Indian Butter Chicken — An EASY, ONE-POT recipe for a classic Indian favorite!! Juicy, BUTTERY chicken simmered in a CREAMY tomato-based sauce! Next time you’re craving Indian food, you can make it yourself in 30 minutes!!
Easy Butter Chicken Recipe
I am by no means an expert in Indian cooking. Or for any ethnic recipes that I share, from Mexican to Asian. But after plenty of research, trial and error, and condensing some very complicated and time-consuming recipes for Indian butter chicken into this very straightforward and easy one, I can definitely say that it’s a winner that my daughter and I loved.
It reminds me a lot of my Chicken Tikka Masala, but rather than having to marinate the chicken overnight in a Greek yogurt-based marinade, no planning ahead is required for Indian butter chicken. Score!
Sweet Vidalia onions are caramelized in butter before adding the chicken, garlic, and a slew of spices, including garam masala, cumin, turmeric, and ginger. I am not shy when adding spices because flavor development is my goal and bland food is my nemesis.
None of the spices are so exotic that they are hard to find and you can find them all in your regular grocery store. Keeping recipes convenient enough so that people actually make them is important to me!
Garnished with cilantro and served on top basmati rice, this is a keeper that’s faster than going to your local Indian restaurant because it’s ready in 30 minutes and tastes every bit as amazing. It may be a simple butter chicken recipe, but I promise it’s packed with flavor!
Indian Butter Chicken Ingredients
To make this simple butter chicken recipe (including the addicting butter chicken sauce), you’ll need:
- Unsalted butter
- Sweet Vidalia onion
- Chicken breasts
- Garlic
- Kosher salt and pepper
- Heavy whipping cream
- Tomato sauce
- Basmati rice
- Fresh cilantro
The butter chicken spices that I used included:
- Garam masala
- Ground cumin
- Ground turmeric
- Ground ginger
- Salt and pepper
- Cayenne pepper
Can I Make This Vegetarian?
Yes, very easily! You can sub cubed tofu or chickpeas for the chicken, if desired.
Is There a Heavy Cream Substitute I Can Use?
Not that I’m aware of. Indian butter chicken is one of those dishes where full-fat butter and cream is a must.
If you tried to use a substitute like whole milk or yogurt, I’m not sure how well the butter chicken would taste. Not to mention the butter chicken sauce would likely be super runny.
A few readers have reported success using full-fat coconut or coconut cream, but both options would of course add a coconut flavor to the recipe.
How to Make Butter Chicken
This recipe for Indian butter chicken is as quick and easy as it gets! Here are the basic steps to making this simple butter chicken recipe:
- Heat a little butter in a skillet and sauté the onions until they begin to soften and caramelize.
- Add the diced chicken to the skillet and cook until almost done.
- Then, stir in the spices and garlic.
- You can’t have butter chicken without plenty of butter! After adding the spices, you add (more) butter and heavy cream. It’s a full-fat dairy marriage in heaven that produces a buttery, creamy, full-bodied sauce that is butter chicken’s signature.
- Let the sauce bubble away until thickened, then serve the butter chicken over rice and garnish with fresh cilantro.
What to Serve with Homemade Butter Chicken
I’ve had a few readers ask what they should serve as a side with this easy butter chicken recipe. I like serving naan bread (sold in most grocery stores), steamed or roasted veggies, or a side salad with butter chicken curry.
The butter chicken has so much flavor that you can pair it with simpler sides.
Can I Freeze Indian Butter Chicken?
Yes, this Indian butter chicken recipe can be prepared, allowed to cool, and then frozen for up to three months.
Tips for Making the Best Butter Chicken
Very Saucy – If you’re a sauce fan, this recipe produces an abundant amount of butter chicken sauce as written.
If you don’t want it as saucy, you can scale back on the amount of tomato sauce and/or cream. The sauce it good enough to slurp down as if it were a soup, which I relished doing.
Salt – I used no-salt added tomato sauce and used nearly 2 teaspoons salt in total, but if you’re using salted tomato sauce 1 teaspoon salt will likely be enough. Always salt to taste.
Not Spicy – Note that the cayenne pepper in the sauce doesn’t make the dish spicy. It just adds a nice depth of flavor.
However, you’re welcome to add more cayenne pepper if you like things spicy.
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Indian Butter Chicken
Ingredients
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, 1/2 stick + 1 stick, divided
- 1 large sweet Vidalia or yellow onion, diced small
- 1.50 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, diced into bite-sized pieces
- 4 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed
- 2 tablespoons garam masala
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon turmeric
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger or 1+ tablespoon fresh ginger, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream, see Notes below
- one 8-ounce can tomato sauce, I used no-salt added; see Notes below
- basmati rice, or your favorite rice, for serving
- ⅓ cup fresh cilantro leaves, or to taste for garnishing
Instructions
- To a large skillet add 1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick), onion, and sauté over medium-high heat until the onions begins to soften and caramelize about 5 minutes; stir intermittently. It does not have to be fully caramelized before moving on.
- Add the chicken and cook for about 5 minutes, or until chicken is done; flip and stir often to ensure even cooking.
- Add the garlic, stir to combine, and cook for about 1 minute, or until fragrant; stir frequently.
- Add the garam masala, cumin, turmeric, ginger, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper (does not make it spicy but adds depth of flavor), and stir to combine.
- Add the remaining 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter and heat until it has melted; stir frequently to encourage melting.
- Add the heavy cream, tomato sauce, stir to combine, and allow mixture to simmer for about 10 minutes, or until sauce has thickened and reduced slightly. Taste and if desired, add additional salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, etc.
- Add rice to the serving plates and top with chicken and as much sauce as desired.
- Evenly garnish with cilantro and serve immediately. Dish is best warm and fresh but will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Notes
- If you’re a sauce fan, this recipe produces an abundant amount of sauce as written. If you don’t want it as saucy, you can scale back on the amount of tomato sauce and/or cream.
- I used no-salt added tomato sauce and used nearly 2 teaspoons salt in total, but if you’re using salted tomato sauce 1 teaspoon salt will likely be enough.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Originally posted April 9, 2018 and reposted January 20, 2023 with updated text.
I love butter chicken. It’s always been my go-to dish when we go out for Indian. I have tried at least four or five different recipes while trying to make it at home, but none of them even come close to this one! Soooo amazing! I will never use another butter chicken recipe again! 😄
Thanks for the 5 star review and I am glad that this is the favorite recipe by far that you’ve tried and will never use another recipe again – awesome to hear!
This is so good!
Thanks for the 5 star review and I am glad that it turned out great for you!
This recipe was absolutely delicious. I was so apprehensive about making this because I was not sure how all of the spices were going to mesh together. It turned out better than expected. Next time I’m going to have to double the chicken because this dish went fast.
I am glad it turned out absolutely delicious for you and that you’re going to make it again!
This was delicious! I am a wimp when it comes to spice, and I did not find this too spicy. We may add some curry next time we make it, to add a bit more flavor and kick. It did seem to need more salt, which we added at the table. Definitely a winner, going into our favorite recipes file!
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad it was delicious!
Salt is so personal and so yes, always add to taste. I am sure curry would be delicious in it!
Made this last night and it was yummy. Next time I would cut back on the tomato sauce as it was too saucy. Or maybe I just need to add more chicken? Also, my own fault but my rice was little too wet, next time my rice needs to be drier for this. The good thing is you can make this recipe as hot or mild as you want. Next time I might try adding some lemon juice for a little “zing.”
Thanks for the 5 star review and I’m glad you enjoyed it overall. I did mention in the blog post under the section ‘Feeling Saucy’ and to scale back if desired on the sauce since I know that’s personal preference. Something you can do for next time. And/or just add more chicken. And yes, drier rice is best too for this.
I used boneless skinless thighs and it was amazing!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad this turned out amazing with the thighs!
Big hit just as written. Served on zucchini to the Keto crowd and everyone was thrilled.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad it was a big hit as written!
Delicious dish that everyone enjoyed! I would not change any ingredient or amount … wonderful as is! So each to make and it truly is one dish!
Thanks for the 5 star review, glad everyone enjoyed it, and that you would not change a thing!
I have been making Indian butter chicken on a monthly basis for the past decade, at least. But every time I do, I either try a new recipe, or try to create a new one myself, because i’ve never quite got it to a standard I could compare with one of my all time favorite restaurant dishes. Until now!!! Oh my God…this came out so completely perfect in every single way. I followed the recipe exactly except for doubling the cayenne (I like it spicy) adding one chopped fresh tomato, and I did in fact go with the fresh ginger. Anyhow, I just want to thank you, thank you so very much!!! For creating a recipe I know I will be using for years to come. My search is over!!! ❤️❤️❤️
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad this came out perfect in every single way for you! Glad this will be your go to Indian butter chicken and your search is over! That’s a very high compliment since it sounds like you are quite the aficionado if you’ve been making it monthly for a decade plus!
Delicious! I used soy milk instead of heavy cream.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad that soy milk worked great for you!
Followed this recipe exactly and my family loved it. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad your family loved it!
This recipe is great! I doubled it for my family of 8 and we had leftovers. I paired it with some steamed cauliflower and naan. My hubby and kids all love Indian and they said it was the best homemade Indian dish I’ve made. They’ve asked me to scrap all the other recipes I’ve tried. We have a winner! Even better the next day.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad that this was voted the best homemade Indian dish you’ve made and you’re scrapping all other recipes!
Fantastic recipe, tastes better then any indian food I have had… add with Trader Joe’s garlic naan and you have yourself the perfect meal. I also added in julliened carrots and some kale for some extra nutrition and cake out great.
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad it was better than any previous Indian food you’ve tried! The TJ’s naan is perfect here, agreed!
I forgot to post my stars with my first comment!
I made this for supper for my husband and I and it was delicious! I followed the recipe exactly and wouldn’t change a thing except when I make it for my vegetarian daughter. For her I’ll sub the chicken for roasted chickpeas or tofu or both. She’ll love it!! I always look forward to seeing your recipes in my inbox. I haven’t made even one that I didn’t like. Can’t wait to try more of them! God bless you for making cooking easy, fun, and delicious!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad you loved this and will make it again (vegetarian style)!
I appreciate that you appreciate easy, fun, and delicious recipes – that is always my goal!
Once the prep was done, this dish came together in minutes! I did play a little with the spices, based on what was on hand and personal taste, but the butter/cream/tomato tempering each other made this dish wonderfully silky and smooth. It’s definitely going into rotation, and I’m thrilled to find your site.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad this is definitely going into rotation!
I’m glad you found me as well :)
I tried this last week and came out so delicious!
What exactly is the ingredient you are calling “tomato sauce”? I would like to make this for my son’s birthday in 3 days.
Thanks!
Tomato sauce https://amzn.to/2IUl4V4