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Butter chicken
The honeyed cousin of tikka masala, gentler, sweeter, deeply comforting.
Butter chicken, or murgh makhani, is a Delhi classic of tender chicken in a velvety tomato, butter, and cream sauce. It is gently spiced rather than hot, with a touch of sweetness balancing the tomato. Serve it with naan or rice for a rich, crowd-pleasing dinner.
Ingredients
- 600 g chicken thigh, skinless, boneless, cut into 4cm chunks
- 100 g natural yoghurt
- 2 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp kashmiri chilli powder, or mild paprika
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 50 g butter
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, finely grated
- 1 thumb ginger, peeled and finely grated
- 400 g chopped tomatoes
- 100 ml water
- 150 ml double cream
- 1 tsp honey or sugar
- 1 tsp kasoori methi, dried fenugreek leaves (optional)
- salt, to taste, plus a pinch for the rice
- 300 g basmati rice
Method
- Mix the chicken with the yoghurt, 1 teaspoon of the garam masala, half the chilli powder and a pinch of salt. Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes, or overnight. Meanwhile, chop the onion and grate the garlic and ginger.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large frying pan over a high heat. Shake the excess marinade off the chicken and sear half of it in a single layer until the edges start to char, 3 to 4 minutes, turning once. Set it aside on a plate and repeat with the rest and the second tablespoon of oil; it finishes cooking in the sauce.
- Turn the heat down to medium and melt 30g of the butter in the same pan. Add the onion with a pinch of salt and cook, scraping up the browned bits, until soft and golden, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic, ginger and the rest of the garam masala and chilli for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the tomatoes and the water, bring to a simmer, then lower to medium-low and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until the sauce thickens and small beads of butter show on the surface.
- While the sauce simmers, rinse the rice until the water runs almost clear. Put it in a pan with 500ml of water and a pinch of salt and bring to the boil over a high heat. Cover, turn to the lowest heat and cook until the water is absorbed and steam holes dot the surface, 10 to 12 minutes. Take it off the heat and leave it covered.
- Take the curry pan off the heat and tip the sauce into a tall jug. Blend it smooth with a stick blender (or in a blender once it has cooled for 5 minutes), which gives butter chicken its silky texture. Pour it back into the pan.
- Set the pan over a low heat, add the chicken and its juices and simmer gently for 10 to 12 minutes, until cooked through with no pink in the thickest piece.
- Stir in the cream and honey and crumble in the kasoori methi between your palms, if using. Let it bubble gently for 2 to 3 minutes, until the sauce turns a deep orange, then take it off the heat and stir in the last 20g of butter until the sauce turns glossy. Taste for salt, fluff the rice with a fork and serve the curry over it.
Tips
- Marinate the chicken in yoghurt and spices, then char it before simmering for that authentic smoky note.
- Blend the sauce until smooth before finishing with butter and cream for the signature silky texture.
- A small pinch of dried fenugreek leaves stirred in at the end adds the distinctive aroma.
Common questions
Is butter chicken spicy?
No, it is usually mild and creamy, with warmth from spices rather than chilli heat. You can add more chilli if you prefer.
Can I use chicken breast?
Yes, though thigh stays juicier in the sauce. If using breast, do not overcook it and add it toward the end.