Curries
Butter Chicken
Tender chicken simmered in a velvety, spiced tomato-butter sauce — rich, creamy, and endlessly comforting. A restaurant favorite that's surprisingly simple to make at home.
By Sai Balaji·PREP 1 HOUR 15 MINUTES·COOK 25 MINUTES·SERVES 6
Watch it made
Ingredients
- boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces1 kg
- black pepper1 tbsp
- chili powder1 tbsp
- cornstarch½ tbsp
- oil¼ cup
- onions, roughly chopped2
- tomatoes, roughly chopped3
- cashews½ cup
- salt1 tsp
- ginger-garlic paste1 tbsp
- butter2 tbsp
- chili powder1 tbsp
- coriander powder1 tbsp
- dahi (yogurt)¼ cup
- heavy cream¼ cup
- sugar1 tbsp
- ketchup1 tbsp
- fresh coriander, chopped¼ cup
- butter, for finishing1 tbsp
Instructions
- 1Marinate the chicken: Add 1 kg boneless chicken thighs to a bowl with 1 tbsp black pepper, 1 tbsp chili powder, and ½ tbsp cornstarch. Mix well and marinate for at least 1 hour.
- 2Prepare the gravy: Chop 2 onions and 3 tomatoes, then roughly chop ½ cup cashews.
- 3Cook the gravy base: Heat ¼ cup oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions, tomatoes, and cashews. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- 4Season and blend: Add 1 tsp salt and 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste. Mix well, then transfer everything to a blender and blend until completely smooth.
- 5Strain: Pour the blended mixture through a strainer to create a smooth gravy. Set aside.
- 6Cook the chicken: Add 2 tbsp butter to the pan over medium heat. Add the marinated chicken and cook until fully cooked through.
- 7Add the gravy: Pour the strained gravy back into the pan with the chicken and mix well.
- 8Finish the sauce: Add 1 tbsp chili powder, 1 tbsp coriander powder, ¼ cup dahi, ¼ cup heavy cream, 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp ketchup, and ¼ cup fresh coriander. Keep the heat at medium and mix thoroughly.
- 9Add butter: Stir in the remaining 1 tbsp butter and cook for another 2 minutes.
- 10Serve: Serve hot with naan, flatbread, or rice.