Easy butter chicken (Murgh Makhani)

Ingredients

• 450 g (1 pound)skinless, boneless chicken breasts or thighs
• 240 ml (1 cup)thick, unflavoured Greek yoghurt
• 1 tablespoonlemon juice
• 2 teaspoonsgaram masala
• 2 teaspoonsground cumin
• 2 teaspoonsground coriander
• 1 teaspoonground turmeric
• 1 teaspoonground cardamom
• ½ teaspooncayenne pepper, adjusted to taste or replaced with chilli paste
• 1 largeonion, coarsely chopped
• 240 ml (1 cup)tomato passata
• 1 teaspooncrushed garlic
• ½ teaspooncrushed ginger
• 120 ml (½ cup)single or pouring cream
• 85 g (3 ounces)butter
• 2 tablespoonssunflower oil
• ½ teaspoon, or to tastesalt
• 1 teaspoon, optionalsugar
• 1 tablespoon, optionalcornflour

Instructions

1. 1

   Mix the marinade

   In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients except the chicken to make the marinade.

2. 2

   Coat the chicken

   Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and stir them into the marinade, making sure they are well submerged.

3. 3

   Chill the chicken

   Cover the bowl with a lid or cling film and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or longer if time allows.

4. 4

   Fry the chicken

   When ready to cook, melt the butter and oil in a large frying pan. Fry the chicken until it is white inside, checking by cutting a piece in half.

5. 5

   Set chicken aside

   Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate, leaving the butter in the pan. Keep all the remaining marinade to add to the sauce.

6. 6

   Soften the onion

   Return the same pan to a medium heat and add the chopped onion, garlic and ginger; there should be enough butter and oil left from frying the chicken. Stir and cook for about 5 minutes, until the onion is translucent. Lower the heat if it begins to brown; alternatively, turn the heat as low as it will go, cover the pan and let the onion steam in its own juices.

7. 7

   Add the sauce

   Once the onion is soft, add the passata, salt, sugar, cream and all the reserved marinade. Stir well, then add the chicken and any juices from its plate.

8. 8

   Simmer the curry

   Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover the pan and cook for 20 minutes.

9. 9

   Thicken if needed

   The sauce should be thick enough, but to thicken it further, mix 1 tablespoon of cornflour with 2 tablespoons of water. Slowly drizzle the mixture into the sauce during the final 2 minutes of cooking, stirring until it reaches the consistency you want. You may not need all of it.

10. 10

    Garnish and serve

    Garnish with chopped coriander and serve with rice and naan bread.

What is butter chicken?

Butter chicken, also known as Murgh Makhani, is a curry associated with northern India, made with chicken in a rich, tomato-based sauce. This version uses yoghurt and spices for its marinade, then finishes the chicken in a creamy sauce.

The marinade seasons the chicken, while butter, cream and passata make the sauce mellow and full-bodied. Its gentle heat makes it a good choice for a family curry night.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 524 calories, 31g protein, 16g carbs, 38g fat.

The chicken and Greek yoghurt provide much of the protein, while the passata and onion contribute carbohydrates. Butter, oil, cream and yoghurt account for much of the fat. Serve with a modest portion of rice and add vegetables alongside to balance the plate.

The yoghurt and spice marinade

Yoghurt: thick Greek yoghurt coats the chicken and carries the lemon juice and spices. Give the pieces a good stir so they are submerged before chilling.

Spices: garam masala, cumin, coriander, turmeric, cardamom and cayenne bring layers of warmth. Reduce the cayenne or adjust it to taste if you prefer a milder result.

Take time to marinate

Chilling: allow at least 1 hour in the refrigerator so the marinade can cling to the chicken. The recipe allows a longer rest if you have the time.

Before cooking: keep the bowl covered while it rests, and reserve every bit of marinade to add to the sauce later.

Soften the onion gently

Low heat: cook the onion, garlic and ginger in the butter and oil left in the pan. Stir regularly and aim for translucent, softened onion rather than browned edges.

If it starts to colour: lower the heat. The method also suggests covering the pan on its lowest setting so the onion softens in its own juices.

Build a creamy sauce

Tomato and cream: add the passata, cream, seasoning and reserved marinade once the onion has softened. Stir thoroughly before returning the chicken and its plate juices.

Consistency: simmer the covered curry for 20 minutes. If the sauce needs to be thicker, add the cornflour mixture gradually during the final 2 minutes, stirring and stopping when it reaches the texture you like.

Check the chicken and serve

The method checks the chicken by cutting a piece in half and looking for white flesh inside before setting it aside. It then simmers in the sauce for 20 minutes.

Serve with rice and naan, as suggested in the recipe, and finish with chopped coriander. Both make a useful accompaniment to the creamy sauce.

Recipe notes & tips

• Cut the chicken into pieces of similar size so they cook at a similar pace.
• Keep the chicken submerged in the marinade while it chills.
• Reserve all the marinade for the sauce, as the method calls for.
• Lower the heat if the onion begins to brown before it softens.
• Add the cornflour mixture gradually; you may not need all of it.
• Serve the curry with rice and naan to accompany the sauce.

Variations

• Adjust the heat: reduce the cayenne for a milder curry or increase it to suit your taste.
• Use chilli paste: replace the cayenne with chilli paste, as suggested in the ingredient list.
• Choose your chicken: use boneless, skinless breasts or thighs.
• Leave out the sugar: it is optional in the recipe.
• Skip the thickener: omit the optional cornflour if the sauce is already thick enough.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Skipping the marinade: refrigerate the chicken for at least 1 hour as directed.
• Letting the onion brown: lower the heat and cook it until translucent and soft.
• Discarding the marinade: reserve it and stir it into the sauce.
• Adding all the thickener at once: drizzle it in slowly and stop when the sauce is thick enough.
• Forgetting the plate juices: return them to the pan with the chicken.

How to store

Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container and use within 2 days. Reheat in a pan over a gentle heat until piping hot, stirring occasionally.

Frequently asked questions