The Best Butter Chicken Recipe
Rich, creamy, restaurant-style butter chicken made with yogurt-marinated chicken, aromatic spices, tomatoes, butter, and cream.
Ingredients
- Chicken Marinade
- 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into chunks
- 1 cup full-fat plain yogurt
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp fine salt
- 1 tbsp garlic paste
- 1 tbsp ginger paste
- Butter Chicken Sauce
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter divided
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- 1 large yellow onion roughly chopped
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 1 inch fresh ginger grated
- 1 can 28 oz crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tsp Kashmiri chili powder
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp sugar
- Salt to taste
- Fresh cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- Marinate: Combine all marinade ingredients with chicken. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.
- Cook Chicken: Broil on high for 10–12 minutes, flipping once, or sear in a hot skillet until browned.
- Make Sauce: Melt 1½ tablespoons butter with oil. Cook onions for 15 minutes until deeply golden. Add garlic and ginger, cooking 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and spices. Simmer 15–20 minutes.
- Blend: Cool slightly, blend until smooth, then strain through a fine-mesh strainer.
- Finish: Return sauce to low heat. Add remaining butter and cream. Add chicken and simmer gently for 10–12 minutes. Adjust salt and sugar.
- Serve: Garnish with cream and cilantro. Serve with naan or basmati rice