Butter Chicken

Ingredients

• 1.5 kgchicken tenderloins, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 125 ml (½ cup)plain yoghurt
• 1 teaspoonginger paste
• ½ tablespoongarlic paste
• 2 teaspoonsturmeric
• 2 teaspoonsgaram masala
• 1 teaspoonground cumin
• A squeeze of 1 lemonlemon
• To tasteolive oil
• 2 tablespoonsghee
• 1onion, diced
• 1 tablespoongarlic paste
• ½ tablespoonginger paste
• 1 tablespooncumin
• 2 tablespoonsgaram masala
• 1 tablespooncoriander powder
• ½ teaspoonred chilli powder (optional)
• ½ tablespoonturmeric
• 1 tablespooncurry powder
• 2 tablespoonstomato paste
• 375 ml (1½ cups)tomato passata
• 500 ml (2 cups)thickened cream
• 2 tablespoonshoney
• To garnishchopped parsley

Instructions

1. 1

   Marinate chicken

   Combine the chicken with the yoghurt, ginger paste, garlic paste, turmeric, garam masala, ground cumin and lemon juice. Leave to marinate for at least 1 hour, or overnight for more flavour.

2. 2

   Part-cook chicken

   Heat olive oil in a pot and cook the chicken until it is about halfway done. It will finish cooking in the sauce. Remove the chicken and set it aside.

3. 3

   Soften onion

   Melt the ghee in the same pot. Add the diced onion and cook until soft, then stir in the garlic and ginger pastes and cook for 1 minute.

4. 4

   Cook the spices

   Add the cumin, garam masala, coriander powder, chilli powder if using, turmeric, curry powder and tomato paste. Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring.

5. 5

   Add passata

   Pour in the tomato passata and stir, breaking up any clumps of spices.

6. 6

   Finish the curry

   Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook for about 5 minutes. Pour in the cream and stir until combined and orange in colour. Return the chicken to the pot and simmer for 15–20 minutes, until fully cooked and the sauce is thick and bubbling. Stir in the honey and garnish with parsley.

7. 7

   Serve the curry

   Serve with rice and naan bread. Taste the sauce and adjust the flavour or sweetness with honey, salt or chilli powder as needed.

What is butter chicken?

Butter chicken, also known as murgh makhani, is an Indian curry commonly made with chicken in a spiced tomato and cream sauce. This version uses marinated chicken, a generous mix of spices and honey for a mellow finish.

The chicken is part-cooked before it goes into the sauce, so it can finish simmering there while the flavours come together.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 1150 calories, 116g protein, 23g carbs, 61g fat.

The chicken provides most of the protein, while the cream and ghee contribute much of the fat and saturated fat. Passata, honey and the small quantities of spices supply most of the carbohydrates; serve a moderate portion with rice and add vegetables to balance the plate.

The marinade

Yoghurt and lemon: these coat the chicken alongside the ginger, garlic and spices. Give the marinade at least an hour to flavour the pieces, or leave them overnight as the method suggests.

Build the sauce

Onion and aromatics: soften the onion in ghee before adding the garlic and ginger. Cooking them briefly first forms the savoury base of the curry.

Spices and tomato: stir the spices with tomato paste for about 3 minutes, then add the passata. Stir well to break up any clumps before simmering.

Get the texture right

Cream: stir it into the simmered tomato mixture until the sauce turns orange and looks evenly combined.

Chicken: simmer the pieces in the sauce for 15–20 minutes, until fully cooked. The sauce should be thick and bubbling when it is ready.

Balance the flavour

Honey is mixed in at the end, so you can taste the sauce before deciding whether it needs more sweetness. The recipe also suggests adjusting with salt or chilli powder to suit your preference.

What to serve with butter chicken

Rice and naan are the suggested accompaniments: rice catches the sauce, while naan is useful for scooping it up. For a more rounded meal, serve with a simple vegetable side.

Recipe notes & tips

• For the fullest marinade flavour, leave the chicken covered in the fridge overnight.
• Cook the chicken in batches if needed so the pieces can cook evenly in the pot.
• Stir the spices and tomato paste as they cook to keep them from sticking.
• Break up spice clumps as you stir in the passata.
• Taste the sauce before serving and adjust honey, salt or chilli to your liking.

Variations

• More heat: include the optional chilli powder or add a little more to taste.
• Milder sauce: leave out the optional red chilli powder.
• Herb finish: use the chopped parsley garnish as directed, or leave it off if preferred.
• Sweeter finish: add honey gradually at the end, tasting as you go.
• Rice pairing: serve with your preferred rice alongside the curry.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Skipping the marinade: allow at least 1 hour so the chicken has time to take on the seasoning.
• Overcooking the chicken at first: cook it only halfway, as it will finish in the sauce.
• Leaving spice clumps: stir thoroughly as you add the passata to smooth them out.
• Adding cream too early: simmer the passata for about 5 minutes before stirring in the cream.
• Stopping too soon: simmer the chicken for 15–20 minutes and check that it is fully cooked.

How to store

Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container and use within 3 days. Reheat gently in a saucepan until piping hot throughout, stirring occasionally; add a splash of water if the sauce has thickened too much.

Frequently asked questions