How To Make Butter Chicken

Butter chicken, known in Hindi as Murgh Makhani, is perhaps the most popular Indian dish in the world. It is one of those dishes that will stop you in your tracks the moment they arrive at the table.

That deep, burnished orange sauce is glossy, velvety, and fragrant with warm spices. It draws you in before you’ve even picked up your fork. The aroma hits first: a rich blend of toasted cumin, sweet cardamom, and charred chicken, all wrapped in butter and cream. Then comes the taste: rich but never heavy, mildly spiced but deeply complex, with a subtle sweetness that makes it impossible to stop at just one bite.

It’s the kind of food that feels like a warm hug on a cold evening. It converts skeptics, excites children, and satisfies even the most discerning dinner guest. Whether you’re scooping it up with a soft piece of naan or letting it soak into a mound of fluffy basmati rice, every mouthful delivers pure comfort.

Today, we’re going to make it together.

How To Make Butter Chicken

• 450-500 g (1 lb)Boneless Chicken breast or chicken thigh

For Marinating:

• 1.5 tsp Ginger garlic paste- 
• 1 tsp Salt- 
• 1 tsp lemon juice- 
• 3 tbsp yogurt
• 3 tsp Tandoori Masala spice ( buy at any Asian store ) 
•  2 tbsp neutral oil
• 1/2 teaspoon of Kashmiri Chilli powder.

For the gravy:

• Medium Onion ( sliced ) (65 gms)
• Red tomatoes ( thick slices)  ( 400 gms ) ( canned or fresh )
• Cashew nuts- ( 14 nuts ).
• Ginger chopped- (0.5 inch nub) 
• Garlic cloves- ( 8cloves ).
• Oil- 1.5 tbsp
• Green cardamom- 3 nos.
• Cinnamon- 1 small piece
• Cloves- 3 nos.
• Black cardamom- 1 big
• Bay leaf- 1
• Kashmiri Chilli powder- 1 tbsp (It is not hot, for color ) ( buy at any Asian store ) 
• Salt- 1/2 tsp
• Butter- 3 tbsp (30 gms)
• 1 tsp fenugreek powder ( buy at any Asian store ) 
• Water- 200 ml
• 3 tbsp of heavy cream ( 60g )

1. Start by preparing the chicken. Cut the chicken breast or thighs into generous chunks, about 4 to 5 cm (about 2 inches) each. If they’re too small, they will dry out during cooking. If they’re too large, they won’t cook evenly.

2. Once the chicken is ready, marinate it by adding ginger-garlic paste.

3. Next, sprinkle in the salt.

4. Add one tablespoon of lemon juice.

5. Then, mix in three teaspoons of store-bought tandoori masala spice.

6. Add three tablespoons of yogurt.

7. Pour in two tablespoons of any neutral oil.

8. For a nice red color, add about half a teaspoon of Kashmiri chili powder. It’s mild and smoky, perfect for butter chicken.

9. Stir everything together to coat the chicken pieces well.

10. Cover the bowl and marinate for at least 2 hours or overnight. Take the chicken out of the fridge 30 minutes before cooking.

10. While the chicken marinates, prepare the gravy. Heat a skillet over medium heat with 1.5 tablespoons of oil.

11. Add the spices to the warm oil (3 cloves, 1 cinnamon stick, and 2 green cardamoms).

12. Add 1 black cardamom and 1 bay leaf. Sauté the spices over low heat for 1 minute.

13. Next, add the sliced onions and fry them.

14. Add chopped ginger pieces.

15. Then, add the garlic cloves.

16. After that, add the cashew nuts. Stir to combine and cook everything for about 6 minutes. Sauté until the onions soften and become translucent.

17. Once the onions have softened, add the chopped tomatoes.

18. Season with salt; this helps draw moisture from the tomatoes and speeds up cooking.

19. Stir in one tablespoon of Kashmiri chili powder. Mix well to ensure everything is combined.

20. Next, add the butter and stir.

21. Make sure the butter melts fully into the mixture. Lightly mash the softened tomatoes.

22. Pour in water, stir, cover with a lid, and simmer over gentle heat for 15 minutes to cook the tomatoes further.

23. The sauce should be almost finished; uncover and remove the black cardamom and bay leaf. Turn off the heat and let the sauce cool slightly for blending.

24. Make sure to remove the black cardamon and bay leaf ( very important ). These two must be removed, they’d done the work, and can be very unpleasant to eat.

24. Once cool, transfer the mixture to a blender and blend until smooth. The sauce will change from deep red to a warm, burnt-orange color.

25. Remove the sauce from the blender and strain it through a fine mesh strainer, pressing with a spatula to push as much sauce as possible into a bowl. A great butter chicken has a smooth sauce. Set it aside.

26. Over medium heat, add about 1 tablespoon of neutral oil to a skillet.

27. Transfer the marinated chicken pieces to the skillet. Depending on the amount of chicken, you can cook in batches. Cook each side for about 3 to 4 minutes.

28. Flip the chicken to ensure both sides are cooked through. Once done, turn off the heat and transfer the chicken to a plate.

29. In the same skillet over low heat, add about 2 tablespoons of butter and let it heat up.

30. Once the butter is melted, add the sieved sauce. Stir and let it cook for about 3 minutes over low heat while stirring.

31. Add 1/2 tablespoon of powdered fenugreek leaves (store-bought). Stir and cook on low heat for about 1 minute.

32. Add the cooked chicken pieces into the sauce.

33. Gently stir to combine, cover, and simmer on low heat for about 8 to 10 minutes.

34. Mix in 3 tablespoons of heavy cream and stir. Simmer on low heat for 2 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning accordingly. If sauce feels too sharp, add a teaspoon of sugar and that should balance the flavors perfectly.

35. Your butter chicken is ready; turn off the heat. Let it rest for 5 minutes before serving to allow the chicken juices and flavors to settle.

36. Serve it over rice with some naan and enjoy!

Important recipe notes!!

1. The Overnight Marinade Is Optimal
An overnight marinade seasons the chicken thoroughly. The yogurt’s lactic acid slowly breaks down the muscle fibers, making the meat noticeably more tender. The spices have time to penetrate deep into the flesh instead of just sitting on the surface. If you’re cooking for a special occasion or simply want the best result, marinate the night before.

2. Always Bloom Your Spices in Fat
Adding ground spices directly to a liquid sauce is a common mistake in Indian cooking. Most flavor compounds in spices dissolve in fat. They only activate and release when they come into contact with hot fat. Add your ground spices directly to the butter or oil in the pan, stir constantly, and let them sizzle for 60 to 90 seconds before adding any liquid. The difference in flavor is significant.

3. The Sugar Trick Is Not Cheating
A small amount of sugar in the sauce, about a teaspoon, doesn’t aim to make the dish sweet. Tomatoes are naturally acidic, and that acidity can make a sauce taste sharp, flat, or slightly metallic. A small amount of sugar neutralizes that sharpness and allows the other flavors; the spices, the cream, the butter to shine. Taste your sauce before adding cream. If it tastes a little harsh or one-note, add sugar in ¼ teaspoon increments until the harshness softens. You’ll know when you’ve got it right.

4. Kashmiri Chili Is Doing More Work Than You Think
Kashmiri chili powder provides the signature deep red-orange color of butter chicken without the strong heat of regular chili powder. It also has a subtle, almost fruity smokiness that regular paprika doesn’t replicate exactly. If you can only find one specialty spice for this recipe, make it this one. Look for it in Indian or Asian grocery stores or online.

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