Spoon Simple
Easy Butter Chicken
Restaurant-quality butter chicken made at home in 35 minutes. Rich, creamy tomato sauce with warm spices — serve over basmati rice for the perfect weeknight meal.
Prep 10 min
Cook 25 min
Total 35 min
Serves 4
Ingredients
Step 1 — Cook the chicken
- 1.5 lbs chicken thighs (cubed)
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp garam masala
- ½ tsp turmeric
- ½ tsp salt
Step 2 — Make the butter chicken sauce
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1 medium onion (diced)
- 4 garlic cloves (minced)
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger (grated)
- 2 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp coriander
- 1 can (14 oz) crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
Step 3 — Serve
- Basmati rice (cooked)
- Fresh cilantro
- Naan bread (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Cook the chicken
Season chicken with garam masala, turmeric, and salt. Heat butter and oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken 5-6 minutes until browned and cooked through. Remove and set aside.
- 2
Make the sauce
In the same pan, melt butter over medium heat. Cook onion 4 minutes until soft. Add garlic and ginger, cook 1 minute. Add garam masala, cumin, paprika, and coriander — stir 1 minute. Add crushed tomatoes and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in heavy cream, sugar, and salt. Simmer 5 more minutes until slightly thickened. Return chicken to the pan.
- 3
Serve
Serve over basmati rice topped with fresh cilantro. Warm naan bread on the side is perfect for scooping up the sauce.
Nutrition per serving: 490 cal · 38g protein · 12g carbs · 32g fat · 2g fiber
For informational purposes only. Not medical or dietary advice. Verify ingredients for allergens, cooking times, and safe internal temperatures before serving.
