Butter Chicken (Murgh Makhani)
Tender chicken in a velvety tomato cream sauce with butter, mildly spiced and deeply aromatic.
- Preparation
- 25 min
- Cook/bake time
- 35 min
- Total
- 2 hr
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 818 kcal
- Servings
- 4
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cooking & baking
- 35 min
- Resting
- 1 hr
Only 1 hr of that is hands-on – the rest takes care of itself.
Tender chicken in a velvety tomato cream sauce with butter, mildly spiced and deeply aromatic. The meat is first marinated in yogurt and seared over high heat before being added to the sauce, because these roasted aromas are the difference to just any curry dish. The most accessible introduction to Indian cuisine.
Why this works
The yogurt in the marinade works on two levels: its lactic acid tenderizes the muscle protein, and its casein adheres to the meat as a thin protein layer that browns immediately when seared. These roasted aromas are the real difference to a curry in which raw meat cooks in the sauce, without them the dark base note is missing, no matter how long you season it.
Step-by-step instructions
- 1
Marinate the chicken
Mix the yogurt with garlic, ginger, Garam Masala, turmeric, cumin, and salt, and thoroughly coat the chicken pieces with it. Let them marinate in the refrigerator for at least one hour, preferably overnight. The lactic acid in the yogurt tenderizes the meat and carries the spices deep inside, instead of just laying them on the outside.
- 2
Sear over high heat
Heat a heavy skillet without fat until really hot and sear the marinated chicken in batches for two minutes per side, until it gets dark, almost black roasted spots. It does not need to be cooked through yet. These roasted aromas imitate the tandoor oven and are the most important flavor carrier of the whole dish.
- 3
Onion base
Melt the butter in the same pot and sauté the onions over medium heat for eight to ten minutes, until they are soft and golden yellow. Add garlic and ginger and fry for one minute. Then sprinkle Garam Masala, paprika, and chili powder over them and roast for thirty seconds in the fat, until intensely fragrant.
- 4
Simmer the sauce
Pour in the tomato purée, loosening the browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon. Let the sauce simmer uncovered over low heat for fifteen minutes, until it has thickened significantly and the fat separates at the edges. Then purée it really finely with an immersion blender, because the velvety texture is what makes this dish.
- 5
Finish
Stir in the cashew butter, heavy cream, and sugar, and return the seared chicken along with any accumulated juices to the pot. Let everything gently simmer for eight minutes, until the meat is cooked through. Finally, rub the Kasuri Methi between your palms over the sauce, its slightly bittersweet aroma is the scent you know from Indian restaurants.
Our best tips
- Use boneless skinless chicken thighs instead of breast, it stays much juicier in the sauce.
- Kasuri Methi is available in Asian or Indian grocery stores. It is the ingredient that makes the difference between homemade and restaurant quality.
- Purée the sauce really finely before refining it. Chunky tomato sauce turns this into a different dish.
Tasty variations
Paneer Makhani
Replace the chicken with 500 g of seared paneer cubes, the sauce remains identical.
Lighter
Replace the heavy cream with coconut milk and halve the butter, then it becomes milder in fat content.
Nutrition facts
| Calories | 818 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 42 g |
| Carbohydrates | 26 g |
| – of which sugar | 18 g |
| Fat | 61 g |
| Fiber | 5 g |
Where the 818 kcal come from
per serving
Calculated from the ingredients – how we do it
We add up reference values for every ingredient and divide by the number of servings. These assumptions are baked in:
- Reference values per 100 g – for the raw ingredient, exactly as listed.
- Tinned goods count at drained weight, bone-in meat at purchase weight: you eat about 70 per cent of a chicken thigh and leave the rest.
- Water evaporates as you cook. The energy stays in the pot, the weight does not – so the figure is per serving, not per 100 g of finished dish.
- Anything listed without a quantity – “salt and pepper” – is not counted.
A guide value, not a lab measurement: no two onions weigh the same, and fat content varies from pack to pack.
Frequently asked questions
Is Butter Chicken spicy?
No, it is deliberately mild and creamy. The warmth comes from Garam Masala, not from chili. You can adjust it upwards with the chili powder, though.
What is the difference to Chicken Tikka Masala?
Butter Chicken is milder, sweeter, and significantly more buttery. Tikka Masala has a stronger seasoning and usually a chunkier sauce.
Can I prepare it in advance?
Yes, it tastes even better the next day. When reheating, add a splash of heavy cream or water, because the sauce thickens.
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