This rich and creamy butter chicken recipe is built for a relaxed dinner: tender chicken, a tomato-based sauce, warming spices and enough cream to make the sauce feel luxurious. It serves four and tastes even better after the flavours have had time to settle.
Ingredients
- 700g boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
- 150g unsweetened plain yoghurt
- 2 teaspoons garam masala, divided
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 tablespoon grated ginger
- 400g crushed tomatoes
- 150ml cream
- 20g butter
- Salt and chilli powder to taste
- Coriander and basmati rice, to serve
Marinate the chicken
Combine the chicken with yoghurt, half the garam masala, cumin and turmeric. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to overnight. The yoghurt helps the spices cling to the chicken and protects the surface during cooking.
Cook the butter chicken
- Heat a wide pan over medium-high heat. Add the oil, then brown the chicken in batches. It does not need to cook through yet. Set it aside.
- Lower the heat and cook the onion for 6–8 minutes until soft. Add garlic, ginger and the remaining garam masala; stir for 30 seconds.
- Add the tomatoes and simmer for 10 minutes, scraping up the flavour from the pan.
- Return the chicken and any juices. Simmer gently until the thickest piece is cooked through.
- Reduce the heat, stir in the cream and butter, then season. Do not boil hard after adding the cream.
How to balance the richness
Serve the curry with rice and a vegetable side such as green beans, broccoli or cucumber salad. If you want a lighter sauce, replace part of the cream with unsweetened yoghurt, but add it off the heat to reduce the chance of splitting.
Make-ahead and storage
Cool leftovers promptly and refrigerate in a sealed container for up to three days. Reheat gently until piping hot and do not reheat more than once. The sauce can also be frozen; thaw it safely in the refrigerator before reheating.
Common questions
Can I use chicken breast?
Yes, but it cooks faster and can dry out. Cut even pieces and stop cooking as soon as they are cooked through.
Why did my sauce split?
The heat was probably too high after the cream was added. Lower the heat and stir the cream in near the end.
Can I make it less spicy?
Yes. Garam masala is aromatic rather than intensely hot; control the heat by reducing or omitting chilli powder.
For a ready-made option, check the current menu. You can also build a flexible meal plan for the week.
