India • Regional Dish • Main Course

Butter Chicken

Butter chicken brings together lightly charred marinated chicken and a silky tomato-butter sauce that feels rich, comforting, and unmistakably North Indian.

Servings4

Prep Time25 min

Cook Time30 min

DifficultyModerate

Print Recipe

Ingredients

US Metric

For the chicken marinade

1 1/2 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into large bite-size pieces

1/2 cup plain full-fat yogurt

1 tbsp plus 1 tsp lemon juice

1 tbsp finely grated ginger

1 tbsp finely grated garlic

1 tbsp garam masala

2 tsp Kashmiri chili powder

1 tsp ground turmeric

1 tsp fine salt

For the sauce

3 tbsp unsalted butter

1 tbsp neutral oil or ghee

1 tbsp finely grated garlic

1 tbsp finely grated ginger

2 tsp ground cumin

2 tsp ground coriander

2 tsp garam masala

2 tsp Kashmiri chili powder

1 1/4 cups tomato passata or smooth tomato purée

1 tbsp tomato paste

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup raw cashews

1/3 cup whipping cream

1 tbsp dried fenugreek leaves, crushed

2 tsp sugar

1 tsp fine salt, plus more to taste

To finish

1 tbsp unsalted butter

2 tsp lemon juice

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

For the chicken marinade

700 g boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into large bite-size pieces

120 g plain full-fat yogurt

20 ml lemon juice

15 g ginger, finely grated

15 g garlic, finely grated

8 g garam masala

5 g Kashmiri chili powder

3 g ground turmeric

6 g fine salt

For the sauce

40 g unsalted butter

15 ml neutral oil or ghee

15 g garlic, finely grated

15 g ginger, finely grated

5 g ground cumin

5 g ground coriander

4 g garam masala

4 g Kashmiri chili powder

300 g tomato passata or smooth tomato purée

20 g tomato paste

120 ml water

25 g raw cashews

80 ml whipping cream

5 g dried fenugreek leaves, crushed

8 g sugar

6 g fine salt, plus more to taste

To finish

15 g unsalted butter

10 ml lemon juice

15 g chopped cilantro

Instructions

In a large bowl, mix the yogurt, lemon juice, ginger, garlic, garam masala, Kashmiri chili powder, turmeric, and salt. Add the chicken and coat well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to overnight.
Heat the oven to 240 C. Line a tray with parchment or lightly oil it. Spread the chicken pieces out in a single layer. Roast for 12 to 15 minutes until nearly cooked through and lightly charred at the edges. Turn on the broiler for the last 2 to 3 minutes if needed for extra color. Set aside.
While the chicken cooks, place the cashews in a small bowl and cover with hot water. Let stand for 10 minutes, then drain.
In a blender, combine the soaked cashews, passata, tomato paste, and water. Blend until very smooth.
In a large deep pan, melt the 40 g butter with the oil or ghee over medium heat. Add the garlic and ginger. Cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the cumin, coriander, garam masala, and Kashmiri chili powder. Stir for 15 to 20 seconds.
Pour in the tomato-cashew mixture carefully. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 10 minutes, stirring often, until the sauce thickens and the raw tomato taste fades.
Lower the heat. Stir in the cream, crushed fenugreek leaves, sugar, and salt. Add the roasted chicken and any resting juices. Simmer gently for 8 to 10 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked and the sauce turns silky.
Stir in the 15 g butter and lemon juice. Taste and adjust salt if needed. Scatter with cilantro and serve hot.

Cultural Context

Butter chicken, or murgh makhani, is closely tied to Delhi restaurant culture and is widely linked to the post-Partition evolution of North Indian restaurant cooking. The best-known origin story traces it to the Moti Mahal restaurant orbit, where cooked tandoori chicken was folded into a buttery tomato sauce so nothing went to waste. The exact origin is still argued over, because food history likes a family feud almost as much as it likes butter. What’s not really debated is the dish’s impact. Butter chicken became one of India’s most recognized restaurant exports, loved for its gentle spice, smoky chicken, and smooth, rich sauce.

Fun Fact

Butter chicken’s origin story is tangled in a real Delhi restaurant dispute. Two family camps have publicly claimed credit for inventing it, which means one of the world’s most famous curries comes with its own culinary custody battle.

Cook’s Tip

Use chicken breast if needed, but thighs stay juicier. If Kashmiri chili powder is unavailable, use mostly sweet paprika with a small pinch of cayenne. Dried fenugreek leaves matter here and give butter chicken its unmistakable restaurant-style finish. For a smoother sauce, strain it before adding the chicken.

Trivia

Butter chicken is often associated with Delhi’s Moti Mahal, where leftover tandoori chicken was reportedly turned into a rich tomato-butter sauce rather than being wasted.

About This Recipe

A fresh serving of global recipes, food stories, quizzes and delicious discoveries.

Butter Chicken

Instructions

Cultural Context

Fun Fact

Cook’s Tip

Trivia

Keep cooking India

Chicken Tikka Masala

Dal Tadka

Samosa