I finally “cracked” the secret code to an amazing Indian butter chicken curry recipe that tastes just like our local takeout, but cheaper and leaner! Rich, creamy curry sauce and jammed with warming flavour, you will want this recipe!
For a full Indian dinner serve with fluffy basmati rice and this Red Lentil Dal or creamy Dal Makhani.
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A seriously good Indian curry is a legendary take out option. It’s been a family favourite for years, especially when a solid dose of comfort food is required.
And one curry sits on almost everyones shortlist of favourites, the legendary Butter Chicken!
It hits so may sweet spots at once: rich, creamy and a lovely balance of sweet and acidic. And because it’s not spicy, it’s one that the whole family can enjoy!
Indian curry recipes
Given my love of a good curry and pretty much everything from Indian cuisine, it’s no surprise I’ve been slowly working through a list of our favourites and new recipes for slightly healthier, homemade versions. Chicken Korma and Chicken Rogan Josh are family favourite, so ones I had to re-create.
My son prefers this vegetarian curry Aloo Gobi. For him I made an easy, homemade version called Simplified Cauliflower and Potato Curry. Some recipes are less authentic but nonetheless delicious like this Indian Kofta Curry (Meatball Curry).
For someone who wants all the rich and creamy flavour of this recipe but with just a hint more spice, you’ll want to give Paneer or Chicken Tikka Masala a try!
As tasty as the takeout menus could be, we all agree they are laden with far too many calories. So there is a lot to be gained by making your own, at home. So today I am sharing my pièce de résistance…Butter Chicken Curry.
Butter chicken recipe
The origin of butter chicken aka murgh makhani is indeed in northern India, unlike the other popular curry Tikka Masala, which was invented in Britain. The original recipe for the famous curry came to be out of a need to use up leftover chicken.
Tandoori chicken that was left unsold at local shops would dry out and become useless. But when mixed into a simple gravy, the chicken regained moisture and became something new and quite spectacular.
So grilled tandoori chicken got mixed with some curry based around tomato sauce, butter and cream and a star was born. The humble dish has now travelled the world and can be found in curry shops and every Indian restaurant all over the globe.
Butter chicken curry was the first curry my kids agreed on trying. Soon the whole family fell in love with its mild, creamy and insanely flavourful taste and juicy chicken to the point we started asking for two orders of butter chicken from our local takeaway!
Making it at home
Seeing how much my family enjoyed butter chicken, I’ve wanted to recreate the familiar mild curry taste at home for ages but I knew it was not going to be easy.
The challenge came from a well known fact that the original recipe uses leftover tandoori chicken pieces. Tandoori chicken is marinated in yogurt and spices, then baked in a clay oven, with pretty amazing results!
I was just not willing to faff around with a two-stage recipe at home or have to wait till the next day to eat good butter chicken. I wanted a quick and easy butter chicken recipe!!
The answer for the easiest way to get great results came from an old friend, who lived in India for years. She shared with me her secret and it is tandoori masala spice mix!! It imparts the unmistakingly delicious flavour of tandoori chicken without the extra pain of grilling the chicken first.
I didn’t add butter to my recipe but a generous splash of heavy/double cream, which created the same creamy texture but didn’t taste quite as heavy.
I don’t claim that this recipe tastes as authentic as in India. But I will assure you that it tastes exactly like our London takeaway butter chicken curry, and that is good enough for me!
Plus the entire recipe comes together in under an hour, and who doesn’t like a quick chicken curry!
Recipe tips and notes
- Try to find a tandoori mix from a reputable brand or after looking at reviews. Not all spice mixes are the same, and only a high quality mix will impart seriously good flavour to the butter chicken recipe.
- Marinade the chicken in the spice blend and plain yogurt for at least three hours, and preferably overnight. Giving time for this step allows the spices to fully flavour the chicken while making for seriously tender chicken.
- Only use full fat, and never low fat, yogurt for the marinade. Low fat yogurt is prone to curdle when heated, and especially when mixed with something acidic.
- For a more authentic taste, use chicken breasts with skinless, boneless chicken thighs. The thighs are still a convenient option, but come with more succulent flavour than breasts.
- Add a small amount of heavy cream at the very end to make the butter curry sauce creamy. You can use coconut milk or soya single cream for a dairy free alternative.
- I don’t recommend adding salt until right at the end and only after a taste test. There is salt in the spice mix, so its very easy to over salt if adding earlier.
Serving suggestions
If you would like to add a few other things to your Butter Chicken Curry for a more exciting Indian dinner experience I would recommend making my Chickpea and Butternut Squash Curry. Those two curries go so well together!
Even rice can be turned into something special. I’m a huge fan of eating curry with fragrant Coconut Rice! Brown rice can be used instead of white. Naan bread is also a fantastic option, alone or alongside rice.
Those are the dishes I made last night for our small dinner party and it went down a storm!
Storage and leftovers
Any leftovers can be stored in your fridge for later use. I would recommend eating within three days.
Butter chicken also freezes quite well, and can be saved for up to three months in an airtight container. Let it thaw before reheating, and use within 48 hours.
Leftovers can be reheated in a saucepan over gentle heat or in a microwave.
More takeaway favourites recipes
Butter Chicken Curry
Ingredients
- 450 g /1 lbs chicken breasts cubed
- 4 tbsp tandoori masala spice mix
- 250 ml /1 cup natural yogurt plain
- 2 tbsp ghee or vegetable oil
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp ginger paste or grated ginger
- 1 tsp coriander
- ½ tsp turmeric
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 125 ml / ½ cup water
- 125 ml / ½ cup whipping cream/double cream
- 1 tbsp fresh cilantro chopped
Instructions
- In a medium bowl mix the yogurt with the tandoori masala spice mix and add cubed chicken breasts. Marinade for at least 3 hours or overnight.
- In a deep pan heat the ghee or oil and fry the chopped onion, garlic and ginger together over low heat for 10 minutes.
- Add the chicken with the marinade to the pan, add the coriander and turmeric, tomato paste and water, stir to combine, then turn the heat up to medium and bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes covered.
- Add the double cream, stir and cook uncovered for 10 minutes longer until the sauce is thick and desired consistency. Add salt if needed. (There is salt in the tandoori masala spice mix, so only add extra salt if necessary.)
- Serve with fresh cilantro and basmati rice.
Martyna says
It’s so lovely that you include the Nutritional information, not all cooking blogs do so. It’s sooo helpfull when one has any dietery restrictions. Thanks!
Sarah Barnard says
This is the best butter chicken recipe I have found online! Super easy and packed with flavor! Made garlic butter naan with it. So good!
Julia Frey (Vikalinka) says
Thanks so much for your review, Sarah!
AJ says
4 tablespoon of tandoori masala or 4 teaspoons? I put the former as per your ingredients and it’s way too much ! I think you should double check your recipe
Julia Frey (Vikalinka) says
Dear AJ, the measurements are correct as written. Please refer to multiple reviews of this recipe. You can certainly adjust the amount of tandoori masala according to your preference.
Damien says
I’ve made this three times now, tweaking the ingredients slightly each time to suit my family’s level of spiciness comfort, and I must say it’s gone to the top of my favourite curry recipe list now. Thank you!
Julia Frey (Vikalinka) says
I am so happy to hear you and your family enjoys this butter chicken recipe, Damien! We cook it often at home and especially now!
Marie Etheridge says
It was delicious, thanks for sharing the recipe, my dinner guest loved it as well, will definitely be cooking it again
vikalinka says
So pleased to hear it, Marie!
Amber says
Another awesome recipe … I used half vegetable oil half palm oil … Delicious everyone loved it
vikalinka says
So glad to hear it, Amber!!
josh says
Would this recipe work in a slow cooker/would i need to make any changes?
vikalinka says
Hi Josh, I haven’t tested it in a slow cooker but I think it just might work. I would use full fat yogurt as lower fat tends to split and add the cream at the end.
Josh says
Thank you! will definitely give it a go!
Jay says
Is it OK to use ginger powder ?
vikalinka says
It’s fine, Jay. Just make sure it’s still fresh and fragrant. Dried spices lose their potency after a few months.
Regitze Birketoft says
Let me start by saying I love this version of butterchicken
When read the recipe I figured that it would be rather “soupy” very very thin and wet…. so I made some alterations
I didn’t use regular yoghurt I used Greek. Lot less moisture…. and I only used cream – no water and I let it simmer for almost 1,5 hours
It was thick, creamy and obscenely rich in flavour so thanks for the inspiration. A definite repeat
Love Regitze from Denmark
Neil Thompson says
I make a lot of curries starting from scratch with all the herbs, seeds and spices a real martyr! But since I saw your recipe, no more hard labour it makes me look like a pro! It freezes perfectly so for me a real bonus as I have to have everything organised well in advance! I use Rajah tandoori masala powder and you are so right – why make your life difficult when you can conjure up an authentic curry!! Thank you.
vikalinka says
That’s just what I think too, Neil. I make plenty of things from scratch but some things are just not worth it like puff pastry or curries! Better do something more fun with my time than grinding spices, right? 🙂
Neil Thompson says
So right, just if you follow so many rwcipe books that’s what it says ”place in a pestle and mortar ‘ ! I wrecked a coffee grinder when things like cloves and cinnamon sticks just don’t respond to pestle and mortar!! So keep it simple stupid is my constant reminder. Post divorce cooking had been my joy and an unbelievable success rate!!!
Thanks again
vikalinka says
You are very welcome, Neil!
M says
I never normally review recipes but this is amazing and could quite easily pass for an authentic dish from the local Indian restaurant!
vikalinka says
I am so pleased to hear you enjoyed this butter chicken recipe. Thank you for your review!
Roz Russell says
WOW, OMG this is the best butter chicken we have ever cooked, thank you so much for the recipe, it will certainly be on our saturday night curry list for some time
vikalinka says
So pleased to hear it, Roz! Enjoy!
Cynthia M Solis says
Easy to make and smells great. Unfortunately the spice blend I bought was so spicy we couldn’t eat the dish. Going to try making it again with a masala mix that is mild 🙂
vikalinka says
That’s too bad about the spice mix, Cynthia. It shouldn’t be this spicy. Was it the same one as I recommended?
Donna says
Butter Chicken is my absolute favourite takeout! This looks fantastic.
Sande says
Love this recipe. Tastes great and the chicken is so tender. The instructions are easy to follow, would have loved to have been able to find ginger paste.
vikalinka says
Thank you for a great review, Sande!
Lyssa says
I made this dish this weekend and it is delicious! Thank you. I did modify the ingredients a bit (fresh coriander /cilantro, waitrose rich and tangy tomato chutney & ‘Al Noor’ Pakistani bassar curry masala) Was very simple to make and very tasty. I couldn’t believe how much it tastes like restaurant quality😋 thumbs up..thank you very much for tips. If you haven’t yet tried this but aren’t sure, go for it you won’t be disappointed ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
vikalinka says
Excellent new, Lyssa! Thank you for sharing with us.
Neil says
Is this freezable as I have to plan a big birthday in advace
vikalinka says
Hi Neil, I haven’t done it but I can’t see why not. The only thing I would watch out for is yogurt. Sometimes it separates after being frozen and reheated. So I would reheat it at a low heat as intense heat is what usually causes the yogurt to split.
Dhee says
Want to check what brand tandoori masala you used
vikalinka says
Hi Dee, I’ve used a few different ones but this one by Fudco is what is currently in my spice cupboard.
Lesley says
Looking forward to trying this! Is it ground coriander or dried coriander for this recipe? Thanks 🙂
vikalinka says
Hi Lesley, it’s dried ground coriander.
Sukaina says
Hi! I’m excited to try out this recipe!
Just wondering if the TRS Tandoori Spice Mix (you shared the Amazon link) has chili powder in it? Is it really spicy? I’m mildly tolerant to spice, so just wondering! Thanks so much:)
vikalinka says
It’s actually not spicy at all, Sukaina. Butter chicken has a very mild flavour.
Paul says
Very nice but I added 3 ghost peppers to liven it up. Thanks.
Julia Frey (Vikalinka) says
Some days I do that too, Paul! 🙂
Shama Hussain says
I’m from Pakistan and wanted to share a common tip.
To get that smoky BBQ flavour, a small foil cup is wedged in the middle of the pan with the prepared food. A glowing charcoal briquette is placed in the foil cup and a spoonful of oil is poured over it. The pan is quickly covered to keep the smoke from escaping. After 3 – 4 minutes the foil cup, oil and charcoal are carefully discarded
I light up the charcoal on my gas stove and have even tried it with success on an electric (coil) stove. Traditionally, a cup made from a layer of onion was used which definitely enhanced the flavour.
vikalinka says
What a brilliant tip, Shama! Thank you for sharing. I can’t wait to try it.
nagendra says
A delicious recipe I have never seen this before like this way.
Christine says
When I clicked on the link to that tandoori masala seasoning I was shocked to see a legal disclaimer advising this “The product contains one or more food colours that may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children.”
Just thought you should know, k have a blog and wouldn’t advertise something like this. The rest of your recipe looks great though and your pictures are very appealing 😊
vikalinka says
Hi Christine, the product I linked to was just something I found on Amazon in response to a reader’s question. It was an example of what tandoori masala is and had the best rating. In no way was I advertising it. I do not receive commission if that product is sold. As I mentioned I am located in the UK, so can’t know everything about what US products are like. I trust my readers do their own research just like you did. Thanks for your comment. Best, Julia
D R Thurman-kingham says
Cilantro and coriander are the same thing
vikalinka says
Thank you for your thoughtful comment. The fresh herb is called cilantro in North America and coriander in the UK. I include both names for convenience as I do with a number of other ingredients to avoid confusion. In North America the term “coriander” is referred to the dried spice and although the same herb they contribute quite different taste.
ChristyW says
I’ve used this recipe with salmon and shrimp and I”m planning on making a vegetarian version with cauliflower. The sauce is PERFECT. We used to order out Indian food but now my husband is so happy that we can make it at home anytime.
vikalinka says
Music to my ears, Christy! What a great idea to use salmon, shrimp or cauliflower!
Debbie McIlhone says
Thank you for coming to my rescue tonight. I had a recipe but when I read the reviews they were awful, so I googled and found you and this recipe. Happy days was delicious and way less complicated than the one I was going to do. Easy to do and vert tasty.
vikalinka says
So happy you found this recipe, Debbie. It’s definitely an easy one. Thank you for such a lovely review!
Jessica says
This is excellent! I doubled the recipe for dinner tonight and am so glad that I did.
vikalinka says
This makes me so happy. I just made a double batch of it as well!
Beth says
Did you double everything in the recipe when you doubled including spices and garlic? Thanks, Beth.
Julia Frey (Vikalinka) says
I would double everything.
Sally Cook says
Excellent recipe so good cooking it again this weekend
vikalinka says
So happy to hear it, Sally!
Joey says
What is Tandoori Masala spice mix? Is this a mix I can buy in the store? I’m in the US and not sure if we have this. Our array of Indian related foods in markets is very weak.
vikalinka says
Hi Joey, you are correct, it is a spice mix that you should be able to buy in the international isle of your supermarket. If all fails there is always Amazon, this product here looks good.
Kelly says
Also it is easy to make your own spice blend out of spices you already have in your cupboard. Most recipes call for mace but it is fine to substitute nutmeg 🙂
Ivonne says
Omg!! I Will be making this for dinner this week it looks delicious!! Thank you for sharing this recipe. I will let you know how it turns out.
vikalinka says
You are very welcome, Ivonne! Enjoy!
vera bentley says
i was going to make something else for dinner last night, at the last minute i saw this recipe & decided i was going to do this. what a great decision! there is only 2 of us & we had some last nite & had the rest tonight after we got home late. thanx so much julia i cant stop saying how wonderful its been. xxxx
vikalinka says
That is so great, Vera. You are my first reviewer for this recipe and I am so pleased to know it worked well for you!