Butter chicken was invented in 1950s Delhi when a chef accidentally mixed leftover tandoori chicken with tomato curry.
Butter Chicken
Indulge in a cozy bowl of one-pan butter chicken that’s as simple as it is delicious! With tender chicken simmered in a rich, creamy sauce infused with aromatic spices and a splash of tangy tomato, this dish promises a flavor explosion without the hassle of multiple pots. Perfect for a weeknight dinner, it’s comfort food at its finest with minimal cleanup!
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(4)
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tsp fresh ginger paste (10 ml)
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1 large or 2 small yellow onions, finely diced
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- 2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, cubed (907 g)
🥛Dairy & Eggs(3)
- 6 tbsp butter, divided (84 g)
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt (120 ml)
- 1 cup heavy cream, room temp (add more if you like it extra creamy) (240 ml)
🫙Pantry Staples(2)
- 2 tbsp olive oil, divided (30 ml)
- 1 tbsp white sugar (15 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(9)
- 1 tsp black pepper (5 ml)
- 1 tsp cayenne (optional) (5 ml)optional
- 2 tsp cumin (10 ml)
- 1 tbsp garam masala (15 ml)
- 1 tsp ground coriander (5 ml)
- 1 tbsp red chili powder (Kashmiri if you have it) (15 ml)
- 2 tsp red chili powder (Kashmiri if you have) (10 ml)
- 1 tsp salt (5 ml)
- 1 tsp turmeric (5 ml)
📦Other(3)
- 25 cashews (optional, but very good)optional
- 1/4 cup hot water, optional for thinning (60 ml)optional
- 1 1/4 cups passata (tomato sauce) (300 ml)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Add the chicken to a bowl with all the marinade ingredients. Mix well. Let it sit for at least 30 minutes, or ideally overnight.
- 2
Heat 2 tbsp butter + 1 tbsp olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken until golden. Remove and set aside.
- 3
In the same pan, add 2 tbsp butter + 1 tbsp oil over medium heat. Add the onions & cook until soft, about 5 mins. Add the garlic, ginger, and sauce spices. Stir & cook for 1–2 mins.
- 4
Add the passata & cashews if using. Gently simmer for 5 mins. Stir in the cream.
- 5
Using a handheld blender or transferring to a blender, carefully blend the sauce. Optionally add hot water to adjust consistency.
- 6
Add the blended sauce back to the pan along with the reserved chicken. Keep the heat low & simmer for 10–15 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Add the remaining 2 tbsp of butter.
- 7
Finish with a squeeze of lime and lots of cilantro.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Marinate chicken in yogurt-based marinade for minimum 4 hours because yogurt's lactic acid breaks down proteins at pH 4.5, tenderizing meat while calcium helps retain moisture during cooking.timing4+ hours at pH 4.5
- ✓Sear chicken at 400-425°F surface temperature using butter-oil combination because butter provides flavor while oil raises the smoke point from 302°F to 375°F, preventing burning.technique400-425°F surface temp
- ✓Bloom whole spices in fat for 30-60 seconds until fragrant because fat-soluble compounds like eugenol and cinnamaldehyde require lipids to release maximum flavor intensity.technique30-60 seconds
- ✓Add cashews during sauce base cooking because they contribute natural lecithin which acts as an emulsifier, creating silky texture while adding 15-20% more richness than cream alone.ingredient15-20% richness increase
- ✓Finish with cold butter (beurre monté technique) off heat because emulsifying 2-3 tbsp cold butter creates stable fat-in-water emulsion, adding glossy finish and preventing sauce separation.technique2-3 tbsp cold butter
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
Butter chicken was invented in 1950s Delhi when a chef accidentally mixed leftover tandoori chicken with tomato curry.
Butter Chicken
Indulge in a cozy bowl of one-pan butter chicken that’s as simple as it is delicious! With tender chicken simmered in a rich, creamy sauce infused with aromatic spices and a splash of tangy tomato, this dish promises a flavor explosion without the hassle of multiple pots. Perfect for a weeknight dinner, it’s comfort food at its finest with minimal cleanup!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(4)
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tsp fresh ginger paste (10 ml)
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1 large or 2 small yellow onions, finely diced
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- 2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, cubed (907 g)
🥛Dairy & Eggs(3)
- 6 tbsp butter, divided (84 g)
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt (120 ml)
- 1 cup heavy cream, room temp (add more if you like it extra creamy) (240 ml)
🫙Pantry Staples(2)
- 2 tbsp olive oil, divided (30 ml)
- 1 tbsp white sugar (15 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(9)
- 1 tsp black pepper (5 ml)
- 1 tsp cayenne (optional) (5 ml)optional
- 2 tsp cumin (10 ml)
- 1 tbsp garam masala (15 ml)
- 1 tsp ground coriander (5 ml)
- 1 tbsp red chili powder (Kashmiri if you have it) (15 ml)
- 2 tsp red chili powder (Kashmiri if you have) (10 ml)
- 1 tsp salt (5 ml)
- 1 tsp turmeric (5 ml)
📦Other(3)
- 25 cashews (optional, but very good)optional
- 1/4 cup hot water, optional for thinning (60 ml)optional
- 1 1/4 cups passata (tomato sauce) (300 ml)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Add the chicken to a bowl with all the marinade ingredients. Mix well. Let it sit for at least 30 minutes, or ideally overnight.
- 2
Heat 2 tbsp butter + 1 tbsp olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken until golden. Remove and set aside.
- 3
In the same pan, add 2 tbsp butter + 1 tbsp oil over medium heat. Add the onions & cook until soft, about 5 mins. Add the garlic, ginger, and sauce spices. Stir & cook for 1–2 mins.
- 4
Add the passata & cashews if using. Gently simmer for 5 mins. Stir in the cream.
- 5
Using a handheld blender or transferring to a blender, carefully blend the sauce. Optionally add hot water to adjust consistency.
- 6
Add the blended sauce back to the pan along with the reserved chicken. Keep the heat low & simmer for 10–15 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Add the remaining 2 tbsp of butter.
- 7
Finish with a squeeze of lime and lots of cilantro.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Marinate chicken in yogurt-based marinade for minimum 4 hours because yogurt's lactic acid breaks down proteins at pH 4.5, tenderizing meat while calcium helps retain moisture during cooking.timing4+ hours at pH 4.5
- ✓Sear chicken at 400-425°F surface temperature using butter-oil combination because butter provides flavor while oil raises the smoke point from 302°F to 375°F, preventing burning.technique400-425°F surface temp
- ✓Bloom whole spices in fat for 30-60 seconds until fragrant because fat-soluble compounds like eugenol and cinnamaldehyde require lipids to release maximum flavor intensity.technique30-60 seconds
- ✓Add cashews during sauce base cooking because they contribute natural lecithin which acts as an emulsifier, creating silky texture while adding 15-20% more richness than cream alone.ingredient15-20% richness increase
- ✓Finish with cold butter (beurre monté technique) off heat because emulsifying 2-3 tbsp cold butter creates stable fat-in-water emulsion, adding glossy finish and preventing sauce separation.technique2-3 tbsp cold butter