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    Home > Blog > Chicken & Poultry > Butter Chicken Recipe (Murgh Makhani)

    Butter Chicken Recipe (Murgh Makhani)

    by Jenny Park · Published: Sep 22, 2022

    Jump to Recipe
    A Butter Chicken Recipe (Murgh Makhani) to die for! You'll love the tangy tomato butter sauce with juicy chicken thighs. It's a really great recipe to throw in the freezer and reheat for a quick and delicious weeknight dinner!
    Butter chicken on a plate with rice.
    Butter chicken on a plate with rice.
    Butter chicken on a plate with rice.
    Butter chicken on a plate with rice.
    Butter chicken, or murgh makhani recipe on two plates with rice.

    Our Butter Chicken Recipe (Murgh Makhani) has quickly become a favorite over here! We are both Indian food fanatics; we love all the delicious, bright and bold flavors that are packed into every dish!

    Although we’re both crazy about Indian food, we both agree that it’s a cuisine that can be intimidating to tackle at home. Luckily butter chicken is a really great place to start! The ingredients (and recipe itself) are simple and can be found at almost any supermarket!

    What is Butter Chicken (Murgh Makhani)?

    Butter Chicken (traditionally called Murgh Makhani) is an Indian curry dish originating from North India. It’s one of the most popular Indian curry dishes enjoyed around the world – and definitely one of our favorites!

    Jump to Recipe

    How to Make Our Butter Chicken Recipe

    Ingredients to make butter chicken, or murgh makhani.

    Process

    1. Place chicken thigh pieces in a mixing bowl, add some cumin, coriander, a sprinkle of salt, and some cracked black pepper.
    2. Toss together until chicken is well coated.
    Butter chicken spices and chicken in a bowl.
    Spiced chicken for butter chicken raw in a bowl.
    1. Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and melt some butter.
    2. Add chicken and sauté.
    Skillet with melted butter to make butter chicken.
    Chicken cooking in a skillet to make butter chicken.
    1. Using a slotted spoon, transfer chicken to a plate and set aside.
    2. Add remaining butter to skillet. Add shallot, garlic and ginger and sauté.
    Butter chicken in a bowl resting.
    Skillet with melted butter and garlic to make butter chicken.
    Jump to Recipe
    1. Stir in remaining spices and continue to sauté.
    2. Stir tomato puree into skillet and lightly season with salt and pepper. Lower heat and simmer.
    Skillet with spices to make butter chicken sauce.
    Butter chicken sauce in a skillet simmering.
    1. Pour tomato mixture into a blender and puree until smooth. Pour sauce back into skillet and simmer over medium-low heat.
    2. Stir chicken back into skillet, season with salt and pepper and continue to simmer.
    Blended butter chicken sauce in a blender.
    Butter chicken sauce and chicken in a skillet simmering.
    1. Stir cream or yogurt into chicken mixture and simmer until sauce is thick (enough to thoroughly coat chicken) and creamy. Season with salt and pepper as needed.
    Butter chicken with cream stirred in simmering in a skillet.
    1. Top with chopped cilantro and serve over basmati rice and with a side of grilled pita bread.

    For a smooth sauce: Blend sauce mixture from step 7 in blender until smooth. Pour sauce back into skillet and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Stir chicken back into skillet, from step 9 and continue from remaining recipe directions.

    Murgh makhani, or butter chicken recipe made and served on two plates.
    Jump to Recipe

    Tools You Will Need

    • cutting board
    • knife
    • measuring spoons
    • dry measuring cups
    • liquid measuring cups
    • mixing bowl
    • wooden spoon
    • slotted spoon
    • blender (if using)
    • large pot or Dutch oven

    Difference Between Butter Chicken and Tikka Masala

    Butter chicken and tikka masala are often confused for one another. They’re both curry dishes, but tikka masala has a more complex flavor profile and is cooked in a tandoori, so it’s also considered a drier dish. Butter chicken is cooked in a skillet, over a flame and is a much more creamy and saucy dish.

    Two servings of butter chicken on plates with bread and rice.

    Make Ahead and Freezing Our Butter Chicken Recipe

    Make Ahead

    This dish can be made up to 3 days in advance. To make ahead of time, make recipe until it’s time to add the cream or yogurt. Cool mixture and transfer to an airtight container. Store butter chicken in the refrigerator until ready to use.

    To reheat, pour chicken mixture into a skillet and lightly simmer over low heat while stirring. Once mixture has heated through, stir in cream or yogurt until evenly combined. Simmer for another minute, adjust seasonings, garnish and serve.

    Freezing

    To freeze butter chicken, make recipe until it’s time to add the cream or yogurt. Cool mixture and transfer to an airtight container. Store in the freezer for up to 2 months.

    To reheat, thaw mixture in the refrigerator overnight. Pour thawed chicken mixture into a skillet and lightly simmer over low heat while stirring. Once mixture has heated through, stir in cream or yogurt until evenly combined. Simmer for another minute, adjust seasonings, garnish and serve.

    Jump to Recipe

    What to Serve with Butter Chicken

    Our favorite things to serve with our butter chicken recipe is a fragrant bed of steamed basmati rice and a side of grilled naan bread. Paratha, a flaky, buttery flatbread is also something we love eating with this dish. Trader Joe’s has a great one in their frozen food section that only takes 2 to 3 minutes to heat up on a skillet!

    Butter Chicken recipe on a plate with rice.

    More Easy Indian Food Recipes You Will Love

    • Spicy vegan chickpea and cauliflower curry with a spoon.
      Spicy Vegan Chickpea and Cauliflower Curry
    • Several bowls of masoor dal. with spoons.
      Masoor Dal (stewed red lentils)
    • A pan of vegetable loaded vegan korma with a wooden spoon.
      Vegetable Loaded Vegan Korma
    • Indian butter cauliflower over white rice in a bowl with pita bread.
      Indian Butter Cauliflower (Cauliflower Makhani)

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    Butter chicken on a plate with rice.

    Butter Chicken Recipe (Murgh Makhani)

    5 from 9 votes
    PRINT RECIPE Pin Recipe
    A Butter Chicken Recipe (Murgh Makhani) to die for! You'll love the tangy tomato butter sauce with juicy chicken thighs. It's a really great recipe to throw in the freezer and reheat for a quick and delicious weeknight dinner!
    RECIPE BY Teri & Jenny
    Prep Time: 10 mins
    Cook Time: 30 mins
    Total Time: 40 mins
    Servings: 4

      INGREDIENTS  

    • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into bite sized pieces
    • 3 teaspoons cumin, divided
    • 2 1/2 teaspoons coriander, divided
    • 3 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
    • 1 shallot, minced
    • 2 garlic cloves, minced
    • 2 teaspoons minced ginger
    • 2 1/2 teaspoons garam masala
    • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
    • 1 1/2 teaspoons chile powder
    • 1 (28 ounce) can tomato puree
    • 3/4 cup heavy cream (or 3/4 cup plain yogurt)
    • salt and pepper to taste
    • chopped cilantro, garnish

      INSTRUCTIONS  

    • Place chicken thigh pieces in a mixing bowl, add 1 ½ teaspoons cumin, 1 teaspoon coriander, a sprinkle of salt, and some cracked black pepper and toss together until chicken is well coated.
    • Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and melt 1 ½ tablespoons butter.
    • Add chicken and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes.
    • Using a slotted spoon, transfer chicken to a plate and set aside.
    • Add remaining butter to skillet. Add shallot, garlic and ginger and sauté 3 to 4 minutes.
    • Add remaining spices and continue to sauté for an additional 3 to 4 minutes.
    • Stir tomato puree into skillet and lightly season with salt and pepper. Lower heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes.
    • Pour tomato mixture into a blender and puree until smooth. Pour sauce back into skillet and simmer over medium-low heat.
    • Stir chicken back into skillet, season with salt and pepper and continue to simmer for about 10 minutes.
    • Stir cream or yogurt into chicken mixture and simmer for an additional 3 to 5 minutes or until sauce is thick (enough to thoroughly coat chicken) and creamy. Adjust seasonings.
    • Top with chopped cilantro and serve over basmati rice, with a side of grilled pita bread.

      NOTES  

    Make Ahead and Freezing Our Butter Chicken Recipe
    Make Ahead
    This dish can be made up to 3 days in advance. To make ahead of time, make recipe until it’s time to add the cream or yogurt. Cool mixture and transfer to an airtight container. Store butter chicken in the refrigerator until ready to use.
    To reheat, pour chicken mixture into a skillet and lightly simmer over low heat while stirring. Once mixture has heated through, stir in cream or yogurt until evenly combined. Simmer for another minute, adjust seasonings, garnish and serve.
    Freezing
    To freeze butter chicken, make recipe until it’s time to add the cream or yogurt. Cool mixture and transfer to an airtight container. Store in the freezer for up to 2 months.
    To reheat, thaw mixture in the refrigerator overnight. Pour thawed chicken mixture into a skillet and lightly simmer over low heat while stirring. Once mixture has heated through, stir in cream or yogurt until evenly combined. Simmer for another minute, adjust seasonings, garnish and serve.
    What to Serve with Butter Chicken
    Our favorite things to serve with our butter chicken recipe is a fragrant bed of steamed basmati rice and a side of grilled naan bread. Paratha, a flaky, buttery flatbread is also something we love eating with this dish. Trader Joe’s has a great one in their frozen food section that only takes 2 to 3 minutes to heat up on a skillet!
    Serving: 1g Calories: 401kcal Carbohydrates: 5g Protein: 24g Fat: 32g Saturated Fat: 18g Cholesterol: 195mg Sodium: 136mg Potassium: 396mg Fiber: 2g Sugar: 1g Vitamin A: 1723IU Vitamin C: 2mg Calcium: 59mg Iron: 2mg
    CUISINE: Indian
    KEYWORD: creamy tomato chicken, easy indian food
    COURSE: dinner, lunch, Main Course, main dish

    You Might Also Love...

    • Indian butter cauliflower over white rice in a bowl with pita bread.Indian Butter Cauliflower (Cauliflower Makhani)
    • Bowls of honey garlic cauliflower over white rice with chopsticks.Honey-Garlic Cauliflower over Steamed Rice
    • Oven baked chicken thighs with a spoon to serve.Oven Baked Chicken Thighs

    September 22, 2022 / 13 Comments

    About Jenny Park

    Jenny Park is half of Spoon Fork Bacon. She is also a food stylist and recipe developer. One of her favorite foods is donuts. #sfbJENNY

    Previous Post: < Previous Post Kung Pao Beef
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    Reader Interactions

    September 22, 2022 / 13 Comments

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    1. Anna

      November 29, 2022 at 3:36 pm

      5 stars
      Made this tonight and it was delicious!! I followed the recipe exactly as is, save for, I used up a sweet potato and added that to it. Great recipe!

      Reply
    2. Y

      September 15, 2021 at 10:20 am

      Is it possible to sub coconut milk for the heavy cream for the lactose intolerant crowd?

      Reply
      • Jenny Park

        September 15, 2021 at 4:09 pm

        Definitely! I just recommend using canned coconut milk snd not carton coconut milk

        Reply
    3. Joanne

      September 14, 2021 at 12:52 pm

      Looks great! Do you add the garam masala to the other spices with the chicken?

      Reply
      • Jenny Park

        September 15, 2021 at 4:09 pm

        Just to the sauce!

        Reply
    4. Kelly

      June 24, 2021 at 2:00 pm

      5 stars
      Pretty tasty. I used half sour cream, half plain yogurt instead of the cream. I will try with cream next time to see the difference in taste.

      Reply
    5. Jenn

      May 18, 2020 at 3:36 pm

      I just made this and I’ve tried many butter chicken recipes and this is my favourite! It turned out soooo good!

      Reply
    6. Dana

      April 29, 2020 at 10:32 am

      5 stars
      Yum! Love this one!

      Reply
    7. Christine

      January 12, 2019 at 8:37 am

      Hi – could I sub paneer or tofu for the chicken?

      Reply
      • Jenny Park

        January 12, 2019 at 7:46 pm

        Yes!

        Reply
    8. Lance

      October 27, 2018 at 6:45 am

      Do you cut the chicken? If so, at what step?

      Reply
      • Jenny Park

        October 27, 2018 at 3:24 pm

        Ah good call! The chicken should already be cut up (into bite sized pieces), before being marinated in the spices. Will update the ingredient list shortly to reflect that. Thanks!

        Reply
    9. Rocky Mountain Woman

      September 11, 2018 at 12:36 pm

      My favorite Indian dish! I can’t wait to try it.

      Reply

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