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A bowl of rice topped with Butter Chicken with some naan on the side.

Authentic Butter Chicken Recipe (with Actual Restaurant Flavor!)

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A beginner-friendly Butter Chicken recipe with the signature restaurant oomph, made in one pan, ready in under 40 minutes. This recipe promises a silky, buttery Makhani Sauce with tender chicken. Tested well over 2 dozen times, in comparison with several restaurants, this is the Butter Chicken recipe of your dreams!
Course Main Course
Cuisine Indian, Pakistani
Diet Halal
Keyword best butter chicken, butter chicken, murgh makhani, simple butter chicken
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 5 servings
Calories 371
Author Izzah Cheema

Equipment

  • Food Processor
  • large (preferably nonstick) pan with lid

Ingredients

For the Marinade

  • 3 tbsp plain, whole-milk yogurt preferably Greek
  • 1 tsp mild Kashmiri chili powder or paprika
  • 1/2-1 tsp red chili powder or cayenne ½ tsp for kid-friendly
  • 1 tsp coriander powder
  • 1 tsp cumin powder
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1/4 tsp garam masala or 1/4-1/2 tsp store-bought Tandoori Masala
  • 1/4 tsp dried fenugreek leaves sukhi or Kasuri methi, crushed between your fingers - Note 3
  • 1 tsp kosher salt use less for sea salt
  • 1 tbsp neutral oil such as grapeseed or avocado
  • 1 tsp lemon or lime juice
  • 1/2 tsp garlic paste optional
  • 1 lb chicken breast, thighs, or tenders cut into 1.25"/3.75cm cubes

For the Butter Chicken Sauce

  • 1 14 oz can whole peeled tomatoes no salt added, I use Mutti brand - Note 1
  • 1 tbsp salted butter or ghee for cooking the chicken
  • 4 tbsp neutral oil divided
  • 1 small yellow onion finely chopped
  • 5-6 garlic cloves finely chopped
  • 1- inch piece ginger finely chopped
  • 1 tsp Kashmiri chili powder or paprika
  • 1 tsp cumin powder
  • 1/2 tsp coriander powder
  • 1/2 tsp red chili powder or cayenne
  • 2 tsp kosher salt use less for sea salt
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste

After Blending

  • 1 cup water
  • 5 tsp sugar I use raw cane sugar
  • 2/3 cup heavy whipping cream plus more for drizzling on top
  • 2 tbsp salted butter
  • 1/2 tbsp dried fenugreek leaves sukhi methi, crushed between the palms of your hands - Note 2
  • 3 tbsp finely chopped cilantro
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Marinate chicken: In a medium bowl, stir together the yogurt, ground spices, dried fenugreek, salt, oil, lemon juice, and garlic (if using). Add the chicken and toss to coat. Cover and set aside or refrigerate (ideally) for up to 24 hours. When ready to use, allow the chicken to come to room temperature.
  • Purée tomatoes: Drain the whole tomatoes to remove excess liquid. You’ll be left with around 200g whole, peeled tomatoes. Purée these in a food processor or blender and set aside.
  • Cook chicken (see post for alternative broil method): Heat the butter/ghee and 1 tbsp of oil in a large, wide-bottomed, preferably nonstick pan over medium-high heat. As it melts, place the chicken pieces in a single layer and cook for 3 minutes, until lightly charred on the bottom. Flip the pieces over and cook for another 2 minutes. (If your pan isn’t wide enough, you may have to do this in 2 batches. Adding too much chicken pools up moisture/ doesn’t allow charring.) Transfer the chicken pieces to a bowl. Cover and set aside.
  • Prepare masala: Heat the remaining 3 tbsp oil in the same pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions, garlic, and ginger. Sauté for 5 minutes, until they turn golden brown. Deglaze with ¼ cup water, removing any stuck bits from the bottom.
  • Reduce the heat to low-medium. Add the ground spices and salt. Sauté for a minute to allow them to bloom.
  • Add the tomato paste and puréed tomatoes and increase the heat to medium-high. Continue to sauté for 4-5 minutes, until the tomatoes reduce and the oil starts to separate. Turn off the heat of the tomato mixture and transfer it to a food processor (for a smooth, but slightly chunkier sauce) or blender (for a smoother sauce).
  • Blend sauce: Process or blend on high speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Transfer the sauce back into the same pan along with measured water. Heat the pan back up over medium heat.
  • Simmer together: Add sugar and stir to mix. It’ll be a tad sweet at first, but will mellow down as it settles into the sauce. Add the prepared chicken with its juices and stir. Cover and simmer for 5-7 minutes, stirring once in between, until the chicken is tender and the oil rises to the top.
  • Finish off: Pour in the cream and allow to come to a simmer. Turn off the heat. Sprinkle in the dried fenugreek leaves (methi) and stir in the butter. Garnish with cilantro and drizzle in more cream, if you’d like. Serve immediately with naan and/or basmati rice.

Video

Notes

Note 1: Canned whole tomatoes are my top choice for making butter chicken. They lend uniformity in flavor while keeping the sauce fresh and vibrant. Substitutes:
  • Fresh Tomatoes: Use 3 ripe tomatoes (~300g). Boil for about 20 minutes, until they're soft and the skin comes off easily. This helps mute the tart flavors and intensify the tomatoey flavors. Remove the skin, then purée and use as directed.
  • Tomato purée: Not to be confused with tomato sauce or crushed tomato. Sub ⅔ cup (170g) store-bought tomato purée.
Note 2: Only available at Indian/Pakistani grocery stores. If you can't find, sub with more cilantro or omit.
See post for alternative, oven-broil method to cook the chicken.

Nutrition

Calories: 371kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 95mg | Sodium: 1360mg | Potassium: 454mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1127IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 1mg