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Bowl of creamy butter chicken with cream swirl and fresh coriander, served with naan and rice
Indian · Dinner

Butter Chicken

Tender yogurt-marinated chicken in a silky tomato, butter and cashew sauce. Mildly spiced and creamy, it's an easy family dinner with naan or rice.

Published 29 Sep 2026Updated Tested by Hina Ikram

Prep45 min
Cook40 min
Total1 h 25 min
Serves4
DifficultyMedium
CuisineIndian

Ingredients

4 servings

Equipment: Large heavy-based frying pan or karahi, blender, mixing bowl

Method

  1. In a bowl, mix the yogurt, lemon juice, 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste, chilli powder, 1 tsp salt and half the garam masala. Add the chicken and coat well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

  2. While the chicken marinates, soak the cashews in 100 ml of hot water so they soften for blending.

  3. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken in two batches for 3 to 4 minutes, turning once, until browned in patches. It does not need to cook through. Set aside with any juices.

  4. In the same pan, melt 20 g butter with the remaining 1 tbsp oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring, until soft and light golden.

  5. Stir in the remaining ginger-garlic paste and cook for 1 minute. Add the coriander, cumin, green chilli, tomatoes and the remaining 1/2 tsp salt.

  6. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for about 15 minutes, stirring now and then, until the tomatoes are completely soft and the oil starts to separate at the edges.

  7. Remove the green chilli. Tip the tomato mixture and the soaked cashews with their water into a blender. Blend until completely smooth, then pour back into the pan.

  8. Add the chicken and its juices. Simmer gently, partly covered, for about 10 minutes, until the chicken is tender and reads 74°C in the thickest piece. Add a splash of water if the sauce gets too thick.

  9. Stir in the remaining butter, cream, kasuri methi, sugar and remaining garam masala. Warm through for 2 minutes without boiling hard. Taste and adjust the salt, then scatter with fresh coriander.

Cooking tips

  • Chicken thighs stay juicy in the sauce. If you use breast, cut it slightly larger and cook it only until it reaches 74°C.
  • Blend the sauce for a full minute. Cashews and a very smooth tomato base give the velvety texture.
  • If your tomatoes are sharp, add the sugar a little at a time and taste. The sauce should be rich and balanced, not sweet.
  • Add the cream off a rolling boil so it doesn't split.

Substitutions

  • Cashews: use 1 tbsp blanched almonds or 2 tbsp melon seeds (charmagaz).
  • Cream: use 100 g thick yogurt whisked smooth, added off the heat, or evaporated milk.
  • Kasuri methi: leave out, or add a pinch of ground fenugreek. The flavour will be less traditional.
  • Kashmiri chilli powder: use 1/2 tsp regular chilli powder plus 1/2 tsp paprika for colour.

Serve with

"Serve hot with butter naan, roti or steamed basmati rice. Add sliced onions with lemon and a cucumber raita on the side."

Storage

Cool within 2 hours and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Freeze without the cream for up to 2 months.

Reheating

Warm gently in a pan over low heat with a splash of water, stirring, until steaming hot all the way through (at least 74°C). Add a little cream or butter to loosen it if needed.

Nutrition per serving, estimated

510kcal
36 gProtein
15 gCarbs
34 gFat

Estimated from the ingredient list. Values vary with brands and portion size.

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