Quick & Easy Homemade Butter Chicken (Better Than Takeout!)

Butter Chicken Recipe

This creamy, spiced Butter Chicken is pure comfort food . With tender chicken simmered in a velvety tomato-cream sauce, it’s rich, flavorful, and comes together in under 45 minutes. Pair it with fluffy rice and warm naan for the ultimate dinner at home.

Prep Time: 5 min
Marinate Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 25 min
Total Time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

For the chicken & marinade:

• 1 ½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs (cut into bite-sized chunks)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• ½ tsp curry powder
• 1 tbsp Greek yogurt

For the butter chicken sauce:

• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 3 tbsp butter, divided
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt (adjust to taste)
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 2 cups heavy cream
• ½ tsp cayenne pepper (optional, for heat)
• 1 tsp garam masala
• ½ tsp curry powder
• ¼ cup parsley (optional, chopped for garnish)

To serve:

• Naan bread
• Steamed rice

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Marinate chicken: Mix chicken with yogurt, paprika, curry powder, garlic powder, and salt. Let rest at least 15 minutes.
2. Cook chicken: Heat oil in skillet. Cook marinated chicken until golden brown (8–10 min). Remove and set aside.
3. Build sauce: In same pan, melt 1 tbsp butter. Sauté onion and garlic until fragrant. Stir in tomato sauce and sugar, simmer 2–3 minutes.
4. Simmer: Add chicken back, then pour in cream. Season with black pepper, cayenne (if using), garam masala, and curry powder. Let simmer 10 minutes.
5. Finish: Stir in remaining cold butter for a silky finish. Garnish with parsley.
6. Serve: Enjoy hot with naan and rice 🫓🍚.

Pro Tips for Restaurant-Style Butter Chicken

• Marinate longer (up to 4 hours) for deeper flavor.
• Toast spices in the pan before adding liquids to bring out aroma.
• Use thighs instead of breasts for juicier chicken.
• For dairy-free, swap cream for coconut cream and butter for ghee or plant butter.

Storage & Reheating

• Fridge: Store in airtight container up to 3 days.
• Freeze: Up to 2 months (best without cream, add when reheating).
• Reheat: Gently on stove with a splash of cream or water.

Nutrition (per serving)

Disclaimer:

Nutrition estimates only will vary based on ingredients used.

Butter Chicken

This creamy, spiced Butter Chicken is pure comfort food with tender chicken simmered in a velvety tomato-cream sauce, perfect for pairing with fluffy rice and warm naan.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Course: Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: Indian

Calories: 510

Ingredients Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients

  

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For the chicken & marinade

• 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs (cut into bite-sized chunks)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 0.5 tsp curry powder
• 1 tbsp Greek yogurt

For the butter chicken sauce

• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 3 tbsp butter, divided
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 15 oz can tomato sauce
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt (adjust to taste)
• 0.5 tsp black pepper
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 0.5 tsp cayenne pepper (optional, for heat)
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 0.5 tsp curry powder
• 0.25 cup parsley (optional, chopped for garnish)

To serve

• Naan bread
• Steamed rice

Method

 

Preparation

1. Mix chicken with yogurt, paprika, curry powder, garlic powder, and salt. Let rest at least 15 minutes.

Cooking

1. Heat oil in skillet. Cook marinated chicken until golden brown (8–10 min). Remove and set aside.
2. In same pan, melt 1 tbsp butter. Sauté onion and garlic until fragrant. Stir in tomato sauce and sugar, simmer for 2–3 minutes.
3. Add chicken back, then pour in cream. Season with black pepper, cayenne (if using), garam masala, and curry powder. Let simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Stir in remaining cold butter for a silky finish. Garnish with parsley.

Serving

1. Enjoy hot with naan and rice.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 510kcalCarbohydrates: 34gProtein: 14gFat: 36gSaturated Fat: 7g

Notes

Marinate longer (up to 4 hours) for deeper flavor. Toast spices in the pan before adding liquids to bring out aroma. Use thighs instead of breasts for juicier chicken. For dairy-free, swap cream for coconut cream and butter for ghee or plant butter. Storage: Store in airtight container up to 3 days in the fridge, or freeze up to 2 months (best without cream, add when reheating). Reheat gently on stove with a splash of cream or water.

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