Butter Chicken

Butter Chicken made with juicy yogurt-marinated chicken thighs simmered in a creamy, warmly spiced tomato sauce. Serve over rice or with naan.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Indian

Keyword Butter Chicken

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 40

Marinade Time 1

Servings servings

Calories 384kcal

Cut the chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces, set aside.
1 & 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
In a large bowl whisk together the yogurt, garlic, ginger, garam masala, chili powder, fenugreek, garlic powder, cumin, onion powder, paprika, salt, and turmeric until smooth.
1/2 cup plain yogurt, 4 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger, 2 teaspoons garam masala, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon sweet paprika, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon turmeric
Add the chicken to the bowl and toss in the marinade, cover with plastic wrap, and place in the fridge for at least one hour to marinate or up to overnight if you can.
Place a dutch oven or large skillet with deep sides over high heat. Once hot add the ghee. Place the marinated chicken into the pot and sear on it the best you can stirring occasionally, cook until browned on most sides, 10 minutes.
1/4 cup ghee
Add the tomato passata, cream, sugar, salt, and any leftover marinade from the chicken to the pot and mix it all together, scrape any browned bits off the bottom of the pot.
1 & 1/2 cups tomato passata, 1 cup heavy cream, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, 1 & 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
Bring to a simmer and lower the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Serve with a garnish of fresh cilantro, optional.
Fresh chopped cilantro for garnish

Marinade Magic: Letting the chicken marinate overnight is a game-changer! It infuses so much flavor into the meat.
Best Results: Use a Dutch oven or a large skillet for cooking. It distributes heat evenly.
Heat Level: Adjust the chili powder according to your preference.
Fenugreek Leaves: Also known as ‘kasuri methi’, these add a unique aroma. Don’t skip if you have them!
Serve Right: Always serve butter chicken with some form of carb. It’s a saucy dish and you’ll want something to soak up all that yumminess.
Experiment: This is your dish! Feel free to try out different things. Maybe add some vegetable oil instead of ghee or use coconut milk instead of heavy cream.