This Butter Chicken recipe combines yogurt-marinated chicken with a smooth tomato, cashew, butter and cream sauce flavored with garam masala, ginger, garlic and kasuri methi. The chicken is lightly browned first, then simmered gently in the sauce until tender and rich.

Watch how to make Butter Chicken

Ingredients

For the chicken

• 500 g boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1½ tbsp ginger-garlic paste, or 1 tbsp minced garlic plus ½ tbsp grated ginger
• ½ cup Greek yogurt or plain yogurt
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• ½ tbsp paprika
• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
• ½ tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp garam masala
• Salt, to taste
• 1 tbsp oil, for pan-frying

For the gravy

• 500 g canned crushed tomatoes
• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• 50 g cashews
• 1½ tbsp ginger-garlic paste, or 1 tbsp minced garlic plus ½ tbsp grated ginger
• 1 tsp kasuri methi, optional but recommended
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 tbsp sugar
• ½ tsp paprika
• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
• 3 tbsp butter, divided
• 50 ml cream, plus a little extra to finish
• Salt, to taste

Instructions

Marinate the chicken

In a bowl, combine the chicken with the ginger-garlic paste, yogurt, lemon juice, paprika, cayenne pepper, turmeric, garam masala, and salt.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or preferably overnight and up to 24 hours.

Brown the chicken

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over high heat.

Remove the chicken from the marinade, keeping the marinade that clings to the pieces. Do not pour the leftover marinade into the pan.

Add the chicken and cook for about 3 minutes, until lightly browned on the outside but not fully cooked through.

Work in batches if needed to avoid overcrowding the pan.

Remove the chicken and set aside.

Start the gravy

In the same pan, add the onion and 1 tablespoon of the butter.

Cook until the onion has softened.

Reduce the heat, then add the ginger-garlic paste, paprika, and cayenne pepper.

Cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Cook the tomato and cashew base

Add the crushed tomatoes and cashews.

Cook over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion and cashews are soft and the sauce has thickened slightly.

Add the salt, sugar, garam masala, paprika, and cayenne pepper.

Cook for another 2 minutes.

Blend the sauce

Let the mixture cool slightly, then transfer it to a blender with ½ cup water.

Blend until very smooth, adding a little more water only if needed.

For an extra-silky sauce, strain it back into the same pan.

Finish the Butter Chicken

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, the cream, the chicken, and the kasuri methi if using.

Simmer gently for 5 to 7 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is rich and smooth.

Finish with a little extra cream and, if you like, a small pinch of kasuri methi.

Recipe Notes

Marinate for more flavor

A minimum of 1 hour works, but marinating the chicken overnight gives the yogurt and spices more time to penetrate the meat. You can marinate it for up to 24 hours.

Do not overcrowd the pan

Brown the chicken in batches if necessary. Overcrowding lowers the pan temperature and causes the chicken to steam instead of developing color.

Use the marinade clinging to the chicken

There is no need to wipe the chicken clean before cooking. Keep the marinade coating each piece, but do not pour the leftover marinade from the bowl into the pan.

Blend the sauce until very smooth

The cashews help thicken and enrich the gravy. Blend thoroughly for the smoothest texture, and strain the sauce after blending if you want an especially silky finish.

Add water only as needed

Start with the ½ cup of water when blending the sauce. Add more only if the mixture is too thick to blend easily, since too much water can make the finished sauce thin.

Kasuri methi is optional but recommended

Dried fenugreek leaves add a distinctive aroma that is strongly associated with Butter Chicken. Crush them lightly between your fingers before adding them to help release their flavor.

Learn more about Butter Chicken

Want to learn more about the dish, its flavors, variations and place in Indian food culture? Read our guide to Butter Chicken.