The Recipe Book
Butter Chicken

Butter Chicken

This is a Chef recipe and is one of the easiest Indian curries to make. The Butter Chicken Sauce is so good that you will want it on tap! Many restaurants take it over the top by adding copious amounts of ghee or butter into the sauce, but you'll find this rich enough as it is.

Prep 10 min
Cook 25 min
Total 35 min
Serves 3
Cuisine Indian
Contains Dairy

Steps

  1. 1

    Optional blitz: for an extra smooth sauce, combine the Marinade ingredients (except the chicken) in a food processor and blend until smooth. (I do not do this)

  2. 2

    Marinade: Combine the Marinade ingredients with the chicken in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight, or up to 24 hours (minimum 3 hrs).

  3. 3

    Cook chicken: Heat the ghee(2tbsp) (butter or oil) over high heat in a large fry pan. Take the chicken out of the Marinade but do not wipe or shake off the marinade from the chicken (but don't pour the Marinade left in the bowl into the fry pan).

  4. 4

    Place chicken in the fry pan and cook for around 3 minutes, or until the chicken is white all over (it doesn't really brown because of the Marinade).

  5. 5

    Sauce: Add the tomato passata(1cup), cream(1cup), sugar(1tbsp) and salt(1 1 4tsp). Also add any remaining marinade left in the bowl. Turn down to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Do a taste test to see if it needs more salt.

  6. 6

    Garnish with coriander/cilantro leaves if using. Serve with basmati rice.

  7. 7

    The Butter Chicken is pictured with my very easy No Yeast Flatbread and no-fry papadums (Note 5).

Notes
  1. 1. Garam Masala is a spice mix that is readily available at supermarkets nowadays. You will find it in the spice section and it costs around the same as other spices.
  2. 2. Pure chilli powder – This is not chili powder as Americans know it! American Chili Powder contains things other than ground dried chili. Use pure chili powder or cayenne pepper to add a spice kick. The spiciness is very mild.
  3. 3. Ghee is a clarified butter used in Indian cooking. For this recipe, it can be substituted with butter or almost any neutral flavoured cooking oil.
  4. 4. Tomato passata is pureed tinned tomatoes. Nowadays it is readily available in supermarkets, usually alongside pasta sauces. It costs just a tiny bit more, sometimes the same, as canned tomatoes. Called Tomato Puree in America.
  5. 5. For a lighter version, use OR for a lighter version use 3/4 cup light cream + 1/4 cup milk (full fat or low fat)

Nutrition

per serving 310g
  • Calories 402cal
  • Protein 39.8g
  • Carbs 9.8g
  • Sugar 6.5g
  • Fat 23.4g
  • Saturated fat 9.3g
  • Fiber 0.9g
  • Sodium 928mg

Reviews

No reviews yet — be the first to share one.