Butter Chicken Curry

Ingredients

• 3chicken breasts, diced and marinated in tandoori paste
• 3 tbspunsalted butter
• 5green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
• 2.5 cm (1 inch)cinnamon stick
• 4cloves
• 1 smallonion, finely chopped
• 1 heaped tbspfresh ginger, grated
• 1green chilli, slit lengthways
• 1 tspKashmiri chilli powder (or mild paprika)
• ½ tspgaram masala
• 1 tbspground cinnamon
• 3 tbsptomato purée
• 250 mldouble cream
• 3 tbsphoney
• 2 tbspkasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves) or fenugreek leaf powder
• To taste (roughly 1 tbsp)salt
• As neededwater
• To garnishfresh coriander, chopped

Instructions

1. 1

   Cook the chicken

   Cook the marinated chicken in an oven at 200°C for about 20–25 minutes.

2. 2

   Fry the spices

   Heat a heavy-based saucepan and add the butter. Add the cardamom pods, cinnamon stick and cloves, and fry for 20 seconds. Add the onion and sauté over a medium heat for 5–7 minutes, until lightly browned.

3. 3

   Build the sauce

   Add the grated ginger and slit chilli, and fry for 1 minute. Stir in the chilli powder, garam masala and tomato purée, then cook for a couple of minutes. Gradually pour in the double cream, stirring continuously to combine it with the spices. Simmer for 2–3 minutes.

4. 4

   Finish the curry

   If the sauce is too thick, stir in a splash of water. Mix in the honey, ground cinnamon and fenugreek, then season to taste. Add the cooked chicken and simmer over a low heat for 8–10 minutes. Garnish with chopped coriander.

What is butter chicken?

Butter chicken is a creamy chicken curry associated with North Indian, particularly Punjabi, cooking. Its sauce typically combines tomato, dairy and warming spices.

This version uses tandoori-marinated chicken and whole spices fried in butter before the tomato purée and cream go in. Honey rounds out the sauce, while fenugreek adds its distinctive savoury, gently herbal aroma.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 720 calories, 48g protein, 34g carbs, 43g fat.

Chicken supplies most of the protein, while the cream and butter contribute much of the fat and saturated fat. The chicken, tomato purée, honey and cream all contribute to the carbohydrates, with honey adding sugar; serve with greens and a measured portion of rice or bread to balance the plate.

Marinating and cooking the chicken

Tandoori paste seasons the chicken before it goes into the oven, so the curry sauce can be made separately. The recipe gives no marinating time; use chicken that has already been marinated as directed on the paste.

Arrange the pieces so they cook evenly, and check that the thickest pieces are cooked through before adding them to the sauce. The stated oven time is about 20–25 minutes.

Blooming the whole spices

Whole spices: cardamom, cinnamon stick and cloves go into the butter first, where brief frying helps release their fragrance. Keep them moving and avoid letting them darken too much.

Onion: give it the full 5–7 minutes over medium heat, stirring now and then. A light brown colour signals that it has softened and begun to develop sweetness.

Keeping the cream smooth

Cream: pour it in gradually while stirring continuously, so it blends evenly with the spiced tomato base. Keep the sauce at a gentle simmer rather than letting it boil hard.

Consistency: the finished sauce should coat the chicken without becoming stiff. Add only a splash of water if it is too thick, then stir well.

Balancing the finishing flavours

Honey: stir it in with the cinnamon and fenugreek after the cream has simmered. Taste before adding salt, especially because the tandoori paste may already be seasoned.

Fenugreek: dried leaves or powder both work here, but the recipe allows either. Add the chicken last and simmer it gently for 8–10 minutes so it takes on the sauce's flavour.

What to serve with it

Serve the curry with basmati rice, naan or roti to catch the creamy sauce. A simple side of greens or a crisp salad adds freshness alongside the rich curry.

Finish with chopped coriander just before serving. If making rice, start it while the chicken cooks so both are ready around the same time.

Recipe notes & tips

• Cut the chicken into pieces of similar size so they cook at a similar rate.
• Keep the whole spices moving in the butter to prevent them from scorching.
• Stir continuously as you add the cream for a well-combined sauce.
• Add water a little at a time if the sauce needs loosening.
• Taste the sauce before adding salt, as the marinade may already be salty.
• Add the coriander at the end to keep its fresh flavour.

Variations

• Milder curry: use mild paprika instead of Kashmiri chilli powder.
• More heat: add extra green chilli to the sauce.
• Fresh fenugreek: use dried fenugreek leaves rather than powder if available.
• Less sweetness: reduce the honey and taste the sauce before adding more.
• Vegetarian option: use roasted paneer pieces in place of chicken.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Crowding the baking tray: spread the chicken out so it cooks evenly.
• Scorching the spices: fry them briefly over controlled heat and keep them moving.
• Browning the onion too far: stop when it is lightly brown, as the recipe directs.
• Adding cream all at once: pour it in gradually while stirring continuously.
• Boiling the cream sauce hard: keep it at a gentle simmer.
• Over-salting: season after the honey and fenugreek are mixed in, and taste first.

How to store

Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container and use within 2 days. Reheat gently in a saucepan until piping hot throughout, stirring occasionally; add a splash of water if the sauce has thickened.

Frequently asked questions