Say hello to the glorious butter chicken with cream! It’s curry day, don’t you know. If that doesn’t excite your taste buds, nothing will. Also known as murgh makhani or murgh achari, this recipe is self-explanatory in terms of flavour without going overboard on spices.
Butter Chicken is one of my all-time favorite Indian dishes, the taste is simply amazing. I have experimented with adding cream to my butter chicken and it gives a completely different feel and taste to this dish.
CREAMY BUTTER CHICKEN
This Indian inspired Creamy Butter Chicken is a recipe that will soon be on your regular dinner rotation! A mild, easy and creamy dish that can be made in 30 minutes!
A HOMEMADE BUTTER CHICKEN RECIPE
I learned to have an appreciation for Indian-style food while living in England. Lots of Indian restaurants in England tone down the spice to appeal to a broader amount of people who aren’t used to the traditional stronger Indian spices. England has large Indian communities and there are lots of Indian restaurants on almost every corner (similar to our Chinese restaurants here in America.) Butter Chicken is one of those Indian-style recipes that appeal to everyone since it’s not super heavy on the spice like other traditional Indian dishes. If you want to try a deliciously easy recipe that you can make in about 30 minutes, then you have to try my version of Creamy Butter Chicken!
TIPS FOR MAKING BUTTER CHICKEN:
- You can use chicken breasts or chicken tenders for this recipe. This is also a wonderful recipe to use for chicken thighs!
- This recipe has a mild spice. If you would like it spicier you can add more chili powder or more ginger to your liking.
- Sometimes garam masala is hard to find. For this you can substitute this with curry powder.
- You can also substitute grated ginger with ground ginger as well. For this recipe you would use ½ teaspoon of ground ginger.
- This recipe uses turmeric which is one of my favorite spices as it has so many health benefits. It is supposed to help with inflammation, is an age fighting antioxidant, helps with cardiovascular health and helps with blood sugar.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (FULL RECIPE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST)
- oil
- chicken breasts
- butter
- onion
- minced garlic
- grated fresh ginger
- garam masala
- turmeric
- smoked paprika
- chili powder
- salt
- diced tomatoes
- tomato paste
- chicken broth
- heavy cream
- cilantro, optional
HOW TO MAKE CREAMY BUTTER CHICKEN:
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken and stir to cook until done, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from skillet and set aside.
Melt butter in the same skillet, then add the onion, garlic and ginger. Cook until onions are translucent, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garam masala, turmeric, smoked paprika, chili powder and salt and mix well, cooking about a minute to let the flavors meld together.
Add the diced tomatoes, tomato paste and chicken broth.
Return the cooked chicken to the skillet. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer uncovered 10 to 15 minutes, until sauce has thickened.
Remove from heat and stir in the heavy cream and cilantro.
Stir together until combined.
Serve over rice if desired.
HOW TO STORE:
- To store Creamy Butter Chicken Recipe place in an airtight container or ziptop bag in the refrigerator, this should last 3-4 days.
- Creamy Butter Chicken can also be frozen. Cook and let cool then place in a freezer bag and it should keep for up to 3 months.
- To reheat, take out of the freezer and let defrost in the refrigerator, reheat on the stove by placing in a pan and cook until warmed through.
Best Butter Chicken
Butter Chicken is one of the recipes most frequently requested of me.
It’s one I make fairly often, so I don’t know why it’s taken me so long to post it!
This restaurant favourite is creamy, flavourful and mild on the spectrum of Indian curries. My version is simplified (read: doesn’t require a plethora of spices that you’ll buy and only need one-eighth of a teaspoon of) but doesn’t suffer in the flavour department. This is definitely a lick-your-plate dinner.
Most butter chicken recipes require cooking the chicken separately first, then simmering in the sauce.
I don’t think this extra cooking step is necessarily crucial, especially for the sake of an easy weeknight dinner. The marinade, however, is important because the chicken breasts don’t take long to cook, so they won’t absorb much of the flavour from the sauce. If you are a planner, marinate the chicken overnight for maximum benefit (but even a half-hour to mingle with the spices will make a difference). And if you are a planner AND a perfectionist, then feel free to add an extra step and char the chicken cubes a bit on a grill/grill pan, or under a broiler for a few minutes before tossing them in the sauce.
One thing you don’t want to rush is the caramelizing of the onions – it’s a really important layer of flavour in any Indian curry, and especially in a sweeter one like this.
CREAMY BUTTER CHICKEN
PREP TIME:
15 MINSCOOK TIME:
15 MINS
The easiest and creamiest butter chicken you’ll ever make just like your favorite take out! It only takes 30 minutes to throw all together and the whole family will love it. Just serve it with some basmati rice and garlic naan!
CREAMY BUTTER CHICKEN
CREAMY BUTTER CHICKEN
The easiest and creamiest butter chicken you’ll ever make just like your favorite take out! It only takes 30 minutes to throw all together and the whole family will love it. Just serve it with some basmati rice and garlic naan!
15 MINSCOOK TIME:
15 MINS
INGREDIENTS
- 1.5 pounds chicken breast about 2 large breasts cubed
- 1/4 cup plain whole yogurt
- 2 teaspoons fresh ginger minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons garam masala
- 1 tablespoon coriander
- 1 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1 to 2 teaspoons cayenne powder to taste for spicyness
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 tablespoon turmeric
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil or ghee
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1/2 cup tomato sauce
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon sugar or sweetness to taste
- garnish: chopped cilantro and yogurt
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a large bowl, add the cubed chicken breast, yogurt, fresh ginger, fresh garlic, garam masala, coriander, cumin, cayenne, salt, and turmeric. Mix together and optional, allow to marinade for at least an hour or more.
- Add 1 tablespoon of oil or ghee to a pan and cook your chicken over high heat until it has some browning and is cooked through. Do not overcook because it will continue to cook in the sauce. Set aside.
- In a saucepan, add 2 tablespoons oil or ghee over medium-high heat. Add the tomato paste and cook for about 3-4 minutes until it darkens in color.
- Add the tomato sauce, heavy cream, butter, and sugar. Whisk until smooth.
- Now add the chicken into the sauce, mix, and taste. Adjust to your liking.
- Garnish with chopped cilantro and a yogurt drizzle!