5 from 1 vote

Best Butter Chicken Recipe (Murgh Makhani)

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There are days when regular meals don’t fill the tummy or comfort the heart as it should. Whether you have crushed that office project or need to shake off a gloomy day, a rich and comforting meal is the perfect way to celebrate or lift your spirit! One of them is the best butter chicken recipe (murgh makhani).

Butter Chicken Recipe is a special dish that stands out and brings a touch of delicacy to your table. Rich, creamy, and full of spicy magic, this dish can turn any ordinary day into a special occasion with its delicious flavor.

The cooking kicks off with tender chicken pieces marinating in a mix of aromatic spices and Greek yogurt. Next comes the rich buttery sauce made of tomatoes, spices, green chilis, and cashew nuts, creating a velvety smooth base that coats every bite of the chicken pieces. As the sauce starts simmering and the delicious aroma fills your kitchen, you will want a plate before the cooking is even done!

Butter chicken recipe on a serving plate — Easy Butter Chicken Recipe

The marinated chicken is then seared to perfection and combined with the delicious sauce once it’s blended to a smooth, rich consistency. Creamy and spicy- this butter chicken recipe is perfect for any cozy occasion!

What Is Butter Chicken?

Butter Chicken is a popular Indian dish that originated from Northern India. It’s also known as murgh makhani – chicken with butter, and is similar to chicken tikka masala.

Butter Chicken is a mild curry compared to other Indian curries in terms of spiciness. Its tomatoes are slightly sweet and tangy, and the cream and butter have a velvety texture. Butter chicken is often garnished with fresh cilantro and served with naan bread or rice.

Butter Chicken Recipe Ingredients on a surface — Butter Chicken Recipe Ingredients

Tips For Making The Best Butter Chicken Recipe

From drying out the chicken to curdling the cream, you may face a few challenges while cooking the butter chicken recipe. To help you on the way of making the perfect butter chicken, I have prepared some tips for you to follow:

If the chicken feels too dry, reduce the temperature to low and simmer the chicken pieces in the sauce to rehydrate. For future attempts, you may consider marinating the chicken longer with a little bit of oil for added moisture.

Taste throughout the cooking and adjust the spice and seasoning accordingly. If you find the sauce too spicy, add a little cream or yogurt to balance the heat. Sprinkling a small amount of sugar also helps mellow the heat without changing any texture or flavor.

For a butter chicken sauce that’s too runny, simmer the sauce for a longer time to reduce the volume of the liquid. And if you prefer a thinner consistency, add a little water or cream to reach your desired texture.

Follow the temperature guide suggested in the recipe. Cooking at too high a temperature may cause the cream to curdle and result in a grainy sauce. Once the cream is added, avoid boiling the sauce any further.

Using fresh ingredients is the simplest way to ensure your butter chicken turns out delicious and flavorful. So, try selecting fresh chicken, garlic, and ginger to prepare this dish. Fresh tomatoes are full of juices and help make a flavorful base for the butter chicken. As for the spices, using freshly ground spices helps deliver a more intense flavor, taking the taste to the next level!

What To Serve With Butter Chicken Recipes (Murgh Makhani)

You can serve your chicken dish with traditional sides like basmati rice or naan bread, which are perfect for soaking up the creamy sauce of the butter chicken. Also, you can balance the dish’s richness by serving some vegetable sides such as cucumber raita, a simple green salad, tomato salad, steamed cauliflower, dal, cabbage, and carrot salad.

Recipe Card

Butter Chicken Recipe | Best Butter Chicken Recipe Ever

5 from 1 vote

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Total Time 45

Print Rate Pin

Thinking about dining out tonight? Skip the restaurant and enjoy a gourmet meal at home with my mouth-watering butter chicken recipe!

Ingredients

For Chicken Marination

500 grams Boneless Chicken Cubes
1 tbsp / 15 ml Lemon Juice
1 tbsp / 8 g Kashmiri Chili Powder
¼ tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tsp / 2 g Coriander Powder
1 tsp / 2 g Cumin Powder
½ tsp / 3 g Salt
½ tsp / 1 g Black Pepper
1 tbsp / 15 g Garlic Ginger Paste
4 tbsp / 60 g Greek Yogurt
½ tsp / 1 g Whole Cumin

For Butter Sauce

2 tbsp / 30 ml Cooking Oil
2 tbsp / 28 g Butter
½ tsp / 1 g Whole Cumin
3 Cardamoms
3 Cloves
1 Cinnamon Stick
1 medium-sized Onion (Roughly Chopped)
4-5 Green Chilis
10-12 Cashew Nuts
5 Cloves Garlic
1- inch Ginger
½ tsp / 1 g Coriander Powder
1 tbsp / 8 g Kashmiri Chili Powder
½ tsp / 1 g Cumin Powder
1 tsp / 6 g Salt
5 medium-size Tomatoes (Roughly Chopped)

For Cooking

2 tbsp / 30 ml Cooking Oil
1 cup / 250 ml Water
½ tsp / 1 ¼ g Garam Masala
1 tsp / 4 g Sugar
1 tsp / 1 g Dried Fenugreek Leaves (Kasuri Methi)
2 tbsp / 28 g Butter
4 tbsp / 60 ml Heavy Cream
2 tbsp Coriander (Chopped)

Equipments

Instructions

Marinate The Chicken

Take a mixing bowl and place 500 grams of boneless chicken cubes in it.
Squeeze 1 tbsp of lemon juice over the chicken.
Add 1 tbsp of Kashmiri chili powder and ¼ tsp of turmeric powder to the mixing bowl.
Season the chicken with 1 tsp of coriander powder and 1 tsp of cumin powder.
Sprinkle ½ tsp of salt and ½ tsp of black pepper over the chicken pieces.
Add 1 tbsp of garlic ginger paste to the bowl.
Mix 4 tbsp of Greek yogurt into the chicken marinade.
Use your hands to mix all the ingredients and seasonings together to make sure the chicken is well coated with the marinade.
Marinate the mixture for 30 minutes and keep it aside for later use.

Saute The Whole Spices

Place a pan on the stove over medium heat.
Pour 2 tbsp of cooking oil into it.
Add 2 tbsp of butter to the pan.
Add ½ tsp whole cumin, 3 cardamoms, 3 cloves and 1 cinnamon stick to the butter.
Stir the spices and fry for 30 seconds or until fragrant.

Add Onion, Chili and Nuts

Toss a roughly chopped medium-sized onion into the pan.
Add 4-5 green chilis along with the onion in the pan.
Saute the onion and chilis with a spatula.
Mix 10-12 cashew nuts into the pan, combining them thoroughly with the other ingredients.

Add Garlic, Ginger and Ground Spices

Add 5 cloves of garlic and 1 inch of ginger to the pan.
Add ½ tsp of coriander powder, 1 tbsp of kasmiri chili powder, ½ tsp cumin powder to the mixture.
Sprinkle 1 tsp of salt over the sauce.

Mix Tomatoes, Water and Cook

Toss 5 medium-sized roughly chopped tomatoes into the pan.
Stir to coat the tomatoes with the spices.
Pour 1 cup water into the mix and give it a stir. Cook for 3-4 minutes.
Cover the pan and cook for 12-15 minutes while stirring occasionally.
Once cooked, open the lid and give it a good stir. Remove the butter sauce from the heat and let it cool.

Fry The Marinated Chicken

Grab a frying pan and put it on the stove over medium-high heat.
Pour 2 tbsp of cooking oil into it.
Using a tong, carefully place the marinated chicken pieces one by one into the pan.
Cook the chicken for 2-3 minutes on each side.
Once they turn golden brown, flip them over to cook the other side of the chicken.
Remove the chicken pieces from the heat and transfer them to a bowl for later use.

Blend The Butter Sauce Mixture

Pour the cooled butter sauce mixture into a jug carefully.
Remove the cinnamon stick from the mixture.
Using a hand blender, blend the mixture until it’s smooth.

Strain The Mixture and Add Spices

Place the pan you prepared the sauce earlier onto the stove.
Pour the mixture through the strainer into the pan.
Use a spatula to scrape the last bit of sauce and strain it through the sieve into the pan.
Add 1 cup of water into the jug and pour it over the sieve again.
Use a spatula to give the mixture a good stir and bring it to a boil over medium heat.
Once boiled, stir and ½ tsp of garam masala, 1 tsp of sugar and 1 tsp of dried fenugreek leaves(kasuri methi).
Add 2 tbsp of butter to the sauce.
Give it a good stir to combine everything until the sauce is smooth.

Combine Chicken and Butter Sauce

Add the chicken to the butter sauce.
Cook for 5-6 minutes until the gravy turns thick, and keep stirring so the sauce doesn’t get stuck to the bottom.
Add 4 tbsp of heavy cream to the sauce.
Garnish the butter chicken with 2 tbsp of chopped coriander.
Cook for another 2-3 minutes while stirring frequently.
Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the delicious butter chicken into a serving bowl.

Video

Nutrition Facts (Click to view) Hide

Nutrition Facts

*This calculation is done by assumption calculated by an API. Please use our nutrition information just to get an idea about the recipe, consult a nutritionist if you need exact nutrition information.

Tried this recipe?

A big part of the dish’s charm comes from its marinade. Soaking all the flavors A big part of the dish’s charm comes from its marinade. Soaking all the flavors from garam masala, cumin, and lemon juice, the chicken cubes burst with mouth-watering flavor before they even hit the pan! And the buttery sauce ties everything together with its rich and velvety coating.

It’s the perfect meal to enjoy when you want a fine dining experience right inside the comfort of your own home. Make this recipe at home, and let us know about your experience.

Recipe FAQs

Yes, absolutely. Increase the amount of red chili powder in the recipe or add a few dash of your favorite hot sauce while preparing the buttery sauce for an extra spicy kick.

You can pair butter chicken with naan, steamed rice, sauteed vegetables, or a side of fresh salad.

To make buttery chicken a bit lighter on the tummy, reduce the amount of butter and add more vegetables like bell peppers, peas, and spinach to the recipe.

To thicken the butter sauce, simmer it longer to reduce the volume. You can also make a cornstarch slurry by mixing cornstarch with water and using the slurry to thicken the sauce.