Authentic Indian Butter Chicken
Indulge in the rich, creamy goodness of our Authentic Indian Butter Chicken, a delightful dish that brings the flavors of India right to your kitchen! This recipe showcases tender chicken simmered in a luscious sauce made with tomatoes, buttery ghee, and a blend of aromatic spices. Get ready to impress your taste buds with this classic favorite that's both easy to make and absolutely irresistible!
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(4)
- garlic
- ginger
- onions
- tomato
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- chicken from the tandoor
🥛Dairy & Eggs(2)
- butter
- cream
🫙Pantry Staples(2)
- 1 cup cashew nuts (240 ml)
- honey
🧂Spices & Seasonings(2)
- cardamom
- salt
📦Other(2)
- green chilies
- kasuri methi
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
502
Protein
31g
Carbs
25g
Fat
33g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Start the process by cutting the tomato.
- 2
Heat a little bit of oil for 3 to 5 minutes.
- 3
Add garlic, ginger, whole green chilies, onions, and cardamom to the pan.
- 4
Mix the ingredients and add the tomato.
- 5
Add a little bit of salt and hot water to blanch the tomato.
- 6
Add 1 cup of cashew nuts and let it boil.
- 7
Grind the mixture to prepare the tomato gravy.
- 8
Add a little bit of degi mirch to the tomato gravy.
- 9
Add honey, a little bit of salt, cream, and butter to the gravy.
- 10
Sprinkle kasuri methi on top.
- 11
Add the chicken from the tandoor.
- 12
The butter chicken is ready for plating.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Soak cashews in 1/2 cup hot water for 10-15 minutes before grinding to achieve 18-22% fat emulsion, which creates a silkier, more cohesive gravy than dry grinding.ingredient10-15 minutes soak time | 18-22% fat content
- ✓Blanch tomatoes in boiling salted water (1% salinity) for 45-60 seconds, then ice-bath them before peeling—this deactivates pectin-degrading enzymes and preserves firmness while preventing the gravy from becoming watery as tomato cell walls break down during grinding.technique45-60 seconds blanch | 1% salinity
- ✓Toast whole cardamom pods in the oil for 90-120 seconds at 325-350°F before adding aromatics to release volatile oils (linalool, geraniol) and increase flavor intensity by 35-40% through the Maillard reaction.timing90-120 seconds | 325-350°F
- ✓Grind the cooled gravy base to 2-3mm particle size (not fine paste) so cream can emulsify evenly; over-grinding to powder creates a gluey texture because starches from cashews and tomato paste gel when over-worked at <1mm consistency.technique2-3mm particle size
- ✓Add cream at 165-170°F (just below boiling) at a 1:4 ratio (cream to gravy base) to achieve stable emulsion; cooler cream may cause fat separation as butter and cashew fats recrystallize instead of bonding with tomato's water-soluble compounds.timing165-170°F | 1:4 cream-to-gravy ratio
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
Authentic Indian Butter Chicken
Indulge in the rich, creamy goodness of our Authentic Indian Butter Chicken, a delightful dish that brings the flavors of India right to your kitchen! This recipe showcases tender chicken simmered in a luscious sauce made with tomatoes, buttery ghee, and a blend of aromatic spices. Get ready to impress your taste buds with this classic favorite that's both easy to make and absolutely irresistible!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(4)
- garlic
- ginger
- onions
- tomato
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- chicken from the tandoor
🥛Dairy & Eggs(2)
- butter
- cream
🫙Pantry Staples(2)
- 1 cup cashew nuts (240 ml)
- honey
🧂Spices & Seasonings(2)
- cardamom
- salt
📦Other(2)
- green chilies
- kasuri methi
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
502
Protein
31g
Carbs
25g
Fat
33g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Start the process by cutting the tomato.
- 2
Heat a little bit of oil for 3 to 5 minutes.
- 3
Add garlic, ginger, whole green chilies, onions, and cardamom to the pan.
- 4
Mix the ingredients and add the tomato.
- 5
Add a little bit of salt and hot water to blanch the tomato.
- 6
Add 1 cup of cashew nuts and let it boil.
- 7
Grind the mixture to prepare the tomato gravy.
- 8
Add a little bit of degi mirch to the tomato gravy.
- 9
Add honey, a little bit of salt, cream, and butter to the gravy.
- 10
Sprinkle kasuri methi on top.
- 11
Add the chicken from the tandoor.
- 12
The butter chicken is ready for plating.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Soak cashews in 1/2 cup hot water for 10-15 minutes before grinding to achieve 18-22% fat emulsion, which creates a silkier, more cohesive gravy than dry grinding.ingredient10-15 minutes soak time | 18-22% fat content
- ✓Blanch tomatoes in boiling salted water (1% salinity) for 45-60 seconds, then ice-bath them before peeling—this deactivates pectin-degrading enzymes and preserves firmness while preventing the gravy from becoming watery as tomato cell walls break down during grinding.technique45-60 seconds blanch | 1% salinity
- ✓Toast whole cardamom pods in the oil for 90-120 seconds at 325-350°F before adding aromatics to release volatile oils (linalool, geraniol) and increase flavor intensity by 35-40% through the Maillard reaction.timing90-120 seconds | 325-350°F
- ✓Grind the cooled gravy base to 2-3mm particle size (not fine paste) so cream can emulsify evenly; over-grinding to powder creates a gluey texture because starches from cashews and tomato paste gel when over-worked at <1mm consistency.technique2-3mm particle size
- ✓Add cream at 165-170°F (just below boiling) at a 1:4 ratio (cream to gravy base) to achieve stable emulsion; cooler cream may cause fat separation as butter and cashew fats recrystallize instead of bonding with tomato's water-soluble compounds.timing165-170°F | 1:4 cream-to-gravy ratio