Butter chicken recipe – This post will guide you to make butter chicken at home that tastes absolutely delicious, flavor packed, creamy and rich. Butter chicken also known as chicken makhani is one of the most popular, lip smacking and delicious dishes that’s been loved by many across the world. Paired with naan or kulcha is a delight which most Indians love during their restaurant visits.
There are so many versions of butter chicken that can be found on the internet which are different from the authentic Indian dish.
What is Butter chicken?
Chunks of grilled chicken (tandoori chicken) cooked in a smooth buttery & creamy tomato based gravy is known as Butter chicken or murgh makhani. It was invented by Kundan lal Gujral, who was the owner of a popular restaurant named Moti Mahal in Delhi.
The restaurant which had large orders of tandoori chicken throughout the day would typically end up with lot of leftovers which were turned into this amazing rich gravy the next day.
More chicken recipes
Chilli chicken
chicken curry
Chicken masala
tandoori chicken
Preparation for Butter chicken
You can make these on the previous day if you feel the butter chicken recipe is elaborate. I made it on the same day:
1. Marinate the chicken and refrigerate.
2. Make the Punjabi garam masala powder or decide on a good garam masala.
3. Puree the tomatoes & cashews in a blender until smooth. Filter through a colander to remove the skin and seeds.
4. If you do not own a powerful blender then soak the almonds or cashews for 1 to 2 hours and use.
5. The color of your gravy may differ based on your red chili powder. You may want to arrange for a good chili powder that is less hot like kashmiri chilli powder.
Marinating
1. Marinating chicken helps to make it soft and tasty. Wash chicken and pat it dry. Make sure there is no excess water in the chicken. Marinate with lemon juice, chili powder and salt.
2. Set this aside for 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Go ahead with the second marination. Marinate with fresh yogurt, ginger garlic paste, crushed kasuri methi, oil, turmeric and garam masala.
4. Marinate and refrigerate for atleast 12 hours. The longer it is marinated, the meat turns softer and just melts in the mouth. Do not use sour yogurt/ curd.
5. Grill the chicken in the oven or stove top. For grilling in oven, preheat the oven to 240 C for at least 15 minutes. Skew the chicken on to soaked wooden skewers or place on a greased tray and grill for 20 to 30 minutes. In between you will have to flip to the undone side.
6. If grilling chicken on tawa. Add one tsp. butter and fry on high. Moisture begins to ooze out. This is very common. Keep stirring don’t burn and do not over cook.
7. Cook till the chicken is just done and all the moisture evaporates. Set this aside. You can even saute till the chunks turn lightly golden.
How to make Indian butter chicken
8. Heat butter in a pan, add cinnamon, cloves and cardamom. Saute for a min or two. Add ginger garlic paste, green chilies and fry for 2 to 3 minutes till the raw smell goes off. (I did not use green chilies since my kids still cannot tolerate the heat.)
9. Pour the tomato puree. Add red chili powder, sugar and salt.
10. Mix and cook till the tomato puree becomes thick and begins to leave the pan.
11. Pour 1 cup water. I made my cashew paste separately so added it now. Let it come to a boil and then simmer for 3 to 5 minutes.
12. Add chicken and simmer for about 5 to 7 minutes till it becomes tender. The cook time may vary depending on how tender your meat is. I check with a fork, the piece just breaks upon piercing. Check the salt and spice. Adjust as needed.
13. Add garam masala and crushed kasuri methi. You can adjust the consistency by adding more water, if the gravy is very thick. Mix well and simmer for about 2 to 3 minutes. Then add chilled cream. Switch off the stove.
or Take a small portion of hot gravy and add it to the cream first. Mix and then pour the cream to the curry. This prevents cream from curdling. Take care not to cook longer after adding cream.
Garnish butter chicken with cream and coriander leaves.
How is butter chicken made?
To make an authentic butter chicken recipe, First we need to marinate the chicken & then grill it. This can be done either in a pan, tandoor or oven.
Next cook it up in the rich buttery tomato cashew gravy. Lastly add some cream to make it creamy & delicious.
The recipe shared in this post is an authentic one, except grilling in tandoor.
Not every one of us would be able to grill chicken in a tandoor or in a oven. So for this post I have done it in a pan. If possible you can follow the dungar method to smoke the chicken once it is roasted in a pan.
Tips to make butter chicken
- Marination is the key to get flavorful, tender & succulent pieces of chicken.
- Yogurt in the marinade tenderizes the chicken so do not skip it.
- Makhani recipe never uses onion so is this butter chicken recipe. Using onion changes the taste of the dish.
- The rich taste in the gravy comes from the cashews (or almonds) & cream.
- You can make the gravy ahead and refrigerate. Just grill the marinated chicken when needed and heat up the gravy. Then add the grilled chicken.
Serving suggestions for butter chicken
It is best served with Jeera rice , plain basmati rice, roti, naan or paratha .
Related Recipes
Recipe card
Butter chicken recipe (chicken makhani)
For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card
Ingredients (US cup = 240ml )
First marination
- ½ kg chicken (or 1 lb.) (preferably boneless)
- ¾ tablespoon lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Red chili powder or paprika
Second marination
- ¾ teaspoon kasuri methi Optional (dried fenugreek leaves)
- ⅛ teaspoon turmeric (haldi)
- ½ to ¾ teaspoon garam masala
- ¾ tablespoon oil
- 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
- ½ cup greek yogurt or hung curd (thick curd, refer notes)
for gravy
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste
- 1 cinnamon (2 inch piece, dalchini)
- 2 green cardamoms (elaichi)
- 2 cloves (laung)
- 1 to 2 green chilies (slit or sliced, optional)
- 4 large tomatoes pureed (400 to 500 grams)
- 16 to 18 cashew nuts or blanched soaked almonds (refer notes)
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder or paprika (adjust to suit your taste and color)
- ½ to ¾ teaspoon garam masala
- ½ tablespoon kasuri methi crushed or powdered dried fenugreek leaves
- ¼ tablespoon sugar
- salt as needed
- 80 to 100 ml chilled cream (heavy cream or whipping cream, refer the notes)
- 2 tbsp Coriander leaves for garnishing
Instructions
Preparation for chicken makhani
- First marinate chicken with lemon juice, chili powder and salt for 20 minutes.
- Next marinate again with yogurt, kasuri methi, oil, turmeric, ginger garlic paste, and garam masala powder.
- Cover & rest in the refrigerator for atleast 12 hours. You can keep it as long as 48 hours. The longer the chicken rests in the marinade, the more tender it will be after cooking.
- Add the cashews to a blender jar along with tomatoes. Make a smooth puree.
- If the puree is not smooth, then pass it through a filter. Set this aside.
- Also make the ginger garlic paste.
Grilling or roasting chicken
- Grill the chicken in an oven or stove top.
- For stove top method, Add one tsp butter to a pan and add the marinade.
- Fry on high flame till all the moisture evaporates.
- To grill it in oven, preheat the oven to 240 C for at least 20 mins.
- Grill it until the meat is cooked through & is tender. It may take about 20 to 30 mins depending on the size of your chicken chunks. Ensure chicken is tender at this stage.
How to make butter chicken
- Heat a pan with butter & saute cinnamon, cloves and cardamoms for a min.
- Add ginger garlic paste, green chilies and fry till it turns fragrant.
- Next pour the tomato cashew puree.
- Add red chili powder, sugar and salt.
- Mix and cook until the tomato puree becomes thick.
- It also begins to leave the sides of the pan.
- Pour 1 cup water. Add more or less water to suit your desired consistency.
- Bring the mix to a boil and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes.
- Add chicken and simmer for about 5 minutes.
- Butter chicken should become soft and tender. Add garam masala and kasuri methi.
- Stir and simmer for about 2 to 3 minutes. Pour chilled cream and switch off the stove.
- Garnish butter chicken with coriander leaves and extra cream if desired. Serve with long grain rice or naan or paratha.
Notes
- If you are using a young chicken, 4 hours of marination works. I have always found that the size of the chicken matters a lot. So if using larger sized or older chicken then rest it in the marinade for atleast 12 to 16 hours. This is the key to tender butter chicken.
- Curd/yogurt: If you do not have hung curd or greek yogurt, you can use thick yogurt too, but the cooking time increases slightly.
- Cream: You may use whipping cream/ heavy cream, thickened cream or sterilized cream. You can also use low fat cream but the gravy won’t be very rich. Chill the cream and add it to the gravy. Turn off the stove otherwise the gravy may split. or Take a small amount of hot gravy and add it to the cream in a separate bowl. Stir well. Then add the cream to the pan. This also helps to prevent curdling the cream.
- If using almonds, soak them in hot water for an hour and remove the skin.
Alternative quantities provided in the recipe card are for 1x only, original recipe.
For best results follow my detailed step-by-step photo instructions and tips above the recipe card.
NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)
© Swasthi’s Recipes
This looks wonderful and I’m enjoying cooking it. However I am unsure if I should remove the cardamom pods/cinnamon stick/cloves? I think they would be unpleasant to bite into but can’t see any instruction to remove them from the sauce? Thank you!
First of all, thank you for such a wonderful blog of recipes!!
I made this the first time and we thought the flavor was nice, but the dish lacked savory/umami/body. It felt light. Is that the intent or did I mess it up? I used canned tomato purée and might have over salted the gravy…
Hi Bob,
This recipe works well with fresh tomatoes. Canned tomatoes require lot more spices, cashews and even cream. Please scroll down to Angela’s comment and read my reply. That should help you.
Easily the best butter chicken recipe I’ve seen… tasted so delicious… and I’ve been trying to good butter chicken since 2015! Lol… thanks so much
Glad to know Shaima
Thank you so much!
I want to make this but I don’t know what type of green chili to buy. I’m assuming you used Jwala, which are completely unavailable for me to buy. What is recommended that’s easily accessible? Thanks!
Hi Jennifer
You can skip the green chilli. It is just for heat. I mostly use the Thai or Indian chilli that is available easily here. I guess Jwala is too hot.
Thank you for giving such a clear step by step cooking recipe. I am foreign to indian spices and cooking, an indian recipe to me is overwhelming, I looked at all the ingredients used and don’t know how to start.
With your recipe and guided step, I am able to complete one step after another. Today is my first time trying this recipe. And it doesn’t matter how it turn out, as practise make perfect.
I have subscripted to your youTube and Instagram. I suggest you put your logo on this pages too so that we can identify immediately it’s you.
Hello Shirley
Hope you enjoyed the butter chicken. Do let me know if you don’t get it right. I can help you.
Thanks for the suggestion about adding the logo. That’s a great idea! I will do it.
🙂
Hi
Thanks for sharing such a detailed recipe. I have made other dishes from your website with great success and I’m excited to try to make this! Can you please let me know if we can cook the chicken in an air fryer instead of oven?
Thank you
Hi Deepthi,
Glad to know! Yes you can air fry at 380 F for 8 mins. Turn them halfway. Thanks for rating the recipe
I’ve made this recipe twice now and it’s just amazing! Thank you! I thought the recipe was too spicy for me though so I adjusted it. I also used some dashi powder for that salty umami taste. 🙂 Thank you again!
Hi Belinda
Glad to know! Look for Kashmiri red chilli powder. This is less spicy and also imparts a good color and flavor to the dish. If you can’t find it then cut down the chilli powder. Hope this helps. Thank you!
This is my go to recipe whenever I want to make butter chicken.made this so many times and also today for lunch.very simple and delicious.
Thank you so much Winnnie
So happy to know!
made this for lunch sans cardamom. Truly a *chef’s kiss* Would make again.
Thank you so much Marc
Glad to know
Fantastic!! I will use this recipe again -my only regret was not making more for leftovers. I am enjoying making authentic Indian curries and your website is very helpful, thank you.
Hi Maxine
Thank you! Happy to know!
Turns so delicious. Thank you so much for the recipe. 👍
Glad to know!
Thanks for the recipe ,I just wanted to ask you that at last you add cream to the curry what cream is that which you add to the curry?
Hi Ellie
Use whipping cream/ heavy cream, thickened cream or sterilized cream.
Swasthi, thank you soooo much for this wonderful recipe! I did add a bit extra spice and used sweetener not sugar and it tastes exactly like what I get in the Indian restaurants here in Canada! I’m a Caucasian and I can’t wait to show my friends that I can now make excellent butter chicken!
Hello!
That’s great to hear! Thank you so much for leaving a comment
Thanks for the recipe..it was very easy and delicious..my kids loved it..I am definitely making it again
Glad to know Shivani
Thank you
THANK YOU for this delicious and easy-to-follow recipe. I had never made Indian food and was afraid I would mess this up, but truly this is one of the best things I have ever made or tasted in my life. I just made it last weekend and I already have chicken marinating to make it again tomorrow (I am doubling it this time!). So much depth of flavor and so fragrant. I am utterly obsessed with it and I will be making it every week for a long time, I am sure. My family loved it also. It’s absolutely perfect.
Hello Grace
Awesome! So happy to know that.
Thank you so much!
Hello Swasthi, I have made this recipe quite a lot and it is always a huge hit with my family, I have to tripple it as everyone always wants seconds. I would like to know if it is possible to use a 28oz can of whole tomatoes in place of the fresh tomatoes and would the end result taste the same?
Hello Angela,
Glad to know! I don’t have much experience with tinned/canned foods. But I have tried this recipe a lot of times with this tomato puree. This bottle has 500 grams puree. It turns out tart so I increase the cashews to 30. I also increase the quantity of garam masala, red chilli, ginger garlic, sugar and salt to almost 1.5 times. It works out just fine. Hope this helps
Hi Swasthi you have the most amazing exhausting list of super recipes. Why can’t you put a link to the recipe video at the beginning of each recipe title so we don’t waste tkme scrolling over n over looking gir a video to share with someone. Thanks for your help!!!
Hi Grace,
Thank you so much!
Yes sure, I have noted it. I will try to do
Is there any way I could substitute fenugreek seeds for leaves in this recipe? Where I live it’s impossible to get the leaves
No! There is no substitute. You may skip it
what kind of cream are you using? heavy cream? or do you have an approx. fat content?
Yes use heavy cream
I made this recipe for the first time and honestly it was delicious. My husband and i love Indian food and this was perfect thanks
Welcome! That’s great to hear!
I have made this recipe many times for my family, it’s a favourite. My grandchildren request it often ages 7yrs 4yrs. I lived in India for 10 years, took many cookery classes, your recipes and directions are the best. Thank you for sharing,
That’s awesome! So happy to hear the kids love it. Thank you so much for leaving a comment.
🙂