Go Back
A bowl of easy homemade butter chicken, rich and creamy

Classic Easy Homemade Butter Chicken

A rich and creamy Classic Easy Homemade Butter Chicken recipe that's perfect for a satisfying and flavorful meal, featuring tender chicken in a well-spiced tomato-cream sauce.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 4 people
Calories 450 kcal

Equipment

  • large bowl
  • large pot or Dutch oven
  • blender (or immersion blender)

Ingredients
  

For the Chicken Marinade:

  • 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts (about 680g), cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 0.5 cup plain yogurt (full-fat works best)
  • 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste (or 1 tsp grated ginger + 1 tsp minced garlic)
  • 1 tsp ground turmeric
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • 0.5 tsp red chili powder (adjust to your spice preference)
  • 0.5 tsp salt

For the Sauce:

  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 large onion finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 0.5 tsp Kashmiri chili powder (for color and mild heat, or use more red chili powder)
  • 0.25 tsp ground fenugreek (kasuri methi) optional but highly recommended
  • 1 can crushed tomatoes (14.5 oz / 400g)
  • 0.5 cup chicken broth
  • 0.5 cup heavy cream (or half-and-half for a lighter version)
  • 1 tbsp sugar (or to taste, balances the acidity of the tomatoes)
  • Salt to taste
  • Fresh cilantro chopped, for garnish

Instructions
 

Chicken Preparation

  • Combine chicken pieces with yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, turmeric, cumin, garam masala, chili powder, and salt. Mix well and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or 2-4 hours for best flavor.

Cooking Chicken

  • Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a pot over medium-high heat, then brown the marinated chicken in batches for 3-5 minutes per side. Remove chicken and set aside.

Sauce Base

  • Reduce heat to medium, add the remaining butter, and cook the chopped onion until softened and translucent for 5-7 minutes.

Aromatics and Spices

  • Stir in ginger-garlic paste and cook for 1 minute until fragrant; then add ground cumin, coriander, Kashmiri chili powder, and fenugreek, sautéing for 30 seconds.

Simmer Sauce

  • Pour in crushed tomatoes and chicken broth, bring to a simmer, then cover and cook on low for 10-15 minutes to meld flavors.

Blend Sauce

  • Carefully transfer the sauce to a blender and blitz until completely smooth, then return it to the pot.

Finish Dish

  • Stir the browned chicken, heavy cream, sugar, and salt into the sauce, simmering gently for 5-10 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce thickens.

Serve

  • Garnish generously with fresh chopped cilantro before serving.

Notes

For an extra rich sauce, increase the heavy cream to 3/4 cup. Adjust chili powder to your preferred spice level. Serve with basmati rice or naan bread.