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This easy butter chicken recipe is made in one pan and is a simple, approachable version of the restaurant favorite! The chicken is extra tender thanks to the spiced yogurt marinade and the creamy tomato curry sauce is so good you’ll want to eat it with a spoon! If you’re new to Indian-inspired cooking, this recipe is a great place to start. It’s rich, comforting, and surprisingly easy to make at home.
If you love the rich creamy tomato sauce in this Indian butter chicken, then you have to try my chicken paprikash recipe!
If you’re like me and love the bold, rich, spiced flavors of Indian food, but have been intimidated to try making it at home, I’ve got the perfect easy recipe for you! This butter chicken recipe is an easy and approachable take on the classic recipe, and it includes a couple healthier options if you’re looking for ways to lighten it up.
I decided to make my own version of Indian butter chicken after ordering it at a restaurant and wanting to create a homemade version. I was mesmerized by the rich, creamy, curry sauce, and wanted to bottle it up and take it home with me.
While this isn’t an authentic recipe it does use many of the same spices and cooking techniques, including marinating the chicken in Greek yogurt. The result is a butter chicken recipe that’s perfect for beginners, doesn’t include an extensive amount of spices, but is still full of flavor!
What Is Butter Chicken?
Butter chicken, also referred to as murgh makhani, originated in northern India. It was a recipe that was stumbled upon by two owners of a restaurant in Delhi, India. They took leftover tandoori chicken and combined it with a tomato gravy that included lots of butter and cream. It’s a similar dish to chicken tikka masala.
Ingredients For Easy Butter Chicken
Chicken – Boneless skinless chicken breasts are perfect for butter chicken because they easily absorb all of the marinade flavors giving the chicken incredible flavor. You can also use chicken thighs, which are traditionally used.
Greek yogurt – Greek yogurt is the key ingredient in the chicken marinade. Yogurt marinade breaks down the proteins in the chicken and makes it tender and juicy. You can also use regular yogurt or even dairy-free yogurt, but make sure to use full-fat yogurt to give the chicken the best creamy and tangy flavor. I also use Greek yogurt as a marinade for the chicken in these chicken gyro bowls.
Fresh garlic and ginger – Key aromatics! They add a bold, fresh, fragrant flavors to the butter chicken.
Garam masala, cumin, turmeric, coriander, smoked paprika, and cayenne – The flavorful spice blend. It has earthy, warm, smoky flavors with a hint of spicy from the cayenne.
Butter – You can use salted butter or unsalted butter. The butter gives the sauce a rich, luxurious bite. Olive oil can replace butter for a dairy-free option.
Yellow onion – I like to use yellow onion, but sweet onion will work too. Be sure to let the onion get soft and caramelized during the cooking for the best flavor.
Tomato sauce or tomato paste – Tomato sauce will give the sauce a thinner consistency. Tomato paste will yield a thicker sauce and have a slightly richer tomato flavor. I’ve used both successfully.
Half and half or heavy cream – Butter chicken traditionally uses heavy cream or full-fat coconut milk. If you want to make it healthier use half and half.
Tips and Tricks for Making Butter Chicken
- Be sure to allow at least an hour of marinating time before starting this recipe. 4-8 hours will yield the best flavor and tenderness. Marinating chicken too long can make it mushy.
- Remove the marinated chicken from the fridge 15-30 minutes prior to cooking so it isn’t going into the pan ice cold. This will promote a better sear and more even cooking.
- Simmer the tomato sauce slowly over medium-low heat to remove the acidic flavor of the tomatoes and give it a deeper, richer flavor. You’ll know the sauce is ready by fragrant aroma and it should be reduced slightly so that it can coat the back of a spoon.
- Add the half and half or heavy cream in after the tomato sauce has reduced. Half and half and heavy cream run the risk of curdling or separating if added to a sauce that’s still boiling. I also suggest that they be at room temperature so they don’t seize in the hot sauce.
- Once the half and half or cream is added to the sauce, simmer it gently over low heat for the smoothest and creamiest consistency.
- If you choose to stir Greek yogurt in at the end, do it off the heat to prevent it from getting grainy. Only full-fat Greek yogurt should be used.
Storage and Reheating
Storage – Butter chicken will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. You can also freeze the leftovers for up to 3 months. If you do this, don’t use the Greek yogurt in the sauce or it may separate once it’s defrosted.
Reheating – Warm the chicken in a skillet on the stove over low heat so the sauce doesn’t separate. You can also reheat the leftover in the microwave until warm.
Frequently Asked Questions
Butter chicken is best served over rice. Basmati rice is traditional with Indian food, but jasmine rice is delicious too. I also serve it on top of my cilantro lime rice, but omit the lime. A warm piece of naan is another great option.
No. Full-fat Greek yogurt is best because of the fat in it. It tenderizes the chicken better, browns easier during cooking, and absorbs the flavors of the spices better. If you choose to add it to the sauce at the end it’s far less likely to separate compared to low-fat or non-fat yogurt.
I don’t recommend using milk because the sauce will be runny and likely separate.
Easy Butter Chicken
Ingredients
Chicken Marinade
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt, low fat or full fat are best
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice or water
- 2 cloves garlic, grated (1 teaspoon)
- 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
- 2 teaspoons garam masala
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
- Salt and pepper to taste, I used about 3/4 – 1 teaspoon of salt
Tomato Sauce
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup diced yellow onion
- 1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 8 ounce can tomato sauce
- 1 cup half and half or cream, room temperature
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt, room temperature, low fat or full fat are best
Instructions
- In a large bowl whisk together all of the ingredients for the marinade and then add in the diced chicken. Stir everything together until the chicken is thoroughly coated in the yogurt marinade. Let the chicken marinate for 30-60 minutes.
- Heat a tablespoon of olive oil (or additional butter) in a large skillet. Add in the chicken leaving the excess marinade sticking to it. Sauté until it's cooked through and then remove it from the skillet and onto a plate.
- Over medium heat, add the butter to the skillet. When the butter is melted add in the diced onion, garam masala, turmeric, cumin, salt and pepper. Sauté until the onion is tender, about 3 minutes, and then pour in the tomato sauce. Lower the heat and let the sauce simmer for 5-10 minutes so that it thicken slightly.
- Slowly pour in the half and half or cream stirring the sauce as you pour. If using half and half be sure the sauce isn't boiling or you'll run the risk of it splitting.
- Add the chicken back into the skillet and remove it from the heat. Off the heat, add in the Greek yogurt. Stir everything together until the chicken is coated and you can't see any white streaks from the yogurt. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve over white or brown rice.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Why is Greek Yogurt Good for Marinating Chicken?
Greek yogurt and yogurt in general, contain both calcium and lactic acid. Together they are able to break down the proteins in chicken and meat leaving you with a tender and moist result.
The lactic acid in Greek yogurt makes this type of marinade more gentle compared to acid based marinades. Marinades with an acid base such as citrus or vinegar can leave meat either tough or mushy if not used properly.
If you are using Greek yogurt for a marinade versus regular yogurt, you’ll want to thin it slightly with water, some sort of fresh citrus juice such as lemon, or a little olive oil. This will allow the yogurt to properly coat and absorb into the chicken. Since regular yogurt is thinner, you wouldn’t need to do this step.
When using Greek yogurt as a marinade, you’ll want to use a 1/2 cup per pound of meat. Full fat or 2% are best, avoid using non-fat. My personal preference is to use full fat. You can add as many spices or fresh herbs as you’d like to the yogurt marinade to give it plenty of flavor.
Thank you for the recipe! I just made the marinade and put the chicken in; Is it ok to marinate the chicken in the spiced yogurt overnight? I would love to make this a make ahead meal and prep everything tonight for tomorrow’s dinner? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Yes. You can marinate the chicken in the yogurt for up to 24 hours. I don’t recommend anything longer than that.
The recipe is excellent! I did some Central American/Indian fusion by serving it on lime cilantro rice. It was delicious.
Do you think this would go well with cilantro lime rice?
Absolutely!
I have no words about what it really tasted like it was such a yummy and delicious recipe that I have tried until now. I could not believe that it was really made by me and all this credit goes to you. Thank you so much for putting up this post.