Description
Make restaurant-quality Butter Chicken at home quickly. This recipe yields a rich, velvety sauce perfect for a weeknight meal.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 cup plain yogurt
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 cup water or chicken broth
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon honey or sugar
- 1 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves (kasoori methi), crushed
- Fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine the chicken pieces, yogurt, lemon juice, salt, turmeric, cumin, garam masala, and paprika. Mix well and marinate for at least 15 minutes, or up to 4 hours in the refrigerator.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the marinated chicken in a single layer (work in batches if necessary) and cook until browned on all sides, about 5-7 minutes. Remove the chicken and set aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add the chopped onion to the skillet and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add the minced garlic and grated ginger to the skillet. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Stir in the crushed tomatoes and water or broth. Bring the mixture to a simmer.
- Return the cooked chicken to the skillet. Cover and cook for 10 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld.
- Stir in the heavy cream, honey, and crushed fenugreek leaves. Cook uncovered for another 5 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly. Do not boil after adding the cream.
- Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Garnish with fresh cilantro before serving.
Notes
- Serve immediately over basmati rice or with warm naan bread for dipping.
- For a smoother sauce, blend the sauce mixture briefly with an immersion blender before adding the cream.
- If you do not have fenugreek leaves, you can omit them, but they add a distinct flavor.
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 30 min
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Indian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 8
- Sodium: 450
- Fat: 28
- Saturated Fat: 15
- Unsaturated Fat: 13
- Trans Fat: 0.5
- Carbohydrates: 15
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 35
- Cholesterol: 110