Butter Chicken Recipe | Chicken Makhani – Swasthi’s Recipes

By Swasthi on August 12, 2022, Comments , Jump to Recipe

Butter Chicken! The ultimate comfort food your entire family will love! Make the best flavour-packed, creamy and delicious Indian butter chicken at home with this easy recipe. Serve it with Butter naan, Roti, Paratha, Steamed basmati rice or Jeera rice for a simple Indian meal. There are numerous versions to make Butter chicken recipe. In this post I share the recipe to make the authentic North Indian version known as Murgh Makhani.

Butter chicken, Indian Chicken makhani served in a kadai

Butter Chicken

Butter chicken also known as Chicken Makhani is a classic Indian dish where grilled chicken (Tandoori chicken) is simmered in a spicy, aromatic, buttery and creamy tomato gravy. This lip-smacking and delicious dish is hugely popular among the Indian food lovers across the world.

It is believed that Butter chicken was invented during 1930 to 1935, by Kundan Lal Gujral, the owner of a restaurant named Moti Mahal in Delhi, India. The restaurant would usually have large orders of tandoori chicken but sometimes ended up with leftovers which were dry.

Butter chicken was a way to use up the leftover dry Tandoori chicken. The large pieces of grilled chicken were diced and simmered in a rich creamy and buttery tomato gravy. That’s how murgh makhani – chicken with butter came into existence.

Butter Chicken Vs Chicken Tikka Masala

Though butter chicken and Chicken tikka masala have a lot of similarities, they both differ in taste, texture and flavor. Chicken tikka masala is spicy, hot and the tikka masala gravy has onions included in it. But Butter chicken is low on the heat & spice quotient and does not include onions in the gravy.

More importantly butter chicken is cooked in butter whereas chicken tikka masala is cooked in oil. Butter chicken has a smooth and silky gravy/sauce but tikka masala has a texture from the chopped and caramelized onions.

How Is Butter Chicken Made?

The original & authentic Butter chicken is made with tandoori grilled chicken. Firstly, Bone-in chicken is marinated overnight with thick yogurt, spices and herbs. This step helps to tenderize the meat naturally and remain succulent after grilling.

Later the marinated chicken is grilled in a tandoor, a clay oven which imparts its characteristic smoky aroma. This is then diced and simmered in a spicy buttery and creamy tomato gravy.

Since we are not equipped with tandoor at home, the marinated chicken has to be either roasted in a pan or in an oven or grilled on open fire (barbeque). For this post I have done it in a pan. Feel free to grill the chicken in oven or on open fire.

More Chicken recipes
Chilli chicken
Chicken curry
Chicken masala
Tandoori chicken

How To Make Butter Chicken (Stepwise Photos)

Preparation

You can make these on the previous day if you feel the butter chicken recipe is elaborate. I made it on the same day:

1. Marinate the chicken and refrigerate.

2. Make the Punjabi garam masala powder or decide on a good garam masala.

3. Puree the tomatoes & cashews in a blender until smooth. Filter through a colander to remove the skin and seeds.

4. If you do not own a powerful blender then soak the almonds or cashews for 1 to 2 hours and use.

5. The color of your gravy may differ based on your red chili powder. You may want to arrange for a good chili powder that is less hot like kashmiri chilli powder.

Marination

1. Marinating chicken helps to make it soft and tasty. Wash chicken and pat it dry. Make sure there is no excess water in the chicken. Marinate with lemon juice, chili powder and salt.

first marination for butter chicken

2. Set this aside for 15 to 20 minutes.

marinated with spice powder for butter chicken

3. Go ahead with the second marination. Marinate with fresh yogurt, ginger garlic paste, crushed kasuri methi, oil, turmeric and garam masala.

second marination with curd for butter chicken recipe

4. Marinate and refrigerate for atleast 12 hours. The longer it is marinated, the meat turns softer and just melts in the mouth. Do not use sour yogurt/ curd.

resting marinade overnight to make butter chicken

Grilling – cooking chicken

5. Grill the chicken in the oven or stove top. For grilling in oven, preheat the oven to 240 C for at least 15 minutes. Skew the chicken on to soaked wooden skewers or place on a greased tray and grill for 20 to 30 minutes. In between you will have to flip to the undone side.

6. If grilling chicken on tawa. Add one tsp. butter and fry on high. Moisture begins to ooze out. This is very common. Keep stirring don’t burn and do not over cook.

grilling chicken

7. Cook till the chicken is just done and all the moisture evaporates. Set this aside. You can even saute till the chunks turn lightly golden.

frying chicken for butter chicken

Make Butter Chicken Gravy

8. Heat butter in a pan, add cinnamon, cloves and cardamom. Saute for a min or two. Add ginger garlic paste, green chilies and fry for 2 to 3 minutes till the raw smell goes off. (I did not use green chilies since my kids still cannot tolerate the heat.)

frying ginger garlic paste

9. Pour the tomato puree. Add red chili powder, sugar and salt.

pouring tomato puree

10. Mix and cook till the tomato puree becomes thick and begins to leave the pan.

thickened tomato gravy

11. Pour 1 cup water. I made my cashew paste separately so added it now. Let it come to a boil and then simmer for 3 to 5 minutes.

pouring water and cashew cream

12. Add chicken and simmer for about 5 to 7 minutes till it becomes tender. The cook time may vary depending on how tender your meat is. I check with a fork, the piece just breaks upon piercing. Check the salt and spice. Adjust as needed.

Adding chicken to gravy

13. Add garam masala and crushed kasuri methi. You can adjust the consistency by adding more water, if the gravy is very thick. Mix well and simmer for about 2 to 3 minutes. Then add chilled cream. Switch off the stove.

or Take a small portion of hot gravy and add it to the cream first. Mix and then pour the cream to the curry. This prevents cream from curdling. Take care not to cook longer after adding cream.

making Indian butter chicken recipe

Garnish butter chicken with cream and coriander leaves. It is best served with Jeera rice , plain basmati rice, roti, naan or paratha .

Butter Chicken Recipe

Pro Tips

  • Marination is the key to get flavorful, tender & succulent pieces of chicken.
  • Yogurt in the marinade tenderizes the chicken so do not skip it.
  • Makhani recipe never uses onion so is this butter chicken recipe. Using onion changes the taste of the dish.
  • The rich taste in the gravy comes from the cashews (or almonds) & cream.
  • You can make the gravy ahead and refrigerate. Just grill the marinated chicken when needed and heat up the gravy. Then add the grilled chicken.

butter chicken

Related Recipes

Recipe Card

Butter chicken recipe

Butter Chicken Recipe | Chicken Makhani

Butter chicken is a popular Indian dish made with chicken, spices, tomatoes & cream. This creamy & authentic tasting butter chicken is the best you can make at home. Serve butter chicken with basmati rice or naan.

Pin Recipe

Print Recipe

Cook Mode

Prevent your screen from going dark

For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card

Ingredients (US cup = 240ml )

First marination

  • ½

    kg

    chicken

    (or 1 lb.) (preferably boneless)

  • ¾

    tablespoon

    lemon juice

  • ¼

    teaspoon

    Salt

  • ½

    teaspoon

    Red chili powder

    or paprika

Second marination

  • ¾

    teaspoon

    kasuri methi

    Optional (dried fenugreek leaves)

  • teaspoon

    turmeric

    (haldi)

  • ½ to ¾

    teaspoon

    garam masala

  • ¾

    tablespoon

    oil

  • 1

    tablespoon

    ginger garlic paste

  • ½

    cup

    greek yogurt

    or hung curd (thick curd, refer notes)

for gravy

  • 2

    tablespoon

    butter

  • 1

    teaspoon

    ginger garlic paste

  • 1

    cinnamon

    (2 inch piece, dalchini)

  • 2

    green cardamoms

    (elaichi)

  • 2

    cloves

    (laung)

  • 1 to 2

    green chilies

    (slit or sliced, optional)

  • 4

    large

    tomatoes

    pureed (400 to 500 grams)

  • 16

    to 18

    cashew nuts

    or blanched soaked almonds (refer notes)

  • 1

    teaspoon

    red chili powder

    or paprika (adjust to suit your taste and color)

  • ½ to ¾

    teaspoon

    garam masala

  • ½

    tablespoon

    kasuri methi

    crushed or powdered dried fenugreek leaves

  • ¼

    tablespoon

    sugar

  • salt as needed

  • 80 to 100

    ml

    chilled cream

    (heavy cream or whipping cream, refer the notes)

  • 2

    tbsp

    Coriander leaves

    for garnishing

Instructions

Preparation for chicken makhani

  • First marinate chicken with lemon juice, chili powder and salt for 20 minutes.

  • Next marinate again with yogurt, kasuri methi, oil, turmeric, ginger garlic paste, and garam masala powder. 

  • Cover & rest in the refrigerator for atleast 12 hours. You can keep it as long as 48 hours. The longer the chicken rests in the marinade, the more tender it will be after cooking.

  • Add the cashews to a blender jar along with tomatoes. Make a smooth puree. 

  • If the puree is not smooth, then pass it through a filter. Set this aside.

  • Also make the ginger garlic paste.

Grilling or roasting chicken

  • Grill the chicken in an oven or stove top.

  • For stove top method, Add one tsp butter to a pan and add the marinade. 

  • Fry on high flame till all the moisture evaporates.

  • To grill it in oven, preheat the oven to 240 C for at least 20 mins.

  • Grill it until the meat is cooked through & is tender. It may take about 20 to 30 mins depending on the size of your chicken chunks. Ensure chicken is tender at this stage.

How To Make Butter Chicken

  • Heat a pan with butter & saute cinnamon, cloves and cardamoms for a min. 

  • Add ginger garlic paste, green chilies and fry till it turns fragrant.

  • Next pour the tomato cashew puree.

  • Add red chili powder, sugar and salt. 

  • Mix and cook until the tomato puree becomes thick.

  • It also begins to leave the sides of the pan.

  • Pour 1 cup water. Add more or less water to suit your desired consistency. 

  • Bring the mix to a boil and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes.

  • Add chicken and simmer for about 5 minutes.

  • Butter chicken should become soft and tender. Add garam masala and kasuri methi.

  • Stir and simmer for about 2 to 3 minutes. Pour chilled cream and switch off the stove.

  • Garnish butter chicken with coriander leaves and extra cream if desired. Serve with long grain rice or naan or paratha.

Notes

  1. If you are using a young chicken, 4 hours of marination works. I have always found that the size of the chicken matters a lot. So if using larger sized or older chicken then rest it in the marinade for atleast 12 to 16 hours. This is the key to tender butter chicken.
  2. Curd/yogurt: If you do not have hung curd or greek yogurt, you can use thick yogurt too, but the cooking time increases slightly.
  3. Cream: You may use whipping cream/ heavy cream, thickened cream or sterilized cream. You can also use low fat cream but the gravy won’t be very rich. Chill the cream and add it to the gravy. Turn off the stove otherwise the gravy may split. or Take a small amount of hot gravy and add it to the cream in a separate bowl. Stir well. Then add the cream to the pan. This also helps to prevent curdling the cream.
  4. If using almonds, soak them in hot water for an hour and remove the skin.

Alternative quantities provided in the recipe card are for 1x only, original recipe.

For best results follow my detailed step-by-step photo instructions and tips above the recipe card.

NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)

Nutrition Facts

Butter Chicken Recipe | Chicken Makhani

Amount Per Serving

Calories 477

Calories from Fat 333

% Daily Value*

Fat 37g

57%

Saturated Fat 15g

94%

Cholesterol 137mg

46%

Sodium 301mg

13%

Potassium 620mg

18%

Carbohydrates 10g

3%

Fiber 2g

8%

Sugar 6g

7%

Protein 24g

48%

Vitamin A 2140IU

43%

Vitamin C 19.7mg

24%

Calcium 78mg

8%

Iron 1.9mg

11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Tried this recipe?

Mention @SwasthisRecipes or tag #swasthisrecipes

© Swasthi’s Recipes

Butter Chicken | Chicken Makhani