Classic Butter Chicken

Indulge in the ultimate comfort food with this Classic Butter Chicken (Murgh Makhani) recipe.

​Prep time: 20 mins | Cook time: 30 mins | Serves: 4

Ingredients

Category Items

The Chicken-

1.5 lbs chicken thighs (bite-sized)

1 cup Greek yogurt

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste

2 tsp Garam Masala

The Sauce -

2 tbsp butter

1 cup tomato puree

1 tbsp sugar

1 tsp chili powder

½ cup heavy cream

The Finish Fresh cilantro, a dollop of butter, and a pinch of dried fenugreek leaves (Kasuri Methi).

Instructions

Marinate: Mix the chicken with yogurt, lemon juice, and spices. Let it sit for at least 30 minutes (or overnight for the best flavor).

Sear: In a large pan over medium-high heat, sear the chicken pieces until browned on all sides.

Remove and set aside.

The Gravy: In the same pan, melt the butter. Add the tomato puree, sugar, and chili powder. Simmer for 10–12 minutes until the sauce thickens and darkens.

​Combine: Stir in the heavy cream and add the chicken back into the pan. Simmer for another 5–8 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.

​Garnish: Top with fresh cilantro and a swirl of cream.

​Serving Suggestion

​Serve this with garlic naan or basmati rice to soak up that incredible sauce.

Tip:

If you want a deeper "restaurant" red color without using food dye, use Kashmiri Red Chili Powder—it's mild in heat but very vibrant!

Grocery List for Butter Chicken Ingredients

Chicken thighs (boneless, skinless)

Greek yogurt

Lemon juice

Garlic paste

Ginger paste

Garam masala

Turmeric powder

Cumin powder

Kashmiri red chili powder or paprika

Butter (unsalted)

Tomato puree or crushed tomatoes

Heavy cream

Sugar or honey

Dried fenugreek leaves (Kasuri Methi)

Fresh cilantro (for garnish)

Check out my recipe for:

Perfect Fragrant Basmati Rice

Soft & Fluffy Garlic Naan

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Category	Items
The Chicken	1.5 lbs chicken thighs (bite-sized), 1 cup Greek yogurt, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste, 2 tsp Garam Masala.
The Sauce	2 tbsp butter, 1 cup tomato puree, 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tsp chili powder, ½ cup heavy cream.
The Finish	Fresh cilantro, a dollop of butter, and a pinch of dried fenugreek leaves (Kasuri Methi).