Description
A rich and creamy Butter Chicken recipe featuring tender chicken breast simmered in a flavorful tomato-based sauce with aromatic spices and finished with cream and Greek yogurt. Perfectly balanced, this classic Indian dish is easy to make on the stovetop and pairs wonderfully with rice or naan.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp butter, divided
Aromatics & Spices
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp grated ginger
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp chili powder (adjust to taste)
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground coriander
Sauce & Garnish
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
- Fresh cilantro, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Sauté the Chicken: Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the bite-sized chicken pieces, season them with salt and pepper, and cook for 5 to 7 minutes until they turn golden brown on all sides. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
- Cook the Aromatics: In the same skillet, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter. Sauté the chopped onion for 2 to 3 minutes until it becomes soft and translucent. Then add minced garlic and grated ginger, cooking for an additional minute until fragrant.
- Toast the Spices: Stir in the garam masala, ground cumin, turmeric, chili powder, ground cinnamon, and ground coriander. Toast these spices in the skillet for about 1 minute to release their aroma and flavor.
- Make the Sauce: Pour in the tomato sauce and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Let it cook for 5 to 6 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
- Add Cream & Yogurt: Lower the heat and stir in the heavy cream and plain Greek yogurt until the sauce is smooth and creamy. Be careful not to let the sauce boil after adding the dairy to prevent curdling.
- Simmer with Chicken: Return the browned chicken pieces to the skillet, stirring to coat them evenly with the sauce. Allow everything to simmer together for 5 to 7 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked and the flavors meld.
- Serve & Garnish: Remove the skillet from heat. Garnish the butter chicken with freshly chopped cilantro. Serve hot with steamed basmati rice or warm naan bread.
Notes
- Adjust the amount of chili powder according to your desired spice level.
- Use full-fat Greek yogurt for the creamiest sauce and best texture.
- If fresh ginger is unavailable, substitute with 1 teaspoon of ground ginger.
- This dish reheats well and can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- For a dairy-free version, substitute butter with oil and use coconut cream instead of heavy cream and yogurt.
