My husband walked into the house while I was making my Indian butter chicken and said that it was one of the best smells that he has ever smelled. That says a lot coming from Mr. Meat and Potato. And, my boys loved it and both finished their plates. I told you that it is good.

I love Indian food and love how it can bring the chicken to whole new, un-boring levels. Please do not let the ingredient list put you off from making this recipe. It is delightful. And full of aromatic spices and deep flavor. I found this recipe on one of my favorite food blogs, goodlifeeats.com.
This recipe uses a few more pots and gadgets than I usually like, but it is so good that I did not even care. I would double the sauce and freeze half for another night when you need a bit of exotic in your life and toss it with some sauteed pieces of chicken (or even a rotisserie chicken) and call it dinner. I love the fresh cilantro and lime at the end, it adds just enough freshness that you need to balance all of the earthy flavors going on.
Indian Butter Chicken Ingredients //
- 1 onion chopped
- 2 Tablespoons freshly grated ginger
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 1 jalapeno, seeded and minced (I used half, the kids were eating this too)
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons garam masala
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 (6-ounce) can of tomato paste
- 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into small cubes
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup butter
- lime wedges
- chopped cilantro
- cooked Basmati rice (cook according to package directions and set aside)

How to Make // The Steps
Step 1:
In a large saute pan coated with olive oil, cook the onions, jalapeno, ginger, and garlic over medium-high heat. Cook for about 5 minutes or until slightly browned.

Step 2:
Add the garam masala, chili powder, cardamom, and coriander. Cook for two more minutes, stirring frequently. This is where your house starts to smell amazing.

Step 3:
Scrape the onion and spice mixture into the bowl of a food processor. Add the tomato paste and chicken broth and process until smooth.

Step 4:
Add the puree back into the saute pan and add the bay leaves and the cream. Let come to a boil and reduce heat and let simmer until it has reduced to about 3 cups. It takes about 5 to 7 minutes. Stir frequently. Pour the mixture into a large bowl and set aside. I clean out the pan and get it ready to cook my chicken.

Step 5:
Dry the chicken well with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper. Preheat the pan to high. Add the chicken and 1 Tablespoon butter. Cook the chicken until it starts to brown and turns opaque. About 3 to 4 minutes.

Step 6:
Add the sauce back to the pan and cook over medium heat until the chicken is cooked through. Add the remaining butter to the sauce and stir until it is melted and incorporated.

Step 7:
Add some rice to a bowl and spoon the Indian Butter Chicken over top. Squeeze a lime wedge over it and sprinkle with cilantro leaves.

Dive in.


Indian Butter Chicken and Basmati Rice
Indian Butter Chicken - We could eat Indian food every single day and never get tired of it. Butter Chicken is my children's favorite. This is a great recipe that has so much flavor. Serve over rice.
Ingredients
- 1 onion chopped
- 2 Tablespoons freshly grated ginger
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 1 jalapeno, seeded and minced (I used half, the kids were eating this too)
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons garam masala
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
- 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into small cubes
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup butter
- lime wedges
- chopped cilantro
- cooked Basmati rice (cook according to package directions and set aside)
Instructions
- In a large saute pan coated with olive oil, cook the onions, jalapeno, ginger, and garlic over medium-high heat. Cook for about 5 minutes or until slightly browned.
- Add the garam masala, chili powder, cardamom, and coriander. Cook for two more minutes, stirring frequently. This is where your house starts to smell amazing.
- Scrape the onion and spice mixture into the bowl of a food processor. Add the tomato paste and chicken broth and process until smooth.
- Add the puree back into the saute pan and add the bay leaves and the cream. Let come to a boil and reduce heat and let simmer until it has reduced to about 3 cups. It takes about 5 to 7 minutes. Stir frequently. Pour the mixture into a large bowl and set aside. I clean out the pan and get it ready to cook my chicken.
- Dry the chicken well with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper. Preheat the pan to high. Add the chicken and 1 Tablespoon butter. Cook the chicken until it starts to brown and turns opaque. About 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add the sauce back to the pan and cook over medium heat until the chicken is cooked through. Add the remaining butter to the sauce and stir until it is melted and incorporated.
- Add some rice to a bowl and spoon the Indian Butter Chicken over top. Squeeze a lime wedge over it and sprinkle with cilantro leaves.
Nutrition Information:
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 0Total Fat: 0g
Did you make this recipe?
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This Post Has 61 Comments
Butter chicken recipe is amazing & easy instructions
thank you!
This is on my menu for this week. Can’t.wait.
You will love it Colleen! How is Belgium treating you?
This recipe is more like a onion less chicken tikka masala. The traditional way of making this dish uses fewer spices, and fresh tomatoes.
Authentic murgh makhani contain chicken tikka pieces. And the gravy uses tomato, cardamom pods, methi (fengureek leaves), kashmiri red chili powder, sugar/honey and cinnamon.
At times they also use cashew nut paste for thickening the gravy.
Hi Bree,
Authentic butter chicken actually doesn’t use onions at all. Its a tomato based sauce. Here’s a version from one of India’s most famous chefs, Chef Sanjeev Kapoor. https://www.sanjeevkapoor.com/butter-chicken.aspx
Cheers!
Praj
Some chefs use onions as well. But this dish is seasoned more like a Tikka Masala. People sometimes think that Tikka Masala and Butter chicken is the same dish, which it’s not.
Harpal Singh Sokhi also got a excellent version and so do chef Thumma at Vahrehvah. He also stated once that sometimes chefs use onions for the purpose of increasing quantity of the gravy.
A chef in Maharashtra made a version pretty similar to Sanjeev Kapoors. He confirmed that this is the Authentic way of doing it.
Wow…I don’t know if this tastes like “authentic” Indian Butter Chicken or not…all I know is that it’s absolutely heavenly! I made some yesterday and because some of my spices were a bit old, I added some extra heat by putting in a small amout of an african hot pepper spice blend…no need, lol! It was almost too much. 🙂 Next time I will leave it out as your recipe is just perfect! Thank you…will be making this often!
I am so glad! Definitely not the most authentic, but every time I eat it in an Indian restaurant it is always different. It’s a version. 🙂
Hi ! I have a question. It says to purée the sauce in a food processor … However I only have a blender. Could I put the sauce in the blender to mix everything together?
Yup!
I love this recipe. One of my favorites. Thank you for sharing this.
Simon
You are welcome Bristol! I’m so glad that you like it so much.
This is literally my favorite recipe ever. I even made it for myself on my birthday. Haha! So delicious and intense, but in a simple way. Thanks for sharing!
I am so glad! This makes me happy.
Oh my goodness, this is the best butter chicken recipe ever! I follow it exactly (except I have to double it for my family!) and everyone loves it. Amazing.
I’m so glad, thanks for letting me know!
Hi! What can I substitute for cardamom?
I’d just leave it out.