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Homemade Butter Chicken

A quick and easy butter chicken recipe with a creamy, comforting sauce, ready in just 30 minutes.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Calories: 650
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the chicken marinade
  • 1.5 pounds skinless boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized chunks
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder Fresh garlic gives it that extra flavor boost.
  • 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
  • 0.5 teaspoon curry powder
  • 1 tablespoon Greek yogurt
For the sauce
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 3 tablespoons butter, divided Use unsalted butter so you can control the salt.
  • 6 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt Adjust to taste.
  • 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 cups heavy cream Whole cream makes the sauce luxuriously smooth.
  • 0.5 teaspoon cayenne pepper Optional for heat.
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • 0.5 teaspoon curry powder
  • 0.25 cup freshly chopped parsley Optional, for garnish.
For serving
  • Naan bread
  • Steamed rice

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Put the chicken pieces in a bowl and add salt, garlic powder, paprika, curry powder, and Greek yogurt. Mix so every piece is coated and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.
Cooking the Sauce
  1. Heat vegetable oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
  2. Add the minced garlic and diced onion. Sauté until soft and fragrant.
  3. Pour in the tomato sauce and stir. Add sugar, salt, black pepper, heavy cream, cayenne (if using), garam masala, and an extra teaspoon of curry powder. Simmer until the sauce is glossy and slightly thickened.
Cooking the Chicken
  1. Heat another pan over medium-high and sear the marinated chicken pieces in batches until browned and cooked through.
Combining Ingredients
  1. Add the cooked chicken into the sauce. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and simmer for a couple more minutes to marry the flavors.
Serving
  1. Garnish with chopped parsley, if desired, and serve hot with naan and steamed rice.

Notes

Time-saver: Marinate while you chop the onions and garlic. Rescue trick: If the sauce tastes too acidic, add a pinch more sugar or a splash more cream.