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Home » Blog » Main Dish Recipes » Easy Butter Chicken

Easy Butter Chicken

Cathy Roma Published: Oct 30, 2019

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This drool-worthy recipe for easy butter chicken is weeknight ready with a sauce that you'll want to slurp with a spoon!
This drool-worthy recipe for easy butter chicken is weeknight ready with a sauce that you’ll want to slurp with a spoon!
Easy Butter Chicken in a cast iron pot with rice and cilantro alongside.

This recipe for easy butter chicken is the equivalent to a cozy pair of fuzzy socks, your favorite perfectly worn in pair of jeans, or a long soak in a hot tub.

It’s comforting. It’s cozy. It’s satisfying. And a tiny bit indulgent.

And the best part? Easy enough to whip up during the week.

Overhead shot of a bowl of Easy Butter Chicken with a cilantro garnish and charred naan.

A Quick Butter Chicken Backstory

Butter chicken is a classic Indian dish that originated in the 1950’s when restaurant owners crafted the dish with leftover tandoori chicken stirred into a buttery tomato-based sauce.

The dish quickly grew in popularity and is now one of the most popular dishes in the country, and beloved all of the world.

Traditionally, butter chicken is made with bone-in pieces of chicken, marinated in lemon, a spice blend, and yogurt. And while absolutely delicious, a quick weeknight dinner this is not.

A bowl of Easy Butter Chicken served with rice, naan and cilantro.

An Easy Update

To make mouth-watering butter chicken weeknight easy, I have skipped the marinating steps and opted for boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or thighs) cut into uniform cubes.

I toss the cut up chicken with a spice rub (dial up the heat if you like it spicy) and let it stand in the frig until you’re ready to cook. The chicken is cooked in melted butter, then removed to plate while you work on the sauce.

Easy Butter Chicken in a cast iron dutch oven with a wooden spoon in the pot.

This dish is all about the sauce for me. Vibrant and velvety, rich and creamy, this sauce is EVERYTHING. It starts by caramelizing onion, garlic, and ginger in butter (of course). Next up tomato paste, and a big dose of seasonings, followed by stock and tomato sauce.

Heavy cream is stirred in for added richness and I like to swirl in an extra pat of butter right before serving for the win.

Drooling yet? Let’s get cooking.

Let’s make Easy Butter Chicken

Step by step photo showing how to make Easy Butter Chicken. Toss the chicken cubes with spices (1), cook the chicken (2), saute the onion, garlic and ginger (3), add the spices and tomato paste (4), add the remaining ingredients (5), stir in the cooked chicken (6).
  1. Toss the chicken with the spices and let it stand for at least 30 mins.
  2. Cook the chicken in butter and remove to a plate.
  3. Add more butter to the pan and saute the onion, garlic, chile, and ginger until golden brown.
  4. Add the seasonings and tomato paste.
  5. Next add tomato sauce, a pinch of sugar, a cinnamon stick, stock, and heavy cream.
  6. Stir in the cooked chicken and simmer before serving over rice with a sprinkle of cilantro.
A serving of Easy Butter Chicken in a black bowl with naan and cilantro scattered around.

Tips for success

  • Thirty mins is all you’ll need to let the cubed chicken stand in the spice rub, but longer is even better if you have the time.
  • Don’t overcook the chicken when you first cook it. Cook it just until most of the pink is gone, it will finish cooking in the sauce.
  • Don’t boil the sauce after the cream is added. You want a low simmer so the sauce doesn’t break.
  • Butter chicken is delicious served over basmati rice with a sprinkle of cilantro. I love a piece of charred naan to dunk in the sauce too!

More Easy Chicken Dishes

  • Thai Basil Chicken
  • Chicken Breasts with Creamy Spinach Sauce
  • Easy Chicken Enchilada Casserole
  • Chicken and Broccoli Stir-Fry
Close up of a serving of Easy Butter Chicken served with charred naan.
5 from 6 votes
A bowl of Easy Butter Chicken served with rice, naan and cilantro.
Print
Easy Butter Chicken
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
45 mins
Marinating Time
30 mins
Total Time
1 hr 35 mins
 

This drool-worthy recipe for easy butter chicken is weeknight ready with a sauce that you'll want to slurp with a spoon!

Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: butter chicken
Servings: 6 Servings
Calories: 490 kcal
Author: Cathy Roma | What Should I Make For…
Ingredients
Dry Rub
  • 1 Tbsp garam masala
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • pinch of cayenne
  • 2.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or thighs), cut into 1 inch cubes
Butter Chicken
  • 5 Tbsp unsalted butter, divided
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 Tbsp grated ginger (fresh)
  • 1 small chile, seeded and minced
  • 1 Tbsp garam masala
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 Tbsp tomato paste
  • 15 oz tomato sauce (1 can)
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 2/3 cup chicken stock
  • 1 cup heavy cream
To Serve
  • fresh cilantro
  • cooked basmati rice
  • naan
Instructions
  1. Stir together all of the spices for the dry rub. Toss the spice rub with the chicken cubes. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 mins.

  2. Melt 2 Tbsp butter in a dutch oven or heavy bottomed pot over high heat and add the chicken. Cook, until the pink is gone, about 5 mins. Remove to a plate.

  3. Add 2 Tbsp butter to the pan and melt. Add the onion and minced chile. Saute until golden brown, about 10 mins.

  4. Add the garlic and grated ginger, season with kosher salt. Saute for 2-3 more mins. Stir in the garam masala and tomato paste. Cook for one more minute.

  5. Stir in the tomato sauce, stock, heavy cream and cinnamon stick. Reduce the heat and bring just to a simmer (NOT a boil). Add the chicken and collected juices to the sauce. Stir and let simmer, uncovered, for 15 mins. Stir in the remaining Tbsp of butter.

  6. Serve over basmati rice with sprinkle of fresh cilantro and naan if desired.

Recipe Notes
  • Thirty mins is all you’ll need to let the cubed chicken stand in the spice rub, but longer is even better if you have the time.
  • Don’t overcook the chicken when you first cook it. Cook it just until most of the pink is gone, it will finish cooking in the sauce.
  • Don’t boil the sauce after the cream is added. You want a low simmer so the sauce doesn’t break.
  • Butter chicken is delicious served over basmati rice with a sprinkle of cilantro. I love a piece of charred naan to dunk in the sauce too!
Nutrition Facts
Easy Butter Chicken
Amount Per Serving
Calories 490 Calories from Fat 270
% Daily Value*
Fat 30g46%
Saturated Fat 16g100%
Cholesterol 202mg67%
Sodium 1443mg63%
Potassium 1067mg30%
Carbohydrates 11g4%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 5g6%
Protein 43g86%
Vitamin A 1283IU26%
Vitamin C 10mg12%
Calcium 63mg6%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
49

Main Dish Recipes, Recipe, Soup and Stew Recipes indian cuisine, butter, comfort food, stew, dutch oven, butter chicken, indian

About Cathy Roma

My food philosophy is simple: everything in moderation. Sweet, savory, healthy, decadent…food, like life, is all about balance. I rely on my background as a trained chef/mom to create family-friendly recipes that will inspire you to cook, not complicate your life.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Adrienne Carey says

    August 19, 2020 at 6:03 pm

    5 stars
    I made this on Monday night in my new Dutch oven and it was delicious! Thanks for the easy recipe! Adrienne

    Reply
    • Cathy Roma says

      August 22, 2020 at 12:25 pm

      I’m so glad you enjoyed! Nothing better than butter chicken or a brand new Dutch oven!

  2. Jacqueline says

    January 30, 2021 at 6:16 am

    5 stars
    Wow this was delicious! I didn’t have a Chile, so we added chili powder and a 1/4 tsp of the sauce from Chipotle’s in adobo. We also served that sauce as an extra spicy garnish and added jalapeños to the cilantro. It was amazing! Thank you for the great recipe!

    Reply
  3. Amy says

    January 8, 2022 at 11:55 pm

    This is the best Indian I’ve ever made. Thank you for sharing your recipe!

    Reply
  4. Donna Babaev says

    November 23, 2022 at 8:46 pm

    5 stars
    This hit the spot! Used dried red chili and a 1/2 mixture of cream 1/2 milk because that’s what I had on hand. I had a small issue with the milk /cream curdling because I had the heat too high (I swear it was barely medium heat) I added more butter and whisked until it smoothed out. It came out really tasty in the dutch oven!

    Reply
    • Cathy Roma says

      November 24, 2022 at 2:30 pm

      So glad you resolved the sauce and enjoyed!

  5. Sam says

    January 16, 2023 at 2:08 am

    5 stars
    Definitely does not turn out that color with the cream and tomato sauce but it’s tasty.

    Reply
  6. Sam says

    January 30, 2023 at 12:01 am

    Ok it turns the right color after sitting some time. This recipe is the bomb.

    Reply
    • Cathy Roma says

      January 31, 2023 at 6:57 pm

      Glad it all worked out Sam! This recipe is in our steady rotation, especially in the winter months.

  7. Elissa says

    January 23, 2024 at 1:01 am

    5 stars
    We love this recipe! My kids eat it all up even though they tend to be picky eaters. I usually use a can of fire roasted tomatoes that I blend before adding because we never have tomato sauce on hand, but it’s delicious even with this substitution. Thank you so much for sharing your recipe!

    Reply
5 from 6 votes (1 rating without comment)

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HEY THERE, I’M CATHY.

My food philosophy is simple: everything in moderation. Sweet, savory, healthy, decadent…food, like life, is all about balance. I rely on my background as a trained chef/mom to create family-friendly recipes that will inspire you to cook, not complicate your life.

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