Easy Butter Chicken (30 minute recipe!)
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Since making this easy butter chicken recipe, I’ve stopped ordering takeout. My family likes this better than the murgh makhani we used to order, and dinner is on the table in only 30 minutes!
This easy butter chicken recipe has been my go-to for years. We eat a lot of curry around here, but this is one of the recipes I come back to again and again. It has a rich, creamy sauce, tender chicken, and all the warm spices that make butter chicken so irresistible. Whenever I serve it to friends, they’re quick to ask for the recipe.
One of my favorite tricks is blending the sauce. Not only does it create that silky, restaurant-style texture, but it also means you don’t have to spend time finely dicing onions and garlic. A rough chop is all you need before everything gets blended into a smooth, velvety masala.
The flavor starts with onions, garlic, ginger, and tomatoes, then a generous blend of spices, including garam masala, cumin, coriander, turmeric, cardamom, and chili powder. Chicken simmers in the sauce until tender, while cream and almond butter add richness and body. A touch of sugar rounds everything out, creating a curry that’s creamy, balanced, and packed with flavor.
And if you love using your slow cooker, make sure to check out my crockpot butter chicken!
What makes this recipe easy?
I’ve been making versions of this recipe for many years, so I’ve had ample opportunities to refine the method. My butter chicken recipe is straightforward to make, but still every bit as delicious as what you’ll find at your favorite restaurant. I simplified the traditional recipe in two ways:
- Cook the chicken in the sauce. Rather than marinating and then sauteeing the chicken (which is unnecessary with such a flavorful sauce), I cook it right in the sauce. This allows the chicken to poach gently, keeping it very tender.
- Simmer the sauce. Since I cook the sauce and chicken together, you get to skip the time most recipes spend simmering the sauce on its own: two birds, one stone, same result.
Tips for making this easy butter chicken recipe
- Brown the onions well. They add the most amazing flavor and contribute to the sweetness of the curry.
- When the onions are browning, add all the spices to a small bowl. This will make it quick and easy for you to add the spices once the onions are brown.
- If you’re serving this with rice, you can start the rice first. It will finish cooking before the butter chicken is ready, but you can remove it from the heat and set it aside until everything else is done.
Store, freeze, and reheat
Store: Leftovers taste amazing, so you may want to make a double batch. Let them cool, then store them in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Freeze: Butter chicken freezes well, making it a great option for a freezer meal. I often make a double batch and put leftovers in the freezer. It’s better and easier than takeout. I love these big reusable Stasher Bags for freezing leftovers. It will keep for at least 3 months in the freezer.
Reheat: I like to reheat curry in a pot over medium-low heat, but you can also reheat it in the microwave.
Easy Butter Chicken (30 minute recipe!)
Ingredients
The Curry
- 2 tablespoons butter (see notes)
- 2 yellow onions (roughly chopped)
- 3 tablespoons chopped ginger
- 6 cloves garlic (crushed)
- 28 ounce can of crushed or diced tomatoes
- 1 lb chicken breasts or thighs (cut into bite-sized pieces)
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup whipping cream (plain yogurt or coconut milk)
- 2 tablespoons almond butter (see notes)
- 2-4 tablespoons coconut sugar (can sub brown sugar)
- Sea salt (to taste – I like about 2 teaspoons)
- Cilantro (to serve)
The Spices
- 1 tablespoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 4 cardamom pods (seeds only – discard the pods)
Instructions
- Heat the butter in a large-sized frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, ginger, and garlic and cook for about 8-10 minutes, until well-browned, reducing the heat if necessary.2 tablespoons butter, 2 yellow onions, 3 tablespoons chopped ginger, 6 cloves garlic
- While the onion cooks, place the spices in a small bowl.1 tablespoon garam masala, 1 teaspoon ground turmeric, 1 teaspoon ground coriander, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 4 cardamom pods
- Add the spices to the pan and cook for 1 minute to remove their raw flavor. Pour the can of tomatoes into the pan and scrape the bottom to remove any bits that are stuck to the pan.28 ounce can of crushed or diced tomatoes
- Transfer the sauce to a blender and blend on high until smooth.
- Return the sauce to the pan, add the chicken and water, and bring the sauce to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan, and let the chicken cook for 10 minutes, until it is fully cooked.1 lb chicken breasts or thighs, 1 cup water
- Stir in the cream, almond butter, and coconut sugar. Season to taste with sea salt.½ cup whipping cream, 2 tablespoons almond butter, 2-4 tablespoons coconut sugar, Sea salt
- Serve with rice (and if you have it, naan) with some cilantro on top.Cilantro
Equipment Used
Notes
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
Wonderful recipe, so tasty and just what I was looking for. It made lots and for me it was enough for two dinners and two lunches. Very good and delicious. I did add a little cornstarch and water to it just to thicken it a little bit as I did find it a little bit too runny. But that is just my preference to have it a little thicker. Thanks for such a great recipe.
I’m so happy you loved it! And thank you for sharing how it worked for you — getting two dinners *and* two lunches out of it is such a win. A little cornstarch slurry is a perfect way to thicken it up if you like a heartier sauce.
Thanks so much for taking the time to leave your note! 💛
Wonderfully quick to assemble and i would say the flavour is excellent used coconut cream from coconuts in our garden and substituted the almond with bleached almond flour. resulted in a satisfying thick gravy and it was wonderful.
thank you very much Kirsten+ I have just discovered you, xx
I’m so happy you found me—and what a beautiful version you made! Using fresh coconut cream from your garden sounds absolutely dreamy, and I’m thrilled the gravy turned out so rich and satisfying. Thank you for the lovely comment and warm welcome—can’t wait for you to try more! xx 💛
awesome butter chicken recipe.thank you.
You’re very welcome!
looks tasty
Thanks, Ezra!
Hello,
I want to start by saying I have a very picky husband. When I was pregnant, a friend gave me some butter chicken, and it became a huge craving. My husband didn’t like it when he tried it, so I put off making it. Then my craving got so bad that I made it but left out the chili powder (for him) and I substituted the 6 cardamom pods with roughlya teaspoon of cinnamon. To my surprise, he loved it. This has become a bi-weekly dinner in this household.
That is the best story! I love it. Thank you for sharing!
How can I make this so it isn’t spicy? Thanks
This isn’t a spicy curry recipe at all. Most garam masala blends aren’t spicy, but double check yours before using it. If you are very sensitive to heat, you can omit the chili powder
Hi Kristen,
I have been a fan of your site for years and used many of your recipes. I want to try this one for a potluck, but it needs to be nut free. Can I omit the almond/cashew butter?
Hi Sandy! If the person you’re cooking for is able to have seeds, I would use tahini instead of the almond butter. But if not, just omit it. 🙂