Butter chicken was invented in 1950s Delhi when a chef accidentally added tomato soup to leftover tandoori chicken.
Butter Chicken Sauce
Dive into a bowl of rich, velvety butter chicken sauce that’s bursting with aromatic spices and a hint of sweetness! With succulent tomatoes, buttery goodness, and a splash of cream, this sauce elevates any chicken and rice dish to a whole new level of deliciousness. Get ready to indulge in a flavor fiesta that will have everyone coming back for seconds!
Prep
15
min
Cook
40
min
Serves
5
people
Level
intermediate
📝 Ingredients
Serves 5🥬Fresh Produce(6)
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (1.25 ml)
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, chopped (15 ml)
- 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 medium tomato, diced
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- ⅓ cup chicken broth (79.2 ml)Use vegetable broth for vegetarian option
🥛Dairy & Eggs(2)
- ½ cup butter (114 g)
- ¾ cup heavy cream (180 ml)Use almond milk, soy milk, or coconut milk for vegan option
🫙Pantry Staples(1)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste (15 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(5)
- 1 ½ teaspoons garam masala (7.5 ml)
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon (1.25 ml)
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin (7.5 ml)
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground turmeric (7.5 ml)
- ½ teaspoon salt (2.5 ml)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
In a large pot over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent.
- 2
Add the garlic and ginger, cook until the onions start to brown.
- 3
Add the tomato, jalapeño, garam masala, cumin, turmeric, salt, cinnamon, and cayenne. Cook until the jalapeño is soft, about 10 minutes.
- 4
Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat low and simmer uncovered for 15-20 minutes.
- 5
Remove from heat and let the sauce cool for 20 minutes then transfer to a blender and puree until smooth.
- 6
Return the sauce to the saucepan. Stir in the cream and tomato paste. Simmer for another 5 minutes.
- 7
Store the sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or allow the sauce to cool for about 2 hours then transfer it to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Cook the onion-spice base until it darkens to a deep amber color (8-12 minutes) because the Maillard reaction develops complex flavors that prevent the final sauce from tasting raw or one-dimensional.technique8-12 minutes
- ✓Cool the sauce to below 140°F before blending to prevent steam pressure from exploding the blender lid and creating dangerous hot splatter.timingBelow 140°F
- ✓Add cream off-heat or at very low temperature because dairy proteins coagulate above 180°F, causing the sauce to curdle and separate irreversibly.techniqueBelow 180°F
- ✓Bloom whole spices like cinnamon in the butter for 30-60 seconds before adding aromatics because fat-soluble compounds extract better in oil, intensifying flavor by up to 300%.technique30-60 seconds
- ✓Use tomato paste with 28-30% solids content rather than sauce because concentrated paste adds umami depth without excess water that would thin the final consistency.ingredient28-30% solids
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
40
min
Serves
5
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
Butter chicken was invented in 1950s Delhi when a chef accidentally added tomato soup to leftover tandoori chicken.
Butter Chicken Sauce
Dive into a bowl of rich, velvety butter chicken sauce that’s bursting with aromatic spices and a hint of sweetness! With succulent tomatoes, buttery goodness, and a splash of cream, this sauce elevates any chicken and rice dish to a whole new level of deliciousness. Get ready to indulge in a flavor fiesta that will have everyone coming back for seconds!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 5🥬Fresh Produce(6)
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (1.25 ml)
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, chopped (15 ml)
- 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 medium tomato, diced
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- ⅓ cup chicken broth (79.2 ml)Use vegetable broth for vegetarian option
🥛Dairy & Eggs(2)
- ½ cup butter (114 g)
- ¾ cup heavy cream (180 ml)Use almond milk, soy milk, or coconut milk for vegan option
🫙Pantry Staples(1)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste (15 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(5)
- 1 ½ teaspoons garam masala (7.5 ml)
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon (1.25 ml)
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin (7.5 ml)
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground turmeric (7.5 ml)
- ½ teaspoon salt (2.5 ml)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
In a large pot over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent.
- 2
Add the garlic and ginger, cook until the onions start to brown.
- 3
Add the tomato, jalapeño, garam masala, cumin, turmeric, salt, cinnamon, and cayenne. Cook until the jalapeño is soft, about 10 minutes.
- 4
Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat low and simmer uncovered for 15-20 minutes.
- 5
Remove from heat and let the sauce cool for 20 minutes then transfer to a blender and puree until smooth.
- 6
Return the sauce to the saucepan. Stir in the cream and tomato paste. Simmer for another 5 minutes.
- 7
Store the sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or allow the sauce to cool for about 2 hours then transfer it to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Cook the onion-spice base until it darkens to a deep amber color (8-12 minutes) because the Maillard reaction develops complex flavors that prevent the final sauce from tasting raw or one-dimensional.technique8-12 minutes
- ✓Cool the sauce to below 140°F before blending to prevent steam pressure from exploding the blender lid and creating dangerous hot splatter.timingBelow 140°F
- ✓Add cream off-heat or at very low temperature because dairy proteins coagulate above 180°F, causing the sauce to curdle and separate irreversibly.techniqueBelow 180°F
- ✓Bloom whole spices like cinnamon in the butter for 30-60 seconds before adding aromatics because fat-soluble compounds extract better in oil, intensifying flavor by up to 300%.technique30-60 seconds
- ✓Use tomato paste with 28-30% solids content rather than sauce because concentrated paste adds umami depth without excess water that would thin the final consistency.ingredient28-30% solids