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Quick and Creamy Restaurant-Style Homemade Butter Chicken

Close-up, appetizing photo of tender chicken pieces smothered in rich, orange-red sauce, garnished with fresh herbs, representing delicious butter chicken.
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You want that rich, comforting taste of butter chicken without spending all evening in the kitchen. This easy recipe shows you how to get restaurant-quality flavor using simple techniques for a satisfying weeknight Indian meal.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (adjust to your heat preference)
  • 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/4 cup tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
  • 1 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves (kasoori methi), crushed (this is a secret ingredient for authentic flavor)
  • Fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish

Instructions

  1. In a bowl, toss the chicken pieces with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon garam masala. Set aside.
  2. Heat the vegetable oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until lightly browned on all sides, about 5-7 minutes. Remove the chicken and set it aside.
  3. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter to the skillet. Add the chopped onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
  4. Add the minced garlic and grated ginger. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  5. Stir in the cumin, coriander, turmeric, remaining garam masala, and cayenne pepper. Cook the spices for 30 seconds, stirring constantly until aromatic.
  6. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, water, and tomato paste. Add the sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring the sauce to a simmer.
  7. Return the browned chicken to the skillet. Cover and cook on low for 15 minutes, allowing the chicken to cook through and absorb the flavors.
  8. Stir in the heavy cream and the final 2 tablespoons of butter pieces until the butter melts and the sauce becomes rich and creamy.
  9. Crush the dried fenugreek leaves between your palms and stir them into the curry. This adds the signature restaurant style flavor.
  10. Taste and adjust salt if needed. Serve your homemade butter chicken hot over basmati rice or with warm naan bread. Garnish with fresh cilantro.

Notes

  • For an even richer sauce, you can blend the sauce base (before adding the cream) until completely smooth using an immersion blender or carefully transferring it to a regular blender.
  • If you want to make this a low-fat option, substitute the heavy cream with evaporated milk or plain Greek yogurt, adding it slowly off the heat to prevent curdling.
  • Marinating the chicken in yogurt for 30 minutes before cooking can make the chicken breast pieces more tender.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://devourdish.com/easy-creamy-homemade-butter-chicken-recipe/