Butter Chicken

This restaurant quality Butter Chicken will blow your mind! Never have you been able to replicate this favorite classic dish so accurately before. With a few secret ingredients and simple step-by-step instructions, your family will be begging to have this recipe added to the weekly rotation.

As I’m sure you’re painfully aware, there are many variations of butter chicken. Hunting for a version that will replicate the restaurant flavor you’re craving can be a challenge. I’ve tried to make it many times, and many times I didn’t quite get the flavor I was looking for. Until now!

Butter chicken must be cooked with tons of butter, right? Think again! Contrary to its title, there’s not much butter in it after all. Some chefs will even nix the ingredient all together. There are a few ideas of where the name butter chicken came from and the most popular seems to stem from the silkiness of the sauce, comparable to butter.

Ingredients

Keep scrolling down to the recipe card for a list of FULL ingredient amounts and instructions or click the “Jump to Recipe” button at the top of the page!

• Aroma – Fresh ginger and garlic. You can use canned if you’d like but fresh is always best.
• Chicken – I used breast, but dark meat will work here as well.
• Spices – Ground coriander, chili powder, garam masala, and cumin seeds.
• Salt – Season to taste.
• Oil – I used vegetable oil. Since we’re sautéing, other types of oil that will work are olive, grapeseed, sunflower, safflower, canola, or avocado.
• Onion – Any type you like.
• Water
• Cashews – This will help you get a beautiful, creamy sauce. Use unsalted if possible.
• Chili – I used a jalapeño. Use any type of pepper you can handle for heat, or none at all.
• Tomatoes – I used 3 medium-sized tomatoes, about, 2 cups.
• Butter – I always use unsalted to have full control over the sodium.
• Ketchup – A secret ingredient for many Indian restaurants! Just a bit will help with color, extra tomato flavor, and a bit of sweetness.
• Sugar – Use more or less to taste.
• Half & half – Half milk and half cream, 10%MF. You can use heavy cream instead.
• Parsley – Freshly chopped for garnish.
• Red Food coloring – Completely optional. This is how restaurants get that nice red color for the sauce. Completely optional but realize you won’t get that red color otherwise, the tomatoes alone won’t create that rich red color.

How to make butter chicken

1. Season chicken: Add half the garlic and ginger to the chicken, 1 tbsp of the coriander powder, 1/2 tbsp chili powder and salt. Mix everything until all the chicken is fully coated.
2. Cook chicken: Heat up the oil in a large skillet to which you will add the prepared chicken. Cook the chicken for about 5 minutes then remove it from the skillet.
3. Start sauce: In the same skillet add the cumin seeds, onion and remaining garlic and ginger and saute for a couple minutes, until the onion is transparent. Add a couple cups of water to the skillet and stir. Add the cashew nuts, the remaining coriander powder, remaining red chili powder, jalapeno, the tomatoes and stir well.
4. Blend: Let the sauce cook slowly over medium low heat, covered for about 20 minutes. Let the sauce cool for about 5 minutes before pouring it in a blender and blend it until it’s nice and smooth. Pour the sauce back in the skillet. Add another cup of water, the butter and stir. Stir in the ketchup and sugar as well. Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt as needed.
5. Finish: Stir in the cream, the chicken and garam masala. Cook the sauce with the chicken for another 10 minutes.
6. Serve: Garnish with fresh parsley and serve over rice.

Can I use other types of meat?

I’m picturing this gorgeous, creamy sauce, and thinking of all the possibilities is has to offer. It’s a flavor that will work beautifully with whatever you have on hand! Give these a try:

• Turkey
• Pork
• Lean ground meats
• Well marbled steak, cubed. No stewing beef.

You can also go the vegetarian route:

• Paneer cheese
• Tofu
• Broccoli/ cauliflower
• Squash
• Zucchini

Leftovers

Transfer leftovers to an airtight container and store in the fridge for 3-4 days.

It’ll be easiest to reheat in the microwave, giving the sauce a stir evert 30 seconds or so. You can also reheat on the stovetop. Add the butter chicken to a skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until completely heated through.

Freezing

This recipe will last 4-6 months frozen. Let the butter chicken completely cool down to room temperature before transferring to an airtight container and freezing.

Let the butter chicken thaw overnight in the fridge before following the reheating instructions detailed above. While you can reheat straight from the freezer, it will be much easier to work with if it’s thawed first.

Love this recipe? Try these:

• Instant Pot Butter Chicken
• Butter Chicken Meatballs
• Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala
• Tandoori Chicken
• Vegetable Biryani
• Skillet Chicken Satay
• Moroccan Chicken Couscous
• Oven Roasted Chicken Shawarma

Originally Shared November 2011. Updated with new pictures and process shots.

Recipe adapted from vahrehvah.com.