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Angled view of a plate of butter chicken with rice
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Easy Butter Chicken

Made with lots of spices and ghee, this Easy Butter Chicken is bursting with flavor. It's such a comforting, hearty meal with plenty of extra sauce to soak up in your rice or naan bread, you'll be daydreaming about it long after the last bite!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Marinate Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 50 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: easy butter chicken recipe, easy Indian recipes, homemade butter chicken
Servings: 6 servings

Ingredients

For the Chicken

  • 1½ lbs. boneless skinless chicken thighs*
  • ½ cup plain yogurt plain Greek yogurt also works
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger minced, or ¾ tsp dried ginger
  • 2 tsp garam masala
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp sweet paprika
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp turmeric

For the Sauce

  • ¼ cup ghee
  • 1½ cups tomato passata
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 1½ tsp kosher salt

For Serving

  • cooked white rice
  • fresh chopped cilantro for garnish
  • naan bread

Instructions

  • Cut the chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces, set aside.
  • In a large bowl whisk together the yogurt, garlic, ginger, and all the seasonings until smooth.
  • Add the chicken to the bowl and toss in the marinade, cover and place in the fridge for at least one hour to marinate (12 hours is ideal.)
  • Place a dutch oven or large skillet with deep sides over high heat. Once hot add the ghee. Place the marinated chicken into the pot and sear, stirring occasionally, cooking until browned on most sides, 10 minutes.
  • Add the tomato passata, cream, sugar, salt, and any leftover marinade from the chicken to the pot and mix it all together, scrape any browned bits off the bottom of the pot.
  • Bring to a simmer and lower the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Serve with hot cooked white rice garnished with fresh chopped cilantro, and some naan bread.

Video

Notes

*I recommend chicken thighs for this recipe since they carry a bit more fat and flavor, but you can use boneless chicken breast instead.

Nutrition

Calories: 368kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 174mg | Sodium: 997mg | Potassium: 390mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 898IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 69mg | Iron: 2mg