Simple Butter Chicken

This Simple Butter Chicken recipe makes for the perfect comfort food. Butter Chicken is one of the most popular curries served at Indian restaurants worldwide. The yogurt and spice chicken marinade adds so much flavor to the dish. As the chicken and creamy curry sauce simmers, your kitchen will fill with a delicious aroma.

Whenever I was stressed in college, I would go to an Indian restaurant to get Chicken Tikka masala with garlic naan and basmati rice. What I love about Indian food is how the spices do not feel fiery but instead flavorful and warm. I will admit, I am a bit of a chicken when it comes to spicy food but Indian spice is a whole different experience. You can alter the amount of heat you would like in this dish without sacrificing the flavor. I only added the spices to the chicken marinade but you are welcome to add them to the sauce as well. YOU are in control of how spicy you would like this dish to be.

What spices go in Butter Chicken?

Spices in Butter Chicken include: garam masala, Turmeric, Ground Cumin, and Red Chili Powder. If you do not have these spices in your kitchen, do not worry! They are easy to find at your local grocery store.

What inspired this recipe?

This past summer, a friend called me and said she ordered this dish from the Indian restaurant we love near my alma mater. She said it is similar to Chicken Tikka masala because of the dish’s spices but with cream in it. This sounded amazing so I decided to try it and I was not disappointed.

Why is it called Butter Chicken?

Butter chicken originated in Northern India in 1948. The dish was created by Kundan Lal Gujral, a restaurant owner who wanted to find a way to rehydrate left over chicken. He decided to make a cream, spice, and tomato sauce to keep the leftover chicken moist, out of this came Butter Chicken.

How to Make Simple Butter Chicken Recipe

You can use chicken breasts or boneless/skinless chicken thighs for this recipe.

Combine all of the marinade ingredients into a bowl and add your bite size chicken pieces. Let marinate for at least two hours or overnight if time allows.
Use a fry pan to brown the chicken pieces on all sides. Set the chicken aside and keep warm.
Cook your sauce and then pour it into a blender so that it becomes smooth but not pureed.
Pour the sauce back into your pan and add the cream. Next, place your chicken pieces back in and let simmer until cooked through.
Serve the Simple Butter Chicken with rice, roasted cauliflower, and naan.

Spotify Playlist

This playlist contains popular Bollywood, classical Indian, and relaxing yoga songs. Enjoy!

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Simple Butter Chicken

This Butter Chicken recipe is full of bold and warm flavors that are so satisfying. The indian spices such as garam masala, tumeric, cumin, and chili powder give the dish complexity and depth. Try it today!

Chicken Marinade

1 1/2 pound boneless chicken breast (cut into bite size pieces)
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 1/2 tablespoons garlic (minced)
2 teaspoons garam masala
1 teaspoon tumeric
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon red chili powder
1 teaspoon salt

Sauce

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 large onion (sliced)
1 red or orange bell pepper (sliced)
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic (minced)
1 3/4 cups crushed tomatoes
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon sugar
3 tablespoons parsley (chopped (for garnish))

In a bowl, combine the bite size pieces of chicken with all the ingredients in the chicken marinade; let it marinate overnight if time allows. If not, let it marinate for at least 2 hours.
Heat olive oil in an electric fry pan or large pot over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the chicken pieces and fry 3 1/2 minutes on each side. The chicken should brown and will finish cooking in the sauce. Set to the side and keep warm.
Melt your butter in the same pan, add the sliced onion and bell pepper. Cook for 6 minutes or until they are tender.
Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute. If you’d like your butter chicken to have more of a kick add the same amount of garam masala, turmeric, cumin, and chili powder to your sauce as you added to the marinade.
Stir in the crushed tomatoes and salt. Let simmer for 15 minutes until the sauce thickens and becomes a deep red color.
Take the sauce off the heat and pour into a blender. Blend until the sauce is a smooth texture but not pureed. (This part is optional, I sometimes like the texture of leaving the onion and bell pepper whole within the sauce.)
Pour the sauce back into your pan at medium heat. Add the cream and sugar. Next put the chicken with the juices back into the pan and let it simmer for 10 minutes or until your chicken is completely cooked through.
Garnish with the chopped parsley and serve alongside roasted cauliflower, rice, and naan.