Butter Chicken Recipe – Simple Homemade Recipe

Butter chicken has earned a permanent spot in our weeknight rotation, and people ask about it before they even sit down. That is the whole idea behind our kitchen, simple food that earns its place on a busy table.

This dish is a creamy, spiced Indian recipe that’s perfect for a cozy dinner. This Butter Chicken recipe features tender chicken in an aromatic tomato cream sauce, making it ideal for families or entertaining guests. This recipe comes together in about 60 minutes from start to finish, which is exactly why it keeps showing up on our table. Below you will find the full ingredient list, the exact method we use, and the small details that make this dish work every single time.

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This dish is a creamy, spiced Indian recipe that’s perfect for a cozy dinner. This Butter Chicken recipe features tender chicken in an aromatic tomato cream sauce, making it ideal for families or entertaining guests.

Why You Will Love Butter Chicken

There are plenty of weeknight dinners out there. Here is why the recipe keeps winning in our kitchen.

• It actually fills you up. Provides a comforting meal that is sure to satisfy.
• The flavor does the work. Full of spices that may enhance overall flavor and aroma.
• Protein where you need it. Rich in protein from the chicken.
• It just works. Can be served with rice or bread for a complete meal.
• Dinner in about 60 minutes. Start to plate, including the prep.
• About 42 g of protein per serving. Enough to hold you until morning, not just until nine.

Ingredients You Will Need for Butter Chicken

Everything here is an everyday ingredient. This is the exact list we use for this one, measured the way we actually cook it.

Protein

• 1 1/4 lb chicken breast, diced

Dairy

• 5 oz plain yogurt
• 2 tbsp butter or ghee, for traditional flavor
• 2/3 cup cream or coconut milk, optional

Produce

• 1 tsp ginger garlic paste
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed
• 14 oz canned diced tomatoes
• Fresh cilantro, for garnish

Seasoning

• 1 tsp smoked paprika, for more flavor
• Salt, to taste
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Pantry

• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp sugar

A quick word on the parts that matter most in it:

• Chicken breast. Cook it just to done and no further, and it stays tender all the way through.
• Plain yogurt. It is an everyday ingredient doing quiet, useful work here.
• Ginger garlic paste. Let it soften slowly rather than rushing it. Burnt garlic turns bitter and there is no fixing it.

Prefer metric? The recipe card below switches every amount over for you.

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This dish is a creamy, spiced Indian recipe that’s perfect for a cozy dinner. This Butter Chicken recipe features tender chicken in an aromatic tomato cream sauce, making it ideal for families or entertaining guests.

How to Make Butter Chicken

Here is exactly how we make the dish: about 30 minutes of prep and roughly 30 minutes of cooking.

What you need: Large Skillet, Mixing Bowl.

1. Mix all marinade ingredients in a bowl. Add the chicken pieces, combine well, and let marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, preferably overnight.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a pan and cook the marinated chicken over medium heat until lightly browned, about 6 to 8 minutes. Set aside.
3. In the same pan, heat the remaining butter, saute the onion until translucent, then add the garlic and ginger. Cook for 1 minute.
4. Stir in the turmeric, cumin, and coriander powder and cook until fragrant.
5. Add the diced tomatoes and sugar. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes.
6. Stir in the cream or coconut milk and return the cooked chicken to the pan.
7. Season with salt, pepper, and additional garam masala if desired. Simmer for 5 minutes.
8. Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve with basmati rice or naan bread.

That is the whole method. Nothing here needs special technique, just a little attention at the right moments.

Tips for the Best Butter Chicken

None of this is complicated, but these are the small habits that separate a good plate of this recipe from a great one.

• Prep the components separately and assemble at the end so every layer keeps its texture. Prep the components separately and assemble at the end so every layer keeps its texture.
• Season each layer a little rather than salting only at the end. Season each layer a little rather than salting only at the end.
• Add anything crisp or fresh last so it stays that way. Add anything crisp or fresh last so it stays that way.
• Read the steps once before you start. Knowing what is coming makes the whole thing calmer.
• Have everything measured and within reach before the heat goes on. Have everything measured and within reach before the heat goes on.

Taste as you go and adjust the seasoning at the end rather than the beginning. This dish rewards a little attention right at the finish.

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This dish is a creamy, spiced Indian recipe that’s perfect for a cozy dinner. This Butter Chicken recipe features tender chicken in an aromatic tomato cream sauce, making it ideal for families or entertaining guests.

Variations and Add Ins

Butter chicken takes changes well, so treat the recipe above as a starting point rather than a set of rules. These are the swaps we come back to most often.

• Swap the cut. Boneless thighs stay juicier than breasts and work here with no other changes.
• Make it spicier. A pinch of red pepper flakes or a spoonful of your favorite hot sauce lifts the whole dish.
• Add vegetables. Spinach, peppers or mushrooms stir in easily and stretch it further.
• Change the cheese. Anything that melts well will work, so use what is already in the refrigerator.
• Change the herbs. Fresh parsley, basil or dill at the end each send it somewhere slightly different for no extra effort.
• Make it a bigger meal. Serve it over rice or with warm bread and it stretches to feed another person or two.

Change one thing at a time rather than three. That way you find out what you actually like in the recipe instead of guessing at the end.

How to Store and Reheat Butter Chicken

Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat gently in a skillet or in the microwave at half power, adding a splash of broth so the chicken stays tender rather than drying out.

If you are cooking ahead on purpose, prep the components and keep them separate until you are ready. It takes a few minutes off a busy evening and this one holds its texture far better that way.

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This dish is a creamy, spiced Indian recipe that’s perfect for a cozy dinner. This Butter Chicken recipe features tender chicken in an aromatic tomato cream sauce, making it ideal for families or entertaining guests.

What to Serve With Butter Chicken

It carries a plate on its own, but a few simple things turn it into a proper dinner.

• Rice or buttered noodles. Simple, and it soaks up everything on the plate.
• A simple green salad. A little contrast keeps the whole plate from feeling heavy.
• Roasted vegetables. Easy to put together while the main event finishes.
• Warm bread for the sauce. The kind of small addition that makes dinner feel finished.

Butter Chicken FAQ

Can I make Butter Chicken ahead of time?

Yes. You can prep the components a day ahead and keep them covered in the refrigerator, then finish the dish when you are ready to eat. It saves real time on a busy evening.

Can I use something other than chicken breast?

You can. Use what you have and keep the quantity about the same. The cooking time may shift slightly, so go by how this recipe looks rather than the clock.

How long does Butter Chicken take?

About 60 minutes from start to finish, including roughly 30 minutes of hands on prep. The first time through may run a little longer.

Can I double the recipe?

Yes. Doubling works well here. Use a larger pan so nothing crowds, and expect this dish to need a little more time in the heat.

How do I store leftovers?

Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.

Can I freeze Butter Chicken?

It is better fresh. Freezing changes the texture more than it is worth here, so plan to eat it within a couple of days.

A Dinner Worth Repeating

If you make butter chicken, we hope it turns into one of those recipes you stop measuring after a while, the one you can put together on a Tuesday without thinking too hard about it. That is the best thing a recipe can become, not a special occasion dish but a reliable one.

If something worked especially well for you, or you found a swap worth passing on, we would genuinely like to hear about it. Most of the small improvements in our recipes started as somebody else’s idea.

Simple ingredients, an honest method, and a plate worth sitting down for. That is all we are ever after.