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Butter Chicken Recipe

Butter Chicken / Murgh Makhani(मुर्ग़ मखनी)— Indian Butter Chicken Curry

Butter Chicken is one of India's most famous dishes and the most popular item on menus at Indian restaurants worldwide. It is said to have been invented at the Moti Mahal restaurant in Delhi in the 1950s. Marinated chicken is grilled at high temperatures and then simmered in a rich sauce made of tomatoes, butter, cream, and spices. The finished dish is orange-red in color with a rich, smooth, and velvety texture. Total time: approximately 45 minutes (chicken requires 1 hour of marinating time beforehand).

Estimated Cooking Difficulty: ★★★★

Essential Ingredients and Tools

  • Chicken thighs (boneless)
  • Yogurt
  • Butter
  • Heavy Cream
  • Tomatoes
  • Onion
  • Ginger
  • Garlic
  • Cashews (for thickening)
  • Turmeric powder
  • Red chili powder (Kashmiri red chili powder is best; vibrant color, mild heat)
  • Garam Masala
  • Coriander powder
  • Cumin powder
  • Cardamom powder
  • Kasuri Methi (dried fenugreek leaves)— Optional but highly recommended
  • Sugar
  • Salt
  • Cooking oil
  • Wok or large skillet
  • Blender/Food processor

Calculations

Before each preparation, determine how many servings you plan to make. One serving is sufficient for 3-4 people.

Per Serving:

Marinated Chicken Section:

  • Chicken thighs 500g (boneless, cut into large chunks)
  • Yogurt 80ml
  • Ginger 10g, grated
  • Garlic 4 cloves (approx. 12g), minced
  • Red chili powder 5g
  • Turmeric powder 3g
  • Salt 3g
  • Lemon juice 15ml
  • Cooking oil 15ml

Sauce Section:

  • Tomatoes 5 (approx. 500g), chopped
  • Onion 1 (approx. 100g), chopped
  • Cashews 30g
  • Ginger 10g
  • Garlic 4 cloves
  • Butter 50g
  • Heavy cream 100ml
  • Red chili powder 5g (Kashmiri red chili powder is best)
  • Coriander powder 5g
  • Cumin powder 3g
  • Garam Masala 3g
  • Cardamom powder 2g
  • Kasuri Methi 3g (crushed by hand)
  • Sugar 10g
  • Salt 5g
  • Water 100ml

Instructions

Marinating the Chicken (1 hour in advance)

  • In a large bowl, mix yogurt, grated ginger, minced garlic, red chili powder, turmeric powder, salt, and lemon juice.
  • Add the chicken chunks and coat them thoroughly with the marinade.
  • Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Grilling the Chicken

  • Pour 15ml of cooking oil into a pan and heat over high heat.
  • Add the marinated chicken pieces to the pan (do not pour in the marinade).
  • Pan-fry over high heat until golden brown on both sides (about 3 minutes per side); the chicken does not need to be fully cooked.
  • Remove and set aside.

Making the Sauce Base

  • Add tomato chunks, onion chunks, cashews, ginger, garlic, and 100ml of water to the pan.
  • Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium heat and simmer for 15 minutes until all ingredients are completely soft.
  • Let cool slightly, then blend in a blender until smooth and creamy.
  • Strain through a sieve to remove solids, resulting in a smooth sauce; set aside.

Simmering

  • Melt 50g of butter in a pan over medium heat.
  • Pour in the strained tomato sauce.
  • Add 5g of red chili powder, 5g of coriander powder, 3g of cumin powder, and 5g of salt.
  • Stir-fry for 3-5 minutes until the sauce darkens and oil separates.
  • Add the roasted chicken pieces and toss to coat evenly.
  • Add 10g of sugar (to balance the acidity of the tomatoes) and stir.
  • Pour in 100ml of heavy cream and mix well.
  • Simmer over low heat for 10-12 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked and has absorbed the sauce.
  • Add 3g of garam masala and 2g of cardamom powder.
  • Sprinkle in 3g of dried fenugreek leaves (crushed by hand).
  • Mix well and turn off the heat.
  • Plate the dish; optionally drizzle with a little extra heavy cream for garnish.

Additional Notes

  • Dried fenugreek leaves (Kasuri Methi) are key to the unique flavor of this dish, imparting a distinctive herbal aroma. They can be purchased at Indian grocery stores or online platforms.
  • Using Kashmiri red chili powder yields a brighter red color with less heat. If unavailable, use half the amount of regular red chili powder and add 3g of red bell pepper powder.
  • Cashews help thicken and smooth the sauce. If you have a nut allergy, substitute with an equal amount of heavy cream.
  • This dish is typically served with Indian naan bread or Basmati rice.
  • Butter Chicken is considered one of India's greatest contributions to global cuisine and appears on the menu of almost every Indian restaurant worldwide.

If you encounter any issues or have suggestions for improvement while following this guide, please submit an Issue or Pull request.