Butter Chicken
A quick and easy homemade butter chicken recipe that features a creamy, flavorful sauce, perfect for busy weeknights and paired well with naan bread or steamed rice.
Ingredients
For the Chicken Marinade
- 1.5 pounds skinless boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized chunks
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 0.5 teaspoon curry powder
- 1 tablespoon Greek yogurt
For Cooking
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 3 tablespoons butter divided
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium onion, diced
For the Sauce
- 15 ounce can tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt adjust to taste
- 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 0.5 teaspoon cayenne pepper optional for heat
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 0.5 teaspoon curry powder
- 0.25 cup freshly chopped parsley optional, for garnish
For Serving
- as needed Naan bread
- as needed Steamed rice
Instructions
Marinating the Chicken
- In a bowl, mix chicken chunks with salt, garlic powder, sweet paprika, curry powder, and Greek yogurt. Let it marinate for at least 30 minutes.
Cooking the Chicken
- In a large pan, heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the marinated chicken and cook until browned on all sides, about 5-7 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
Preparing the Sauce Base
- In the same pan, add 2 tablespoons of butter. Add minced garlic and diced onion, and sauté until the onion is soft and translucent.
Building the Sauce
- Stir in the tomato sauce, sugar, salt, and black pepper. Let it cook for a few minutes to combine the flavors.
Seasoning and Simmering
- Return the chicken to the pan. Add heavy cream, cayenne pepper (if using), garam masala, and curry powder. Stir well and let it simmer for about 15 minutes, until the chicken is fully cooked through.
Finishing with Butter
- Add the remaining tablespoon of butter to the sauce and stir until melted. This gives the sauce a rich finish.
Serving
- Garnish with freshly chopped parsley if desired. Serve hot with naan bread or steamed rice.
Notes
Letting the chicken marinate longer enhances the flavors. Adjust the amount of cayenne pepper based on your heat preference. For a thicker sauce, let it simmer longer without the lid.