This Easy Butter Chicken is ready in 45 minutes! Tender chicken in a rich, creamy tomato sauce with aromatic spices, butter, and cream. Tastes just like your favorite Indian restaurant but made simple at home. Naturally gluten-free and absolutely delicious! 🍛✨
Indian restaurant butter chicken has a magical quality that makes it irresistible. That silky, aromatic tomato cream sauce with tender chunks of chicken tastes complex and sophisticated, yet this easy version proves you can recreate it at home without complicated techniques or hard to find ingredients.
The secret lies in building layers of flavor with common spices like garam masala, cumin, and coriander, then balancing them with tomatoes, cream, and butter. The chicken marinates briefly in yogurt and spices for extra tenderness and flavor, then simmers in the luscious sauce until everything melds together beautifully.
This recipe delivers restaurant quality results in your own kitchen with straightforward steps and ingredients you can find at any grocery store. Serve it over basmati rice or with warm naan bread for an impressive dinner that feels special but fits into busy schedules.
Ingredients
For the chicken marinade
This quick marinade tenderizes and flavors the chicken.
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite sized pieces
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons garam masala
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
For the butter chicken sauce
This creates the signature rich, aromatic sauce.
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium onion, finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
- 2 teaspoons garam masala
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, adjust to taste
- 1 can 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon honey or sugar
- Salt to taste
For serving
Complete the meal with traditional accompaniments.
- Fresh cilantro, chopped
- Basmati rice, cooked
- Naan bread, warmed
- Extra cream for drizzling
How to Make the Recipe
Marinate the chicken
In a medium bowl, combine yogurt, lemon juice, garam masala, cumin, coriander, turmeric, chili powder, and salt. Add the chicken pieces and toss until evenly coated. Cover and marinate for at least 15 minutes at room temperature, or up to 4 hours in the refrigerator for more flavor.
Cook the marinated chicken
Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Remove chicken from marinade, shaking off excess, and add to the hot pan. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown on all sides and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
Build the sauce base
In the same skillet, reduce heat to medium and add butter. Once melted, add diced onion and cook for 5 to 6 minutes until softened and lightly golden. Add garlic and ginger, stirring constantly for 1 minute until fragrant.
Add all the spices for the sauce to the pan and stir for 30 seconds to toast them and release their essential oils. This step intensifies the aromatic quality significantly.
Simmer the tomato cream sauce
Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Add crushed tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Let the sauce cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, to allow flavors to meld and the sauce to thicken slightly.
Reduce heat to low and stir in heavy cream and honey. The sauce should turn a beautiful orange color. For an ultra smooth sauce, use an immersion blender directly in the pan or carefully transfer to a regular blender and puree until silky.
Finish the butter chicken
Return the cooked chicken to the pan along with any accumulated juices. Stir gently to coat the chicken in sauce. Simmer for 5 more minutes to heat the chicken through and let it absorb the flavors. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt.
Remove from heat and garnish with fresh cilantro. Serve immediately over basmati rice or with warm naan bread for scooping up the sauce.
What This Dish Tastes Like
Rich and aromatic
The combination of garam masala, cumin, and coriander creates warm, complex aromatics that smell incredible and taste even better. The spices are noticeable but balanced, never overwhelming.
Creamy and slightly sweet
The cream and butter give the sauce luxurious body while the tomatoes provide acidity. A touch of honey balances everything with gentle sweetness that rounds out the flavors.
Mildly spiced comfort
This version is mild enough for most families while still delivering authentic flavor. The cayenne adds gentle warmth without aggressive heat. You can always increase spice for those who want more kick.
Tips for the Best Results
Don’t skip marinating
Even a quick 15 minute marinade makes a difference. The yogurt tenderizes the chicken while the spices infuse flavor. Longer marinating up to 4 hours creates even better results.
Toast the spices
Taking time to toast dried spices in the pan before adding liquid awakens their flavors and removes any raw taste. This small step creates huge flavor impact.
Use quality garam masala
Garam masala is the signature spice blend that defines butter chicken. Buy good quality garam masala or make your own blend. Fresh spices make all the difference.
Blend for silky texture
While not required, blending the sauce creates that signature restaurant smooth texture. An immersion blender is easiest, but a regular blender works too.
Balance the flavors
Taste before serving and adjust. Add more honey if too acidic, more salt if flat, or more cream if too spicy. Butter chicken should be harmoniously balanced.
Variations
Extra creamy version
Use half and half instead of heavy cream and add 2 tablespoons of cashew butter or ground cashews. Blend these into the sauce for incredible richness and body.
Tandoori butter chicken
Marinate chicken overnight in tandoori spices including kashmiri chili powder and yogurt. Grill or broil the chicken before adding to the sauce for smoky depth.
Vegetarian butter paneer
Replace chicken with cubed paneer cheese or extra firm tofu. Skip the marinade and simply pan fry the paneer until golden before adding to the sauce.
Slow cooker version
Marinate chicken, then add everything except cream to a slow cooker. Cook on low for 6 hours. Stir in cream during the last 30 minutes of cooking.
How to Serve
Over basmati rice
Fluffy basmati rice is the traditional accompaniment. The long grain rice absorbs the sauce perfectly and its subtle flavor doesn’t compete with the butter chicken.
With warm naan bread
Warm naan, roti, or paratha are essential for scooping up every bit of sauce. Brush naan with garlic butter for extra indulgence.
Create a full Indian meal
Serve alongside basmati rice, naan, cucumber raita, mango chutney, and a simple salad for an impressive Indian feast at home.
Perfect for meal prep
This dish tastes even better the next day as flavors continue to develop. Pack individual portions with rice for easy grab and go lunches throughout the week.
Make Ahead and Storage
Marinate chicken ahead
Marinate chicken up to 24 hours in advance. The longer it sits, the more flavorful and tender it becomes. Keep refrigerated until ready to cook.
Make sauce in advance
Prepare the entire sauce up to 3 days ahead. Store in the refrigerator. When ready to serve, cook fresh chicken and add to reheated sauce.
Refrigerate leftovers properly
Store in airtight containers for up to 4 days. The flavors improve as they sit. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding a splash of cream if needed.
Freeze for later
Butter chicken freezes beautifully for up to 3 months. Cool completely, portion into containers, and freeze. Thaw overnight and reheat gently.
Why This Recipe Becomes a Favorite
Restaurant quality at home
This tastes remarkably like the butter chicken from your favorite Indian restaurant but costs a fraction of the price and lets you control ingredients and spice levels.
Accessible ingredients
No need to hunt down specialty ingredients. Everything is available at regular grocery stores. The spice combinations create complex flavor from simple components.
Crowd pleasing flavors
Butter chicken appeals to adventurous eaters and cautious ones alike. The mild, creamy, slightly sweet sauce wins over even those who claim they don’t like Indian food.
Special occasion worthy
This feels fancy enough for dinner parties and date nights but comes together simply enough for regular weeknight rotation once you get comfortable with the process.
This Easy Butter Chicken brings restaurant quality Indian flavors to your home kitchen with tender chicken in rich, aromatic tomato cream sauce. It delivers comfort, warmth, and satisfaction in every spoonful. May this recipe become your go-to when you crave something special and delicious.
