This Butter Chicken recipe will never let you down! Promise.

An aromatic and rich curry such as Butter Chicken is perfect for a cold & rainy day. I guess that’s why Butter Chicken is one of Britains flagship dishes.

Mixing cream into the smooth butter chicken sauce. — Blending then adding the cream after results in such a silky sauce.

Browned chicken pieces simmering in the butter chicken sauce — Finish cooking the chicken in the silky sauce.

A bowl of butter chicken, served over Jasmine rice, garnished with fresh cilantro. — Butter Chicken is the epitome of comfort food on a cold and rainy night.

Butter Chicken

Sacha Hirschfeld

This aromatic and rich curry is perfect for a cold & rainy day. I guess that's why Butter Chicken is one of Britains flagship dishes.

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 50

Marinading and Chill Time 14

Total Time 15

Course Mains

Cuisine British, Indian

Servings 6

Calories 466 kcal

Equipment

1 large bowl with tight fitting lid
1 large Dutch oven
1 pair of tongs
1 wooden spoon

Ingredients

Chicken Marinade

2 lbs chicken breasts or thighs boneless & skinless; cut into bite sized pieces
½ cup whole milk yogurt
3 garlic cloves minced
1 tbsp fresh ginger finely grated
2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp kosher salt

Butter Chicken Sauce

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp ghee
1 onion sliced
3 garlic clove minced
1 tbsp fresh ginger finely grated
1 ½ tsp garam masala
1 ½ tsp ground coriander
1 ½ tsp ground cumin
400 g crushed tomatoes
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp salt + more to taste
1 tbsp sugar
1 cup heavy cream
½ tsp fenugreek crushed in your fingers to release the aroma

Instructions

In a large bowl, combine ingredients for the marinade (chicken through salt) ; allow to marinade for a minimum of 30 minutes (overnight is best).
Heat oil in a large skillet over med-high heat. Working in 2 or 3 batches, fry the chicken until browned on both sides (about 3 minutes per side). Set aside and keep warm; the chicken will finish cooking in the sauce.
Heat ghee in the same pan. Add the onions and cook until they start to sweat (about 2 minutes), while scraping the brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
Add garlic and ginger; sauté for 1 minute, then add garam masala, coriander, and cumin. Quickly cook for 20 seconds until fragrant.
Add tomatoes, cayenne, and salt. Simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally until sauce thickens.
Remove from heat, transfer to a blender, and blend until smooth.
Pour the puréed sauce back into the pan. Stir in the cream, sugar, and crushed fenugreek.
Add the chicken and its juices back into the pan and cook for another 10 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and sauce is thick.
Serve with basmati rice and warm naan. Garnish with fresh cilantro.