This Indian butter chicken with warm basmati rice may just be one of the best chicken recipes you’ll ever make. Juicy chicken thighs are marinated in a deliciously spiced yogurt blend, then sauteed and simmered in a rich and creamy curry sauce that’s ridiculously good.
Why Youāll Love This Butter Chicken
I always seem to have curry recipes in my monthly rotation. Coconut curry chicken and chickpea curry are my go-tos. But when Iām craving something richer, I lean heavily into Indian curryāespecially butter chicken or tikka masala! Theyāre two of the most popular Indian dishes, and while they often get lumped together, the sauces are actually a bit different. Tikka masala is slightly less creamy with more spice-forward flavor, while butter chicken has an ultra-creamy, buttery sauce that balances the spices (I love them both so itās impossible to choose a favorite). But if youāre a fan of velvety, rich curry sauces, I canāt wait for you to try this butter chicken recipe! Youāll also love that:
- Itās surprisingly easy. The ingredient list might look long, but the cooking process is actually quite simple!
- The curry flavor is spot on. The yogurt spice combination really hits home with rich traditional flavors.
- Itāll last for several days. A big batch means easy meal prep or dinner for a crowd!
Butter Chicken Ingredients
I usually try to simplify ingredient lists whenever I can, but butter chicken doesnāt leave much room for shortcuts if you prefer the traditional flavor (as I do). So today weāre keeping things authentic, with a few small additions that make this truly the best butter chicken.
- Chicken thighs: Boneless skinless chicken thighs stay juicy and tender, which is why theyāre traditionally used (and why I love chicken thigh recipes in general). You can also use chicken breast, but thighs are the better choice here.
- Spices: Both the marinade and the sauce use similar spices, including Kashmiri red chili powder and garam masala (see note on chili powder below). Additionally, the chicken marinade includes ground turmeric, and the curry sauce includes ground coriander and cumin.
- Yogurt: Iām using Greek yogurt for this recipe, but any plain yogurt (even dairy-free yogurt) works as well. Just make sure to use full-fat yogurt for creamy, flavorful, and tangy chicken.
- Lemon juice: Freshly squeezed is always best!
- Garlic and ginger: Use fresh garlic and ginger for the best flavor. Though, you can also grab a jar of garlic ginger paste for ease.
- Onion: A diced yellow onion forms the flavor base of the sauce.
- Cashews: Blended raw cashews are my secret ingredient for an unbelievably creamy sauce without dairy.
- Tomatoes: One can of crushed tomatoes gives the sauce its body and color.
- Coconut sugar: While any granulated sugar works, my personal preference is coconut sugar.
- Butter: Unsalted butter is traditional, but ghee or olive oil works if youāre dairy-sensitive or dairy-free.
- Heavy cream: Iām using heavy cream, though coconut cream works as well. Either one gives you a smooth, velvety finish.
Find the printable recipe with measurements below
How to Make Butter Chicken
Step one: Cut the chicken into 1-inch pieces. In a bowl, mix the yogurt, lemon juice, ginger, garlic, Kashmiri chili powder, garam masala, turmeric, and salt. Add the chicken, toss to coat, and let it marinate for at least an hour (overnight is even better).
Step two: Heat a large sautƩ pan and cook the chicken for 5 to 6 minutes, until opaque and cooked through. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
Step three: In the same pan, sautƩ the onion for 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the ginger, garlic, chili powder, garam masala, coriander, and cumin for about a minute. Add the cashews, crushed tomatoes, sugar, and water. Give it a good stir, reduce the heat to low, and let it simmer for 5 minutes so the flavors blend together.
Step four: Carefully pour the sauce into a high-powered blender and blend for about a minute, until itās completely smooth and creamy. If you donāt have a blender, you can transfer the sauce to a bowl or large mason jar and use an immersion blender as well.
Step five: Wipe the pan clean with a paper towel, then pour the blended sauce back in. Stir in the butter and heavy cream. Add the chicken and simmer for another 3 to 5 minutes, until everything is warmed through and the sauce is velvety.
American Chili Powder vs Kashmiri Chili Powder
Heads up, donāt swap in American chili powder in this recipe! American chili powder is a blend of dried chiles mixed with spices like cayenne, cumin, oregano, garlic powder, and paprika. Itās savory, earthy, and perfect for Tex-Mex dishes, like my classic chili.
Kashmiri red chili powder, on the other hand, is the star of many Indian recipes. Itās made from ground dried chiles only, and itās actually quite mild. It also gives curries that gorgeous warm red color without overpowering heat.
Pro tip: Double-check the label to make sure it specifically says āKashmiri.ā If it only says āred chili powder,ā it will be much hotter. For reference: Kashmiri chili powder clocks in around 1,000 to 2,000 Scoville heat units, while typical red chili powder lands closer to 4,000.
Hereās a quick chili powder comparison:
- Cayenne ā very hot
- Red Chili Powder ā very hot
- Deggi Mirch ā medium hot
- Kashmiri Chili Powder ā mild
- Paprika ā mild
Storage Tips
Any leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. And if you want to stash some away for later, freeze it! Just pour it into a freezer-safe container or Souper Cubes and freeze for up to 3 months. The sauce wonāt be quite as silky once itās reheated, but it still tastes amazing. I freeze and reheat it all the time!
More Chicken Recipes
- Chicken Piccata: An Italian American favorite.
- Greek Sheet Pan Chicken: A weeknight dinner staple.
- Chicken Stir Fry: So easy and flavorful.
- Chicken Fajitas: With the best fajita seasoning!
- Teriyaki Chicken: This is certainly restaurant-quality.
- Or try these other easy dinner ideas!
If you try this butter chicken recipe, let me know how it turns out in the comments below! Your review will help other readers in the community. And if youāre hungry for more healthy food inspiration and exclusive content, join my free newsletter here.
Description
Video
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 1 Ā½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
- Ā½ cup full-fat Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons minced ginger
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil or avocado oil
For the Butter Sauce
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 teaspoons minced ginger
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- Ā½ teaspoon ground coriander
- Ā½ teaspoon cumin
- Ā¼ cup raw cashews
- 1 tablespoon coconut sugar, or other sweetener
- 1 (15-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, or ghee
- Ā½ cup heavy cream, or coconut cream
For Serving
- basmati rice
- freshly chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Dice the chicken. Cut the chicken into 1-inch pieces and place it in a bowl.
- Marinate the chicken. Add the yogurt, lemon juice, ginger, garlic, red chili powder, garam masala, turmeric, and salt to the bowl. Stir it all together, then cover and refrigerate for an hour (or up to overnight).
- Cook the chicken. Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large saute pan.Ā Place the marinated chicken in the fry pan and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, until the chicken is opaque. Transfer the chicken to a separate bowl.
- Make the sauce. Add the onions to the pan and saute for 3 to 4 minutes, until softened and translucent.
- Add the spices. Add the ginger, garlic, red chili powder, garam masala, coriander, cumin, and stir for another minute. Then add the cashews, crushed tomatoes, sugar, and water. Stir it all together, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Blend the sauce. Transfer the sauce to a high-powered blender and blend for a minute, until smooth and creamy.
- Combine it all together. Wipe the pan clean with a paper towel (if you'd like to remove any lumps from the final sauce), then stir together the creamy butter sauce, butter, and heavy cream.
- Add the chicken back to the pan over medium heat and stir with the sauce for 3 to 5 minutes, until the chicken is warmed through.
- To serve. Enjoy the butter chicken on it's own, or serve it over basmati rice topped with fresh cilantro.
Lisa’s Tips
- You can typically find Kashmiri red chili powder at your local Indian market. But you can also purchase it online! Alternatively, you can use a combination of paprika and cayenne pepper for a similar taste and heat level. And if you’d like to “up” the heat level, just use regular red chili powder instead of Kashmiri red chili powder.
- If you’d like to save time making this recipe, don’t mince the ginger and garlic at home. Just buy a jar of ginger garlic paste.Ā You can substitute 1 tablespoon in the marinade and 1 tablespoon in the sauce for both the garlic and ginger listed in the recipe above.
- You can substitute the cashews with blanched almonds, sunflower seeds, or pine nuts, or simply leave them off (the sauce will just be a little thinner).
Nutrition
Ā©Downshiftology. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.
This recipe was originally published April 2022, but updated to include new photos and information for your benefit!
Iāve just batched cooked this butter chicken. We are going to a lodge with friends. Iāve made this loads of times, itās a stunning recipe. I use chicken breast, but other than that follow the recipe. Thank you Lisa .. I know my friends will love it.
Love that you’re taking this recipe with you! Hope you all enjoy it, Deb. :)
Just made this and itās a hit with the WHOLE family šš¼šš¼šš¼ I made it exactly as the recipe is written. Definitely adding this to my dinners list.
Yay, love to hear that! Thanks so much, Samantha!
Made Butter Chicken again, love the spice combo. I always make 3 or 4kg at a time and freeze it in servings. It’s so popular with family and friends ā¤ļø
Hi Penelope – Happy to hear this butter chicken is such a hit with your friends and family!
Love this recipe! Is the nutritional info per 1 recipe?
Happy to hear you loved it, Jake! The nutritional info is per serving.
This was my first time to make Butter Chicken and I love your recipe. It’s so creamy and the cashews give it the nutty flavor. I’m lovin’it!
Congrats on making it! I’m happy you loved it.
This is a favorite in our household, but we use chicken breasts instead. The sauce is vibrant, tasty, and addictive. We like to amp up the heat a bit with some cayenne and we swap between basmati and white rice.
I’m happy you love it!
This is a favorite in our household, but we use chicken breasts instead. The sauce is vibrant, tasty, and addictive. We like to amp up the heat a bit with some cayenne and we swap between basmati and white rice.
So happy you love this butter chicken recipe, Nicole! And yes, feel free to spice it up with a little cayenne.
Iāve been making this meal for about a year now and itās a family favorite. I was wondering what is the best way to thaw this meal after freezing?
Hi Megan – I usually let it thaw in the fridge overnight.
Great recipe. The chicken was very tender and the recipe seemed to have lots of steps so I suggest having everything prepped while the chicken is marinading. I used a hot curry instead of the chili sauce and it still didn’t have the heat my husband likes. I will try adding cayenne next time. Really enjoyed the butter chicken with naan bread over basmati rice with a small serving of brocolli. Will make this again.
I’m happy you enjoyed the recipe, Pat! And yes, you can definitely tweak the heat level to your liking. That’s an easy fix. Enjoy! :)
Is there a substitute for the crushed tomatoes? I love love love butter chicken but canāt figure out a way to elimate the crushed tomatoes.
The crushed tomatoes are a component of this recipe, so I’m not sure.
Made this tonight! It was absolutely delicious!
I’m glad you loved it, Erica!
I’m so glad you enjoyed this butter chicken, Erica!
This looks soooo yummy, I will definitely try this one, and I was thinking of making a tofu version ahead of time and freeze to serve at a gathering for next week because a vegan friend is coming. Do you have any suggestions for adapting the recipe with tofu instead of chicken?
I haven’t tried making a tofu version yet, but I’m sure you can slice and toss the tofu into the sauce once it’s cooked.
My favourite butter chicken recipe ! I like to soak the cashews, again for that extra creaminess.
Lisa, would you have a dhal recipe to share ? It’s winter here in Australia and craving more of those warm nourishing dishes ….
Or a nice creamy laksa ?
Thank you for your great work
I’m happy you love my butter chicken recipe, Claudia! And no, I don’t have a recipe for dhal or laksa yet. But I’ll make sure to add them to my list. :)
This butter chicken recipe is sublime. I made it today for lunch and was beyond impressed with the creaminess and rich flavor profiles.
Lisa, thank you for creating concise, wholesome, inspiring and delectable recipes.
When I discovered your food blog in 2019, I remember feeling positively elated to find content that was delicious, healthy AND gluten-free.
This will sound silly but there was a time when I thought I was doomed to a life of eating bland chicken breast and sad broccoli.Ā
I have enjoyed every single recipe I have tried from your site. Thank you for playing a part in restoring my zest for cooking and creativity in the kitchen.Ā
Don’t worry Kasia, we’ve all been there! But happy to hear you’ve been enjoying so many Downshiftology recipes and hope you continue to do so :)
We make this recipe almost weekly! Itās one of our favorites and so delicious!
Happy to hear this has become a weekly favorite!
This is an amazing butter chicken! My husband and my little kids loved it. Its got heat and a beautiful balance of sweetness. I would give it 10 stars if I could! Thank you so much for making this recipe so easy to follow, and so delicious!
Happy to hear the whole family enjoyed this butter chicken recipe Jelena!
Have made this recipe twice and both times were a hit. I did follow the recipe exactly. Can see making this dish regularly moving forward. Just hoping to remember to defrost the chicken earlier (if needed) and prep a day in advance so as to give it a whole night to marinate before cooking it the following day next time. I only marinated it for 30 minutes in my two attempts, but still amazing.
Absolutely perfect! The whole Family loved it, including my sometimes very picky little ones. Love it!
Yay, always love to hear when the kiddos love a recipe!
My whole extended family loved this! Even my extremely picky 8 year old nephew. So flavorful and delicious.Ā
Love to hear that! Thanks Carinna. :)
I hosted a dinner party for the first time and made this recipe. Everyone loved how the butter chicken turned out! Best recipe I’ve ever tried! I didn’t have kashmiri red chilli powder so I used 1-2 tsp of crushed red chili flakes. Are there any veggies I can add to this dish?
Happy to hear this worked out perfectly for your dinner party! For veggies, you could add sliced bell peppers.
I have made this butter chicken twice now. The creaminess of the sauce in this recipe just canāt be beat. Love, love, love it!Ā
Looks better than tandoori chicken. Have anyone tried both these together. Which one taste better ?
I made this tonight for our dinner, it was so delicious!Ā
I have made a lot of different recipes for Butter Chicken over the years and by far your recipe turned out to be the Best! Ā I had marinated the chicken thighs from early this morning it was so tender and yummy! My husband agreed and raved about the flavours!Ā
I also received your cook book last night, an early Christmas gift to me :)Ā
Looking forward to trying out more of your fantastic recipes!
Thank you Lisa!Ā
Glad you loved this butter chicken! Excited to see what you make from the cookbook as well :)
I really really wanted to love this recipe. However, i felt like this recipe felt short in the texture. I followed the recipe to the teeth, gravy was too thick and left a dry taste in my tongue. I even added some extra ghee to recover this dry taste I felt linger in mouth. Finally, I figure out the culprit is that this recipe uses Greek yogurt but Indian dishes generally uses whole plain yogurt. I grew up eating Indian food so I was able to distinguish this. Donāt get me wrong, I felt like this is good base recipe specially using cashew to bring out the smooth textures but the flavor of the Greek yogurt is a bit overwhelming and bet the purpose of the Indian seasoning. Also, I do recommend adding some dry fenugreek leaves to enhance the flavors a bit.Ā
Made this for dinner last night. Hubby thought the flavors were soooo good. Thank you.
Lisa this was over the top full of flavors!!! Ā And no time to make. Thanks for the recipe and wait for your cook book. My tummy is šĀ
Angel Ā
Can’t wait for you to get your hands on this cookbook as well Angel!
I started making it late with hungry little birds swarming around me (kids). Ā I ended up taking a shortcut and they loved it! Ā My pickiest was helping me cook and said āmom Iām trusting you!!ā When she saw how different it was. I threw the marinade yogurt mix into the instant pot for 10 minutes and added garbanzo beans and corn (Iām somewhat random in my cooking). Ā Family Loved it. Hubby took 3 helpings! Ā I completely skipped the second part of the recipe.
I used coconut cream and coconut yogurt to make it lactose-free.Ā
I’m really really sensitive to spicy (like table pepper is too much) so I followed the recipe except substituted smoked paprika for the chilli powder and it came out really great. Just a tip in case anyone is a baby about spiciness like me:)
I had to tone down the seasoning for my husband (who ended up not being willing to even try it). Ā I also donāt currently have a working blender so I used my immersion blender which worked great for it. Will definitely make this again. Ā Will wait until I make dinner for my daughter and her SO so I can use the full seasoning, too.Ā
My husband said this was the best thing Iāve ever cooked. And I cook ALL the time. I seriously love all your recipes. Canāt wait for your book. Itās preordered ;).Ā
Aw, happy to hear both you and your husband enjoyed this recipe Ruthi!
Of course, another recipe from Downshiftology which did not disappoint. Everyone in my household agreed that itās like the ones we eat at Indian restaurants if not better. Thank you very much, Lisa! We love you šĀ
Amazing amazing! Thank you so much! Please make a mutton curry recipe!
Delicious recipe Lisa! Made it with chicken thighs but given the rising price of chicken nowadays, I am trying to eat more plant-based. Can I replace the chicken thighs with chickpeas? What modifications to the recipe would you recommend if I can use chickpeas?
This is incredible! I used chicken breast and used red chili powder because I already had it in the drawer (what can I say I love spicy food). It was easy to make, but was so delicious and Iāll be dreaming of that sauce for weeks. Thank you for yet another amazing recipe that will become part of my regular dinner rotation. Next time I will try tofu instead of chicken tho.Ā
Thrilled to hear you’re loving this butter chicken Jennifer!
This was terrific butter chicken. The closest to restaurant quality I’ve made! I did halve the amount of ginger, however. I also cut up an entire chicken instead of using just chicken thighs. Lasted a few days!
Glad you can enjoy butter chicken right at home now Erin :)
Absolutely delicious! Will definitely make again! Also, canāt wait to get your cookbook!Ā
Yay! Glad you enjoyed this butter chicken recipe Melissa. And yes – can’t wait for you to get your copy!
Oh my goodness, this recipe is AMAZING!! I absolutely love Indian food but I live hours away from any restaurants, which means Iāve tried a lot of different recipes trying to find dishes that taste like those you would get at a restaurant. There have been many recipes Iāve tried that have been majorly disappointing, but this butter chicken did not let me down! I will definitely be making this again and sharing the recipe with my family and friends that are Indian food lovers. Thanks!
Thrilled to hear you’ve found a winning butter chicken recipe Macey!
We made this dish tonight with brown rice and it was delish! This was our first time making butter chicken and we made extra batches, so it took a lot longer than the estimated time, but it was worth it. We marinated chicken in one bowl and extra firm tofu in another bowl (for vegetarians) last night, then made the sauce and cooked everything tonight. We forgot to add the sweetener, but didn’t miss it – it turned out great anyway. We used both half and half as well as a can of full fat coconut milk – yum!
We took your suggestion, Lisa, and meal prepped. Since we made meat and vegetarian options and had 3 1/2 lbs of chicken, we made quadruple the recipe and put the extras in containers in the freezer for future weeknight meals. In addition, we had extra sauce left over, and put it in a separate container in the freezer so that when we make this recipe again in the near future, we only need to marinate the chicken (or extra firm tofu) overnight, thaw out the sauce, and save the extra step of having to make the sauce again. I’d love to see a post on chicken tikka masala.
Thanks for all your great recipes, Lisa! Keep up the great job!
Happy to hear you’re loving this butter chicken recipe Wendy! And yes – this is definitely one to meal prep and freeze for the future.
Dear Lisa,Ā
Congratulations! This recipe looks yummy. I have made & enjoyed several of your recipes and always enjoy the pictures. Are there pictures with each recipe in your cookbook?Ā
Iām single and have a small refrigerator/freezer. The description says ābig batchā recipes. Is there info with each recipe for making smaller versions?
Wishing you all the best!
D ā¤ļø
Thanks so much for your support! Yes, each recipe in the cookbook has photos, along with special tips (which may include portioning tips) :)
Delicous! My boyfriend had two plates of it and then even washed the dishes, so I guess he loved it very much š Will do it in future again ā¤ļø
Very tasty chicken!
An excellent resource for a foodie like me. I love exploring new cultures, making new recipes, trying out new cuisine.
Now more than ever while stuck at home, I am appreciating this helpful list so much more. Thanks.
Wow amazingly delicious!! One of my new favorites!
Glad you loved this butter chicken Missy!
Thank you very much for this wonderful recipe. Ā It’s easy to follow and the butter chicken was out of this world! Ā The only negative for my texture was not 100% smooth but besides that it was perfect.
The color of mine was different than Lisa’s, not sure why. But it was the best Butter Chicken Ever. It does always take me a lot longer than the recipy “total time” but that is probably me :)
Glad you enjoyed this butter chicken recipe! As for the total time, it’s just a rough estimate :)
Easily the best Butter Chicken I have ever cook – and eaten (if I say so myself…).
Love your Youtube channel – thank you for sharing your knowledge with us.
Best wishes!
Happy to hear you’re loving this butter chicken recipe Ines!
That seems like a lot of sugar. What happens if you leave it out?
You can reduce the sugar if you’d like. It’s used to help balance out all the spiced flavors.
This looks so good ! I am lactose intolerant, so I can substitute the dairy for nondairy. However my husband is allergic to nuts. Is there something I can also substitute the nuts?
Yes, you can sub the dairy for non-dairy options. As for the nuts, you can swap it for sunflower seeds!
Is the nutrition information based on the chicken and rice? Or just chicken?
Thanks.
The nutritional information is just for the butter chicken.
Canāt wait to try this! I have a daughter that is allergic to nut. Do you have a suggestion on something to sub for the cashews?Ā
You can sub with sunflower seeds if she cannot eat nuts at all. Alternatively, you could also just omit them entirely. Though the sauce won’t be quite as thick.
Hi Lisa,
Thanks for all your wonderful videos and recipes. Everything always looks so appealing !
The Kashmiri you linked is not gluten-free. As youāre coeliacā¦.. I thought you might have missed the label – even if youād be very surprising from you.
In one of your videos, you mention the eggs sticking in your stainless steel pans. I do use stainless steel pans and my eggs donāt stick. Have you heard about the water drop test ? Thatās how you know the pan is a perfect temperature, and nothing sticks – even scrambled eggs :-)
As you helped me so much with meal prep, it sounds fair to share what might help you :-)
Thanks again for all your helpful Ā work.
Hi! The Kashmiri spice is gluten-free (there’s only one ingredient – chilies). But like most packaged foods, it’s not produced in a dedicated gluten-free facility so has an allergy label on the product. I don’t personally have any issues with it, but if you do I’d recommend finding a certified gluten-free brand. :)
Absolutely outta the park Lisa… Home Run!!!
Sam Hatman
I’m so happy you love the recipe Sam!