Butter Chicken

An easy Butter Chicken recipe which the whole family will enjoy! Make this delicious curry with step-by-step photos.

Easy Indian Food at Home

There are many things I miss about Australia, and one of them is good Indian take-away. Lamb Korma, Chicken Tikka Masala, Lamb Biryani … you name it, I miss it.

I often lament about all of the food which I miss from home, especially during the long bouts between visiting my home country (and 2020 has felt like a particularly long year for the obvious reasons). But then I have to remind myself that my longing for foods which are not readily available where I live is precisely what got me into cooking in the first place.

Easy Butter Chicken

One of my favourite Indian take-aways is the classic Butter Chicken, also known as murgh makhani.

Butter Chicken is typically a mild curry consisting of chicken pieces marinated in yoghurt and spices, and cooked in a creamy tomato-based sauce.

Butter Chicken Recipe

My Butter Chicken recipe is a relatively easy one. I marinate the chicken pieces in a mixture of yoghurt and spices which will both tenderise the chicken, as well as add flavour to the sauce later.

And the Butter Chicken sauce itself is a simple tomato sauce with heavy cream to add the necessary creaminess and richness.

My children love this Butter Chicken; it’s not too spicy for them, so it’s the perfect introduction for kids to the world of curries and Indian food!

How to Make Butter Chicken

Step 1

In a large bowl, whisk together all of the marinade ingredients.

Step 2

Add the chicken pieces to the marinade and give everything a good mix. Cover the bowl with cling film and leave to marinate in the fridge. If you are pushed for time, 30 minutes is fine.

But it would be preferable to marinate the chicken for at least 3 hours, and overnight is even better.

Step 3

Heat some oil in a non-stick pan over medium-high heat, and brown the chicken in batches until they are nicely golden and caramelised. The chicken pieces do not need to be cooked through fully at this stage (you will continue to cook the chicken in the sauce later).

Step 4

In a large clean pan, heat some oil over medium-high heat and sauté the onions and garlic until they have softened.

Step 5

Add the Butter Chicken sauce ingredients and stir lightly. At this stage, the sauce will look quite pink in colour.

Step 6

Add the chicken pieces to the sauce, and simmer gently for about 30 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked through and the sauce has thickened. At the stage, the sauce should be a lovely golden colour. Taste for seasoning.

This Butter Chicken recipe produces a generous quantity of sauce, but I find that you need a lot of sauce for each person to drizzle on their rice or to have with their naan bread. The sauce also thickens quite a bit on reheating (should you have any leftovers).

What to Serve with Butter Chicken

Served simply with some steamed Basmati rice, this Butter Chicken becomes comfort food in a bowl.

A condiment which I find obligatory to serve alongside Butter Chicken is Pickled Onions. Simply slice 2-3 red onions into half moons, and cover them with lime juice (fresh or bottled). Leave to steep for at least a few hours at room temperature, or overnight in the fridge. The onions will soften as they steep, and the lime juice will turn bright pink from the onions.

But some naan bread or Yoghurt Flatbreads to dip into the delicious Butter Chicken sauce will make this dish extra satisfying.

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