Easy Butter Chicken (30 minute recipe!)
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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.
I am going make this tonight for my family, I want to use yoghurt….do I have to worry about the yoghurt splitting with heat? Or does the blending take care of that? Anybody else use yogurt?
Hopefully I hear back before I make it!
As long as you add the yogurt at the end (like in the recipe) then it won’t split. If you leave it to cook for a while that is when you’ll run the risk of it splitting. 🙂
I make a really time consuming butter chicken that Involves many spices and caramelizing the tomatoes (I guess that’s why you add the sugar), it’s delicious but it takes me about 4-5 hrs to make, can’t wait to try this recipe, just one question the cardamom is it green or black?
Thank you and I’ll let you know when I make it
Green cardamom! I’d love to hear if you think this recipe is good enough for a time saving butter chicken!
I tried this recipe today and I am in love! I adore this dish and never thought I could replicate it at home! You have single-handedly boosted my confidence as a cook, added a delicious recipe to my life and now made me a subscriber to your site. I will have to check out what other treasures you have in your backlog <3
That makes me so happy to hear!! Hooray!!
What if I omit the almond butter? Will it make a big difference? Thank you! Looking forward to trying the recipe
The almond butter definitely makes it creamier and richer in flavor. If you don’t have any on hand, you can omit and it will still be tasty. I’ve even used peanut butter in a pinch. It changes the flavor a bit, but it’s really good too. 🙂
This is a really good recipe, easy to follow instructions and very good flavour. I did make a couple minor adjustments- I used bone-in skinless chicken thighs (that was what I had on hand) and served them whole simmered in the sauce, and I omitted the chili (because my young kids can’t handle the heat) and the fenugreek (I didn’t have any). Overall a super hit with the family, even my toddler liked the sauce mixed with rice! This recipe will definitely make it into our regular rotation, thanks so much!
So I totally forgot to rate your recipe in my original comment… 5 stars!
Awww thank you so much for coming back to rate the recipe!
This is one of my toddler’s fav recipes, too! Good call on the bone in thighs – they’re my fav!
This was excellent and easy to follow directions, this was my first time making it and I will be adding it to my meal schedule. I do have one question about the rice. Any rice I try just isn’t the same, when I order it the rice is long and fluffy and tasty all on its own . But what I end up with is short sticky broken rice. Can you tell me what type of rice is commonly used. I am new to BC and Vancouver Island and I am hoping that since you’re a bc’er to you may have some idea
Thanks
I’m so happy you liked the recipe! You’ll want to use white basmati rice. It also sounds like you might be using too much water. I always use a little less than what the package calls for. 1 cup of white rice to slightly less than 1 1/2 cups of water. Bring the water and rice to a boil then cover the pot and reduce the heat to medium low. Let it cook for about 15 mins then remove the pot from the heat and let it sit (covered) for about 10 mins. That should give you fluffy rice!
While I don’t use a rice cooker, many people swear by them for perfect rice. 🙂
Welcome to BC!!!
Absolutely loved this recipe. Thank you for sharing ? Will most definitely be making this again.
I’m so happy you liked it!!
Deviated slightly from the original recipe but it was amazing! Got some restaurant Naan to go with the dish and cooked some lentils for another side. GREAT recipe and if you like butter chicken a definite must try. So surprised the ginger didn’t overpower the dish since there was so much of it but I was pleasantly surprised! And very delighted that it doesn’t take a million years of reducing for it to taste this good. Thanks for sharing 🙂
I’m so happy you liked the recipe!
I made your recipe tonight and it is amazing! I like every butter chicken and I have tried many recipes and they have all been disappointing, not this one! I did substitute wowbutter for the almond butter and it was still yummy. I think I shall be an avid follower of your blog from now on – nice to see your a “local” as well – I’m from Kamloops!
That makes me so happy to hear! And nice to meet a fellow BCer!!
Hi Kristen!
I love you recipes. I recently made the Easy Butter Chicken and it was delicious. I am big fan of Indian food and my favorite dish is Palak Paneer. Do you know how to make it from scratch? So far, I ate it only in the restaurant, but I would love to try to make it at home.
Best regards,
Vlasta Lyles
I’m so happy you like the butter chicken recipe. It’s one of my favs! Funny you mention Palak Paneer, I was planning on sharing one this fall! I haven’t quite perfected the recipe, but as soon as I do you’ll see it on the blog. I’ll make it soon for you!
Hello Kristen.
By preparing Indian food I learned there are many (like thousands recipes) for Garam masala. What spices do you use in yours?
To be totally honest, I use store-bought garam masala. If you make yours, I’m sure it will be even more delicious no matter what spices you use in it.
Would I be able to use fennel seeds instead of fenugreek?
I haven’t tried replacing fenugreek with fennel seeds before so I can’t say for sure. It’s such a small amount so I have no doubt you could leave it out. Garam masala also has a little fenugreek in it (usually) so you’ll get a little of that flavor already. 🙂
Tried your recipe tonight, we loved it! I’m dairy free so I used coconut cream for the cream add in and it worked perfect and didn’t add a coconut flavor. Will be making it again real soon!
I’m so happy to hear you liked the recipe!
Hi Kristen! I don’t have a blender at home -do you think a hand mixer would work as well? How important is it for the sauce to be really smooth?
Do you mean an immersion blender? That would definitely work. If you’re talking about handheld beaters (like you would use for mixing cake batter) that wouldn’t work. In that case, just mince the onions etc really fine. The texture will change, but it will still taste delicious!
Yum! This recipe looks very similar to my butter chicken recipe only I have never tried the almond butter in it. I usually blend up a bunch of cashews, but what a much easier idea to use the pre made almond butter. Good thing you’re smarter than me and figured it out 🙂 I’ll invite you when I make it. Im just a hop skip and a jump down the valley from you…
So nice to ‘meet’ a fellow BCer! (That looks really funny written, but I swear it doesn’t sound funny to me when I say it.) 🙂
Is there a difference between Butter Chicken and Chicken Tikka Masala? This looks delicious!
Thanks –
Lori
They’re similar but there is a difference. Exactly what that difference is seems to depend on who you ask. If you’ve had Chicken Tikka Masala before and liked it you will like Butter Chicken too!