Easy Butter Chicken
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This Easy Butter Chicken recipe (murgh makhani) can be on your dinner table in just 30 minutes. The sauce is deliciously rich and creamy, just like butter chicken from your favorite Indian restaurant.
Butter chicken is best served with a side of steamed basmati rice (or cauliflower rice for a healthier version). If you love butter chicken, make sure to check out this chicken tikka masala recipe. You'll love it, too.
Hello, friends. I've made a big pot of easy butter chicken, and I'm here to share it with you. Food is always so much better when we share it with friends, isn't it?
This easy butter chicken recipe is one I've been making for YEARS. I feel like I owe you a big apology for holding out on you for so long. Do you know those recipes that you make without using a recipe? The kind that you don't think to share because it's just part of your repertoire that you've grown so accustomed to making? That's this recipe for me.
The sauce is thick and rich, creamy, and full of warm Indian spices. I like that it's not as sweet as butter chicken that you get at some westernized Indian restaurants; it tastes more like the real thing.
And since it's made in only 4 easy steps there's really no reason not to treat yourself to curry tonight!
And if you love using your slow cooker, make sure to check out our crockpot butter chicken!
How to make butter chicken an easy recipe?
We've been making versions of this recipe for many years so we have had plenty of opportunities to tweak the method. Our butter chicken recipe is very easy to make but still every bit as delicious as what you'll find at your favorite restaurant. We simplify the traditional recipe in 2 ways:
- Cook the chicken in the sauce. Rather than marinating the chicken (unnecessary with such a flavorful sauce) and cooking it separately, we cook it right in the sauce. This lets the chicken poach gently so that it stays very tender.
- Simmer the sauce. Since we cook the sauce and chicken together we get to skip the time most recipes take to simmer the sauce by itself. Two birds, one stone, same result.
How to make butter chicken
Over the many years of making this recipe we've refined the method so that it is very simple to make. Here's what to do:
- Cook the onions, garlic, and ginger until deliciously caramelized.
- Add the spices and tomatoes then blend the sauce until smooth.
- Now cook the chicken in the sauce so that it's flavorful and tender.
That's it! You've just made your favorite Indian curry!
Tips for making easy butter chicken
- 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.
Do I need to use all those spices?
Yes, and no. Each of the spices adds a layer of flavor and leaving one out will change the taste of this recipe. But sometimes we all run out of spices or don't want to buy one because we don't think we'll use it often. I get it! If you're craving butter chicken and don't have any cumin on hand, don't sweat it, the curry will still taste great.
Garam masala is the most important spice here. It is a mix of different spices and adds the most flavor to the recipe. You could substitute curry powder, but I like garam masala better.
Is butter chicken healthy?
It can be! Most restaurant butter chicken recipes use copious amounts of butter, cream, and sugar. We reduce the amount of butter, have options for the cream (whipped cream, yogurt, or coconut milk – your choice!), and use just enough sweetener.
Does this easy butter chicken freeze well?
Yes! We often make a double batch and put leftovers in the freezer. It's better and easier than takeout. We love these big reusable Stasher Bags for freezing leftovers.
Easy Butter Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
The Curry
- 2 tablespoons butter or cooking oil
- 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
- ¼ cup whipping cream, plain yogurt, or coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons almond butter
- 2-4 tablespoons coconut sugar (can sub brown sugar)
- Sea salt (to taste (I like about 2 teaspoons))
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 oil in a large-sized frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, ginger, and garlic and cook for about 8 minutes, until well-browned, reducing the heat if necessary. While the onion cooks, place the spices in a small bowl.2 tablespoons butter or cooking oil, 2 yellow onions, 3 tablespoons chopped ginger, 6 cloves garlic, 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. Transfer to a blender and blend on high until smooth. Return the sauce to the pan.28 ounce can of crushed or diced tomatoes
- 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 through, about 10 minutes.1 lb chicken breasts or thighs, 1 cup water
- Stir in the cream, yogurt, or coconut milk, the almond butter, and the coconut sugar. Season to taste with sea salt.¼ cup whipping cream, plain yogurt, or coconut milk, 2 tablespoons almond butter, 2-4 tablespoons coconut sugar, Sea salt
Video
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
For more inspiration, check out all of our curry recipes!
Delicious recipe! I added 5 tbsp of coconut sugar to mine. It was a little watery for my liking so I’d probably do half a cup of water next time if I do it at all lol. Overall yummy.
Oh my goodness, this was so good. Made it because my son is allergic to milk, he loves it! Question for you….do you know if you can freeze it? I would like to make several batches for quick meals. Also, I like to provide freezer meals to those young moms who are moving, to busy to cook etc.
Thanks again for such an awesome recipe!
Yes, you can! It freezes excellently. I actually have some in my freezer right now. 🙂
Delicious. My husband liked so much he would eat over veggies, didn’t need chicken. Made ours with yogurt, almond butter and increased Garam Masala. Had leftovers for second night.
My blender had a problem so I couldn’t blend the sauce. But the taste was still delicious and not noticeably lumpy. I’d make this butter chicken again.
So so easy, tastes amazing
Perfect recipe.. Tasted exactly as an Indian restaurant
Good flavor – not overpowering spicy like some can be. I find most recipes, and this one included, grossly underestimate the time. Probably took me 30 minutes just to dice the vegetables and chicken. I think fresh ginger takes so long. I didn’t have almond butter on hand and didn’t want to try peanut butter – wanted to try the dish first to determine if wanted to add later or next time. I used boneless/skinless chicken thighs and simmered probably 30 minutes while I cleaned up and made side dishes of rice and roasted broccoli and carrots. Read comments afterwards that spoke of fenugreek but didn’t see it in recipe. Perhaps that was from a prior recipe version. But wish I had read since I do have fenugreek and didn’t even think about utilizing. Also didn’t have cardamom seeds on hand so just used cardamom powder. I really liked the recipe – and especially liked that there was lots of sauce for dipping. Just like the author said, I think I’d double next time so can freeze some for future meal since took so long to prepare – probably a total of 2 hours (granted we did have guests so there was some chatting involved but I’ve actually reduced the time by best guesstimate). Thanks for sharing!
If I don’t have a blender does that mess up a recipe If i don’t blend itt?
If you don’t have a blender, just make sure to mince the onion, garlic, and ginger as small as possible. 🙂
This looks delicious! I’m allergic to almonds. Is there something else I could substitute for the almond butter to help thicken it?
Can you have cashews? Cashew butter would also work. 🙂
I made a double batch of this last night and it was so good! Easy to make and was happily gobbled up by everyone, including my 11 year old (who also ate the leftovers for breakfast)!! I added a few kung pao peppers and some chilies because we all like things a bit extra hot. I will definitely be making this again.
Yay! So happy that you loved the recipe!!
Thanks for this tasty recipe
I’ve made this twice now and it’ll be in our regular line-up of meals. Delicious!! Both times I forgot the water, and my sauce was a little chunkier than yours, but the flavours are perfect. No more store bought sauce for me.
Thanks! I’m going to try the steak chili next.
Cheers
Michael
Very good! Even without any heavy/whipped cream. Will definitely try it again. Recieved compliments from my 9 year old who loves Indian food. Thanks for the recipe!
Thank you for such a delicious recipe. Appreciate the helpful tips also. I am fairly comfortable
in the Kitchen and have been cooking even more since the current world has shuttered many restaurants. I love Butter Chicken and even though I went on the healthy side using yogurt, this came out great with even brighter spice presence than restaurant version.
This is motivating me into doing more Indian recipes and maybe some Tikka Masalas. I liked this better than restaurant version the first time I made it.
You’re very welcome!
This was the best butter chicken recipe I have tried but it was still lacking from my favorite restaurant. To my families taste it was missing some spice and to much tomato. Next time I will ahead some more spice and more cream. Easy recipe to follow and will try again. Thank you for the recipe!
You’re very welcome!
Just made this curry and it tastes amazing!! Thanks for this fantastic recipe!