Description
Butter chicken from Northern India delivers creamy, spiced comfort straight to your dinner table with tender chicken swimming in a rich, tomato-based sauce that begs to be scooped up with warm naan bread.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1.5 lbs boneless chicken thighs
- 2 cups crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup plain yogurt
Supporting Ingredients:
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1-inch piece ginger
Spices and Seasonings:
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder
Instructions
- Combine 1 cup Greek yogurt, minced 4 cloves garlic, minced 1-inch ginger, and half the measured garam masala, turmeric, cumin, coriander, and red chili powder. Thoroughly coat 1.5 lbs chicken pieces in this marinade and refrigerate for minimum 1 hour, ideally overnight.
- Melt 2 tablespoons unsalted butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat at 375°F. Extract chicken from marinade and cook for 6-8 minutes, turning occasionally until golden brown exterior develops. Transfer chicken to a separate plate.
- Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter to the same skillet. Pour 2 cups crushed tomatoes and remaining spice blend. Reduce heat to medium-low at 325°F and simmer for 12 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning.
- Gently return browned chicken pieces to the skillet. Pour 1 cup heavy cream and stir to integrate. Simmer at 300°F for 10-12 minutes until sauce thickens and coats chicken completely.
- Check chicken’s internal temperature reaches 165°F using a meat thermometer. Remove from heat and let rest for 3-4 minutes before serving to allow sauce to settle.
Notes
- Marinating the chicken overnight in the yogurt mixture allows the spices to deeply penetrate and tenderize the meat, creating a more flavorful result.
- Using ghee instead of butter adds a richer, nuttier flavor and helps prevent burning during high-heat cooking.
- For a lighter version, substitute heavy cream with coconut milk or Greek yogurt to reduce calories while maintaining a creamy texture.
- To make this dish gluten-free, ensure all your spices are certified gluten-free and serve with cauliflower rice instead of traditional wheat-based naan.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 20-30 minutes
- Category: Sautéed
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Indian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 520 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 140 mg
- Fat: 37 g
- Saturated Fat: 20 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 140 mg