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A close-up of a spicy curry dish with chunks of meat in a rich, reddish-brown sauce, garnished with chopped fresh cilantro.

Butter Chicken

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Rich, creamy, and loaded with warming spices, this butter chicken is marinated in yogurt and aromatics before being oven-roasted and folded into a deeply flavorful tomato-based sauce. It’s a 5-star dinner that’s shockingly simple to make at home.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Course: Dinner, Meat
Cuisine: Indian-Inspired
Calories: 2630

Ingredients
  

For the Chicken
  • 2 lbs chicken thighs skinless and boneless, cut into cubes
  • For the Marinade
  • ½ cup Greek yogurt plain unsweetened
  • 2 tablespoon fresh lemon or lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon garlic grated
  • 1 tablespoon ginger grated
  • 1 tablespoon garam masala homemade or store-bought
  • 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chilli powder ground
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric ground
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
For the Butter Chicken Sauce
  • ½ stick butter
  • 1 tablespoon avocado oil
  • 1 tablespoon Kashmiri chilli powder
  • 2 teaspoon toasted cumin ground
  • 1 tablespoon garlic grated
  • 1 tablespoon ginger grated
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala homemade or store-bought
  • ¾ cup tomato paste
  • ½ cup crème fraîche
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon or lime juice
  • Fine sea salt to taste
  • 2 tablespoon cilantro chopped (tender stems and leaves)

Equipment

  • Large Mixing Bowl
  • Tongs or spatula
  • Oven with broiler setting
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Microplane or grater
  • Baking dish
  • Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot

Method
 

  1. In a mixing bowl, whisk together all marinade ingredients.
  2. Add chicken cubes and mix to coat well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
  3. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Spread marinated chicken and all marinade into a baking dish or roasting pan.
  4. Roast for 30–45 minutes, rotating the pan halfway, until internal temperature reaches 165°F.
  5. Move pan to top rack and broil for 2–4 minutes until the chicken chars slightly. Remove from oven.
  6. While chicken is cooking, begin the sauce. At the 20-minute mark, melt butter in a Dutch oven over low heat.
  7. Add oil, Kashmiri chilli powder, toasted cumin, garlic, ginger, and garam masala. Stir until fragrant, 30–45 seconds.
  8. Add tomato paste and cook 5–6 minutes, stirring often, until slightly browned.
  9. Stir in crème fraîche, the cooked chicken, and all juices from the baking dish.
  10. Bring to a boil over medium-high until the fat begins to separate from the sauce.
  11. Remove from heat and finish with lemon juice and sea salt to taste.
  12. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve immediately.

Nutrition

Calories: 2630kcalCarbohydrates: 60gProtein: 172gFat: 190gSaturated Fat: 54gPolyunsaturated Fat: 35gMonounsaturated Fat: 78gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 962mgSodium: 3499mgPotassium: 4289mgFiber: 10gSugar: 32gVitamin A: 4480IUVitamin C: 50mgCalcium: 405mgIron: 13mg

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