Why You’ll Love This this Rich & Buttery Indian Butter Chicken
This butter chicken recipe creates the most luxuriously creamy, tomato-rich sauce that clings to every piece of tender chicken like a silky blanket.
The combination of melted butter, whipping cream, and aromatic spices transforms simple ingredients into something that tastes like it came straight from your favorite Indian restaurant, minus the hefty bill.
You get to control the heat level with those chili peppers, so whether you’re a spice wimp or someone who thinks jalapeños are basically candy, this dish will make your taste buds do a happy dance.
Ingredients List
This butter chicken recipe calls for ingredients you can find at most grocery stores, though you might need to hunt down that tandoori paste in the ethnic aisle or swing by an Indian market.
- 1/4 lb melted butter
- 1 (20 ounce) can tomato sauce
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/4 liter whipping cream
- Water
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger powder
- Minced red chili peppers or green chili pepper (according to taste)
- Minced ginger, sautéed (according to taste)
- Fresh cilantro
- Chicken breasts marinated in tandoori paste
Health Considerations:
- This recipe is definitely on the indulgent side with all that butter and cream, so maybe save it for special occasions rather than Tuesday night dinner
- You can lighten it up by using half-and-half instead of heavy cream, or even coconut milk for a dairy-free twist
- The chicken provides good protein, and you’re getting some antioxidants from the tomatoes and spices
- Consider serving smaller portions with extra vegetables or a big salad to balance out all that richness
Step by Step Directions
Making this rich and creamy butter chicken is surprisingly straightforward once you have all your ingredients prepped and ready to go.
- Prepare the chicken: Cook the tandoori-marinated chicken breasts on the barbecue or in the oven until fully cooked, then cut into bite-sized chunks.
- Start the sauce: Melt the 1/4 lb of butter in a large pan over medium heat.
- Build the base: Add the tomato sauce, salt, sugar, white pepper, parsley, and whipping cream to the melted butter.
- Bring to a boil: Stir the mixture frequently while bringing it to a boil.
- Adjust consistency: Add water gradually until you reach your desired thickness – the sauce should coat a spoon without being runny or too thick.
- Add aromatics: Stir in the garlic powder, ginger powder, and minced chili peppers.
- Combine with chicken: Add the cooked chicken chunks to the sauce and stir until thoroughly coated.
- Final touches: Mix in the sautéed minced ginger and fresh cilantro to taste.
- Finish and serve: Remove from heat once everything is well combined and serve immediately with naan bread or over rice.
For the best cooking experience, consider using a premium Indian cookware set specifically designed for preparing traditional dishes like this butter chicken.
Substitutions and Variations
- Dairy-free version: Coconut milk can replace the cream, though the flavor will definitely lean more tropical than traditional.
- Chicken cuts: Thighs work beautifully here too, maybe even better than breasts since they stay juicier and won’t dry out if you accidentally overcook them.
- Make it veggie: Paneer, cauliflower, or even chickpeas can stand in for the chicken – just adjust your cooking times accordingly.
Additional Things to Serve With This Dish
While naan is the traditional choice, there are plenty of delicious ways to soak up every drop of that creamy, tomato-kissed sauce.
- Basmati rice – The classic pairing that never disappoints, fluffy and fragrant enough to complement without competing.
- Garlic naan or plain naan – If you can find it fresh from an Indian restaurant or make your own, this is butter chicken heaven.
- Jasmine rice – A bit stickier than basmati, which honestly makes it even better for sauce-scooping purposes.
- Roti or chapati – These thinner flatbreads are perfect for wrapping up bites, though they’re a bit trickier to find than naan.
- Crusty bread – Sometimes I think a good piece of sourdough or French bread works just as well, even if it’s not traditional.
- Cauliflower rice – For those watching carbs, though you’ll miss out on some serious sauce-absorbing power.
- Quinoa – Another healthier option that actually holds onto the sauce pretty well, plus it adds a nice nutty flavor.
The real key here is choosing something that can handle the sauce without falling apart, because trust me, you’ll want to get every last bit of that buttery goodness.
Cooking Tips & Tricks (Chef’s Notes)
After making this dish more times than I care to admit, I’ve picked up a few tricks that’ll save you from the mistakes I wish someone had warned me about.
- Don’t skip marinating the chicken – I know tandoori paste seems like an extra step, but it’s what makes this butter chicken instead of just chicken in butter sauce.
- Keep your cream cold before adding it – Room temperature cream can curdle faster than you can say “dinner disaster,” so straight from the fridge works best.
- Taste as you go with the spices – That garlic and ginger powder can go from perfect to overpowering in half a teaspoon, trust me on this one.
- Let the sauce simmer longer than you think – Those flavors need time to get acquainted, like at least 10-15 minutes of gentle bubbling.
- Cut your chicken into uniform pieces – Nobody wants to bite into a chunk that’s half the size of their mouth, plus even pieces heat through at the same rate.
- Use a wooden spoon for stirring – Metal spoons can scrape up any bits that stick to the bottom, and those bits are usually the slightly burnt ones nobody wants.
- Have your water ready for thinning – The sauce thickens fast once that cream hits the tomatoes, so you’ll want to adjust quickly.
- Don’t walk away from the stove – This sauce loves to bubble over right when you turn your back, and cleaning burnt butter chicken off a stovetop is nobody’s idea of fun.
Nutritional Facts
This rich and creamy butter chicken packs serious flavor along with substantial calories and nutrients.
- Calories: Approximately 450-500 calories per serving (based on 4 servings)
- Protein: 35-40 grams from the chicken breast, making this a high-protein meal
- Fat: 25-30 grams total, primarily from butter and whipping cream
- Saturated Fat: 15-18 grams due to the generous amount of butter and cream
- Carbohydrates: 12-15 grams, mostly from tomato sauce and added sugar
- Sodium: 1,200-1,400 milligrams per serving, largely from the salt and tomato sauce
- Sugar: 8-10 grams from both the tomato sauce and added sugar
- Calcium: Good source due to the dairy content from cream and butter
- Iron: Moderate amount from the chicken and tomato sauce
- Vitamin A: Present from the tomatoes and dairy ingredients
- Vitamin C: Small amount from tomatoes and fresh cilantro
- Cholesterol: 90-110 milligrams primarily from chicken and dairy
Fun “Did You Know?”
Despite being called “butter chicken,” this beloved dish actually contains more cream than butter in most traditional recipes.
I find it fascinating that this creamy curry was actually invented by accident in the 1950s at Moti Mahal restaurant in Delhi. The chef mixed leftover tandoori chicken with tomato sauce, butter, and cream to avoid waste.
What started as kitchen creativity became one of India’s most exported dishes!
You’ll uncover that authentic butter chicken doesn’t use heavy spices like many assume – it’s surprisingly mild and creamy, making it perfect for those new to Indian cuisine.
