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Why I Love This Butter Chicken
Butter chicken feels like the perfect answer to the question “What should I make for dinner tonight?” It tastes like it took all day, but it truly can be weeknight-friendly, especially if you let the chicken marinate ahead of time. The yogurt does most of the work, tenderizing the meat, adding a little tang, and helping the spices cling to every piece.
Then there’s the sauce, which is probably the best part!
Tomato puree, heavy cream, and a little honey simmer together until everything turns into a smooth, flavor-forward sauce. Whether it’s cold or warm outside, this is exactly the type of meal I want to eat. It’s a cozy meal (for winter) that makes the kitchen smell like a spice market, and it’s also perfect during the summer months!
What makes this the perfect weeknight dish:
- Garnishes make everything better, and they’re totally customizable for whatever you and your family love.
- Weeknight doable! Just marinate ahead, then the cook time is quick.
- Big flavor from a few spices that do all the work.
- Sauce that’s creamy, spiced, and balanced, so you’ll want to eat it with a spoon.
- Family-friendly with warm flavors (not spicy!) and easy to serve with rice.
Butter Chicken Ingredients
This butter chicken recipe comes together with a few ingredients:
- Greek yogurt – Tenderizes the chicken and adds that subtle tang.
- Lime juice – Brightens everything and wakes up the spices.
- Garam masala, garlic powder, ground turmeric, and cayenne pepper – All bring warm spice-market flavor, earthy notes, depth, and just a bit of heat.
- Kosher salt – Seasons each layer.
- Fresh ginger – When grated, it adds fresh flavor and a bit of zing.
- Chicken breast – Cut into bite-sized pieces for quick cooking. Make sure it’s boneless and skinless. You can also use chicken thighs here if you want!
- Butter, tomato puree, and heavy cream – Create a rich and savory sauce base that makes the dish rich.
- Honey – Balances out the tomato acidity and spice.
- Basmati rice – The best thing for soaking up all that sauce!
- Cashews, chilies, and fresh cilantro – The perfect way to serve this recipe, in my opinion.
The full amount of each ingredient can be found in the recipe card below.
How to Make Butter Chicken
This recipe can be made in 4 steps:
Step 1: Marinate the chicken – In a bowl, whisk together yogurt, lime juice, garam masala, garlic powder, turmeric, cayenne, salt, and grated ginger. Add in the chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces, and stir until fully coated. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours, or up to 2 days.
Step 2: Cook the chicken – Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken pieces individually, letting excess marinade stay behind in the bowl. Cook, turning as needed, until the chicken is mostly opaque and evenly colored on all sides, 3-5 minutes. It will not brown deeply because of the yogurt.
Step 3: Finish the sauce – To the skillet, add the tomato puree, heavy cream, honey, and salt, stirring everything together. Reduce the heat to low and simmer slowly, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly and the chicken is fully cooked, about 20-25 minutes.
Step 4: Serve – Spoon butter chicken over cooked rice and finish with cashews, sliced chilies, and cilantro, if desired.
Recipe Tips
- Grate ginger right over the bowl – You catch all the juices, and the skin disappears into the marinade once it is finely grated.
- Protect your counters – Turmeric can stain, so wipe spills quickly and wash your hands after mixing.
- Do not pour in the chicken with all of the marinade – Instead, add the chicken pieces one by one so you keep flavor on the chicken without watering down the sauce.
- Look for visual cues – When sautéing, the chicken will turn less opaque and more uniform in color, which is your sign that it’s ready for the sauce.
- Keep it at a gentle simmer – You want steady bubbles, not a hard boil, so the cream stays smooth and the sauce thickens slowly.
Follow These Tips
Serving & Storage
To serve – Start with warm rice, then spoon lots of the sauce and pieces of chicken on top. There are tons of ways to garnish this recipe, but I prefer cashews for texture, thinly sliced chili pieces for some heat and additional color, and fresh cilantro.
To store – Cool and leftovers completely, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days. You can freeze the chicken and sauce for up to 3 months. For the best texture, thaw overnight in the fridge before serving.
More Weeknight Recipes
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Butter Chicken
Ingredients
For the marinade
- ½ cup plain full-fat Greek yogurt
- 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
- 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into bite-sized cubes
For the sauce
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 15-oz can tomato puree
- 1 ¼ cups heavy cream
- 2 tsp honey
- 1 tsp kosher salt
To serve
- 2 cups basmati rice cooked following package instructions
- chopped fresh cilantro to garnish
- roasted, chopped cashews to garnish
- Fresno chilies to garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the mainade: In a bowl, combine the Greek yogurt, lime juice, turmeric, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, garam masala, salt, and fresh ginger. Stir to combine, then add the chicken. Mix the chicken with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to 48 hours.½ cup plain full-fat Greek yogurt, 2 tbsp fresh lime juice, 1 tsp ground turmeric, 1 ½ tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp cayenne pepper, 1 tsp garam masala, 1 ½ tsp kosher salt, 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger, 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast
- Cook the chicken: Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade; do not wipe off the meat, but discard the marinade left in the bowl. Add the chicken to the skillet. Cook the chicken until it is sautéed on all sides, 3-5 minutes.3 tbsp unsalted butter
- Finish the sauce: To the skillet, add the tomato puree, heavy cream, honey, and salt. Stir and bring to a simmer. Simmer until the sauce is slightly thickened and the chicken is fully cooked, 20-25 minutes.1 15-oz can tomato puree, 1 ¼ cups heavy cream, 2 tsp honey, 1 tsp kosher salt
- Serve the chicken over the cooked rice, garnishing as desired with cilantro, cashews, and chilies.2 cups basmati rice, chopped fresh cilantro, roasted, chopped cashews, Fresno chilies
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you make this? Leave a comment below!
Styling: Addelyn Evans | Photography: Dera Burreson
Kaleb this was amazing!
An easy make ahead meal with easy to find ingredients. I used mint instead of cilantro. Easy swap. Garam masala is easy to find for cheap on amazon.
My husband danced in his seat!
Can’t wait for cook book #2
Follow this man!
This Butter Chicken was to die for! Easy to make, so much flavor. Don’t skimp on the toppings it only enhances the flavor of this dish. Thanks for another fabulous recipe!
This was a very delicious recipe. I didn’t have plain Greek yogurt, I only had vanilla and I had to use tomato paste. It was very delicious and my whole family wants it to be a regular one. Thank you
making this recipe tonight! thanks for the easy instructions.