Creamy Butter Chicken
Indulge in this lighter, protein-packed take on the beloved butter chicken that rivals your go-to Indian restaurant! With tender chicken simmered in a luscious yogurt and tomato sauce, and a hint of fragrant spices, you'll savor every bite while keeping it healthy. This creamy delight is perfect for a cozy night in or impressing your friends at dinner!
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(4)
- 2 garlic cloves, sliced
- 2 tsp ginger-garlic paste (10 ml)
- 1 medium onion (100 g), finely diced
- 50 ml water (1.69 fl oz)
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- 600 g chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces (1.32 lbs)
🥛Dairy & Eggs(2)
- 200 ml light cooking cream (6.76 fl oz)
- 30 g unsalted butter (2.1 tbsp)
🫙Pantry Staples(2)
- 1 tsp stevia (5 ml)
- ⅓ cup tomato sauce (ketchup) (79.2 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(12)
- 1½ tsp cracked black pepper (7.5 ml)
- 1 tsp cumin seeds (5 ml)
- 1 Fresh coriander or 1 tsp Fenugreek leaves (if u can find!!)optionalFenugreek leaves
- 1½ tsp garam masala (7.5 ml)
- 1 tsp garam masala (5 ml)
- 1 tsp ground cumin (5 ml)
- ½ tsp ground turmeric (2.5 ml)
- 1½ tsp Kashmiri chilli powder (or paprika) (7.5 ml)
- 1½ tsp paprika (7.5 ml)
- 2 tsp paprika (10 ml)
- 1 tsp salt (5 ml)
- ½ tsp salt (2.5 ml)
📦Other(3)
- 60 g plain Greek yoghurt (2.12 oz)
- 20 g raw cashews (0.71 oz)
- 150 g ripe tomatoes, chopped (5.29 oz)
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
364
Protein
50g
Carbs
48g
Fat
12g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
In a bowl, combine the Greek yoghurt, paprika, black pepper, garam masala, cumin, turmeric, salt and ginger-garlic paste. Add the chicken and mix well until coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- 2
Cook the chicken in batches for 3-4 minutes per side until lightly charred and almost cooked through. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- 3
In the same pan, melt half the butter over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and cook for 20-30 seconds until fragrant. Add the onion and cook for 4-5 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic and chopped tomatoes. Cook for 5-7 minutes until the tomatoes have broken down.
- 4
Add the tomato sauce, cashews, garam masala, paprika, salt and stevia. Stir well and cook for another 2 minutes. Pour in the water, bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes until the cashews are soft and the flavors have developed.
- 5
Allow the sauce to cool slightly before carefully transferring it to a blender. Blend until completely smooth.
- 6
Return the blended sauce to the pan over medium heat with remaining butter. Stir in the Kashmiri chilli powder and simmer for 5 minutes until slightly thickened. Add the light cooking cream, stirring until well combined. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add the fenugreek leaves.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Marinate chicken in yogurt for at least 30 minutes (not longer than 4 hours) because lactic acid denatures surface proteins, creating a tender exterior, while the casein protein in yogurt forms a protective coating that prevents moisture loss during cooking.timing30 minutes minimum; 4 hours maximum
- ✓Cook marinated chicken in batches for 3-4 minutes per side over medium-high heat (375-400°F pan temperature) to achieve Maillard browning without overcooking the interior, since the yogurt coating insulates the meat and extends cooking time by 30-40% compared to unmarinated chicken.technique3-4 minutes per side; 375-400°F
- ✓Bloom cumin seeds in butter for 20-30 seconds before adding aromatics because dry heat releases volatile oils (limonene, cymene) that are fat-soluble, making them 2-3x more bioavailable when dispersed through the butter base before the sauce liquid is added.timing20-30 seconds
- ✓Simmer the cashew-tomato base for 10-15 minutes at 180-190°F (gentle simmer, not boiling) to allow cashew proteins and starches to hydrate and thicken the sauce to 18-22% viscosity without breaking down the fat emulsion from the butter.timing10-15 minutes; 180-190°F
- ✓Cool the sauce to 140-150°F before blending to prevent steam expansion from splattering and to preserve heat-sensitive fat-soluble flavor compounds (capsaicinoids from chili, essential oils) that would oxidize at blending speeds above 8,000 RPM.technique140-150°F before blending
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
Creamy Butter Chicken
Indulge in this lighter, protein-packed take on the beloved butter chicken that rivals your go-to Indian restaurant! With tender chicken simmered in a luscious yogurt and tomato sauce, and a hint of fragrant spices, you'll savor every bite while keeping it healthy. This creamy delight is perfect for a cozy night in or impressing your friends at dinner!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(4)
- 2 garlic cloves, sliced
- 2 tsp ginger-garlic paste (10 ml)
- 1 medium onion (100 g), finely diced
- 50 ml water (1.69 fl oz)
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- 600 g chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces (1.32 lbs)
🥛Dairy & Eggs(2)
- 200 ml light cooking cream (6.76 fl oz)
- 30 g unsalted butter (2.1 tbsp)
🫙Pantry Staples(2)
- 1 tsp stevia (5 ml)
- ⅓ cup tomato sauce (ketchup) (79.2 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(12)
- 1½ tsp cracked black pepper (7.5 ml)
- 1 tsp cumin seeds (5 ml)
- 1 Fresh coriander or 1 tsp Fenugreek leaves (if u can find!!)optionalFenugreek leaves
- 1½ tsp garam masala (7.5 ml)
- 1 tsp garam masala (5 ml)
- 1 tsp ground cumin (5 ml)
- ½ tsp ground turmeric (2.5 ml)
- 1½ tsp Kashmiri chilli powder (or paprika) (7.5 ml)
- 1½ tsp paprika (7.5 ml)
- 2 tsp paprika (10 ml)
- 1 tsp salt (5 ml)
- ½ tsp salt (2.5 ml)
📦Other(3)
- 60 g plain Greek yoghurt (2.12 oz)
- 20 g raw cashews (0.71 oz)
- 150 g ripe tomatoes, chopped (5.29 oz)
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
364
Protein
50g
Carbs
48g
Fat
12g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
In a bowl, combine the Greek yoghurt, paprika, black pepper, garam masala, cumin, turmeric, salt and ginger-garlic paste. Add the chicken and mix well until coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- 2
Cook the chicken in batches for 3-4 minutes per side until lightly charred and almost cooked through. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- 3
In the same pan, melt half the butter over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and cook for 20-30 seconds until fragrant. Add the onion and cook for 4-5 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic and chopped tomatoes. Cook for 5-7 minutes until the tomatoes have broken down.
- 4
Add the tomato sauce, cashews, garam masala, paprika, salt and stevia. Stir well and cook for another 2 minutes. Pour in the water, bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes until the cashews are soft and the flavors have developed.
- 5
Allow the sauce to cool slightly before carefully transferring it to a blender. Blend until completely smooth.
- 6
Return the blended sauce to the pan over medium heat with remaining butter. Stir in the Kashmiri chilli powder and simmer for 5 minutes until slightly thickened. Add the light cooking cream, stirring until well combined. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add the fenugreek leaves.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Marinate chicken in yogurt for at least 30 minutes (not longer than 4 hours) because lactic acid denatures surface proteins, creating a tender exterior, while the casein protein in yogurt forms a protective coating that prevents moisture loss during cooking.timing30 minutes minimum; 4 hours maximum
- ✓Cook marinated chicken in batches for 3-4 minutes per side over medium-high heat (375-400°F pan temperature) to achieve Maillard browning without overcooking the interior, since the yogurt coating insulates the meat and extends cooking time by 30-40% compared to unmarinated chicken.technique3-4 minutes per side; 375-400°F
- ✓Bloom cumin seeds in butter for 20-30 seconds before adding aromatics because dry heat releases volatile oils (limonene, cymene) that are fat-soluble, making them 2-3x more bioavailable when dispersed through the butter base before the sauce liquid is added.timing20-30 seconds
- ✓Simmer the cashew-tomato base for 10-15 minutes at 180-190°F (gentle simmer, not boiling) to allow cashew proteins and starches to hydrate and thicken the sauce to 18-22% viscosity without breaking down the fat emulsion from the butter.timing10-15 minutes; 180-190°F
- ✓Cool the sauce to 140-150°F before blending to prevent steam expansion from splattering and to preserve heat-sensitive fat-soluble flavor compounds (capsaicinoids from chili, essential oils) that would oxidize at blending speeds above 8,000 RPM.technique140-150°F before blending