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My Back-Pocket Butter Chicken 🍗
Butter chicken is not something I grew up making, but it has earned a permanent spot in my rotation — mostly because it makes my whole house go quiet for a few minutes, which any parent knows is the highest compliment a dinner can get. Chicken simmers in a gently spiced tomato-and-cream sauce until it turns silky, and you spoon it over rice with warm naan for scooping. Do not let the spice list scare you off. You marinate the chicken, build a quick sauce, and let it do its thing. It is what I reach for on the nights everyone is hungry and a little cranky and I want something warm down fast.
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Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 3 chicken breasts about 1.5 lbs, cubed
- 3 tbsp non-fat plain greek yogurt
- 4 garlic cloves grated
- 1 tsp fresh ginger grated
- 1 tbsp salt
- 2 tsp garam masala
- 2 tsp turmeric
- 2 tsp cumin
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tbsp olive oil
For the Sauce
- 4 tbsp ghee or butter divided
- 1 small white onion chopped
- 1 tbsp garlic minced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger minced
- 2 8 oz cans tomato sauce
- 1 tbsp garam masala
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1/2 cup cashews
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cinnamon stick
- cilantro for garnish
- basmati or jasmine rice for serving
- naan bread for serving
Instructions
- Cube chicken breasts. In a bowl, combine chicken with yogurt, grated garlic, grated ginger, olive oil, salt, garam masala, turmeric, cumin, chili powder, and paprika. Marinate for 30 minutes up to 24 hours.
- Heat 2 tablespoons ghee in a large pan over medium-high heat. Cook marinated chicken for 4 minutes on each side until golden. Remove chicken from pan and set aside.
- In the same pan, add remaining 2 tablespoons ghee. Cook chopped onion for 2-3 minutes, then add minced garlic and ginger and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
- Add tomato sauce, garam masala, chili powder, turmeric, heavy cream, and cashews. Cook for 3 minutes. Transfer sauce to a blender and blend until smooth.
- Return blended sauce to the pan on low heat. Add chicken and cinnamon stick. Cook for 10-15 minutes, allowing the sauce to simmer and thicken. Top with fresh cilantro and serve over rice with naan bread.
Nutrition
Tips for Making This Recipe
Give the chicken time in the yogurt marinade if you can. Even 20 to 30 minutes makes it noticeably more tender, and overnight is even better if you plan ahead.
Blending the sauce is the secret to that velvety, restaurant-style texture. If you don’t have a blender, an immersion blender right in the pan works beautifully; just be careful with the hot sauce.
Taste before you serve and adjust: a pinch more salt, a little cream to mellow it, or an extra dash of garam masala to deepen it.
Serve with plenty of basmati rice and warm naan to catch every bit of that sauce.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is butter chicken actually spicy?
Can I make it ahead?
What do you serve with it?
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