says

      June 23, 2018 at 4:32 pm

      I love butter naan!! How much is in a small tin of tomato paste? My favorite brand comes in a tube.

      Reply
      • Saima says

        June 23, 2018 at 4:43 pm

        Butter chicken, you mean! A small tin has approx. 4 heaped tablespoons of paste. You can use the whole tube if it is not a very large one:)

        Reply
    4. Marisa Franca says

      June 24, 2018 at 5:59 am

      5 stars
      I've been reading about butter chicken but really didn't know what it entailed. Your recipe ingredients has my mouth watering. The combination sounds so good. I've got to make this!! I know we'll love it.

      Reply
      • Saima says

        June 24, 2018 at 9:57 am

        Thanks, Marisa. You must try it if you haven't ever tasted butter chicken. You won't be disappointed!

        Reply
    5. prasanna hede says

      June 24, 2018 at 8:07 am

      My family's favorite dish with some steamed rice or naan!Lovely recipe.

      Reply
    6. Kiki Johnson says

      June 24, 2018 at 9:15 am

      5 stars
      My husband loves Butter Chicken and let’s no chance pass to order some at our local takeaway. This recipe looks so straightforward that I am going to propose to him we cook it together this week! Thanks!

      Reply
      • Saima says

        June 24, 2018 at 9:55 am

        Do let me know how it turned out, Kiki!

        Reply
    7. Julie says

      June 24, 2018 at 1:41 pm

      Butter chicken is such perfect cold weather comfort food! Like you said, a little in moderation can fit into anyone's eating plans, and I'd much rather have the real ingredients in this than the prepackaged stuff any day!

      Reply
      • Saima says

        June 24, 2018 at 1:43 pm

        Thanks for your vote of confidence, Julie!

        Reply
    8. Sam | Ahead of Thyme says

      June 24, 2018 at 2:25 pm

      I love butter chicken!! I order it every time I go to an Indian restaurant. Looking forward to trying this!

      Reply
    9. Jessica Knott (swanky recipes) says

      June 24, 2018 at 6:33 pm

      5 stars
      The hubs and I tried out a new Indian restaurant in town and they had the most amazing butter chicken. He's been wanting me to make it at home so I know this he'll love this recipe as a surprise this week!

      Reply
      • Saima says

        June 24, 2018 at 6:44 pm

        Oh, I hope he likes it Jessica! My recipe is a milder version of the restaurant type butter chicken (hence healthier) since I am a little stingy with the butter and cream. But you can adjust those to your liking and make it richer if you so wish.

        Reply
    10. Heather says

      June 25, 2018 at 4:44 am

      5 stars
      This looks amazing!! I love butter chicken and your recipe is perfect! Beautifully spiced and gorgeous pics!

      Reply
    11. Sara Lehman says

      June 25, 2018 at 5:39 am

      It sounds delicious! I love to try new chicken recipes, so this one is on my menu plan for next week I will let you know how it was received by my family soon!

      Reply
      • Saima says

        June 25, 2018 at 8:42 am

        For sure, Sara!

        Reply
    12. Karyl henry says

      June 25, 2018 at 7:54 am

      Oh my goodness this looks so heavenly! I love the vibrant color of the sauce. I’ve had butter chicken in restaurants, but never tried to make it at home. Definitely saving this recipe

      Reply

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    Hi, I'm Saima! I live in Alberta, Canada with my husband and twin boys. Here, you'll find Indian recipes with fresh, natural ingredients and easy, no-fuss cooking techniques. Welcome to my blog!

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