Description
Meet your new go-to comfort dinner: buttery, spiced, and unbelievably simple to pull together. This creamy butter chicken comes together fast and tastes like you spent way more time on it than you actually did. Serve with warm naan and fluffy rice for total bliss.
Ingredients
Scale
For the chicken & marinade
- 1½ lbs skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- ½ tsp curry powder
- 1 tbsp Greek yogurt
For the sauce
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 3 tbsp butter, divided (1 tbsp + 2 tbsp)
- 6 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 medium onion, chopped small
- 1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt, or to taste
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 2 cups heavy cream
- ½ tsp cayenne (optional — for heat)
- 1 tsp garam masala
- ½ tsp curry powder
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley (optional, for garnish)
To serve
- Naan bread
- Steamed rice
Instructions
- Mix the marinade & coat the chicken: In a bowl, stir together the yogurt, salt, garlic powder, paprika, and curry powder. Toss the chicken pieces in this mix until everything’s evenly coated. Set it aside to rest for at least 15 minutes while you prep the rest — longer if you’ve got the time.
- Brown the chicken: Warm 3 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the marinated chicken and cook, stirring now and then, until the edges turn golden and the chicken is cooked through (about 8–10 minutes). Transfer the chicken to a plate but keep the skillet and the flavorful oil.
- Start the sauce: Turn the heat to medium and melt 1 tablespoon of butter in the same pan. Use a splash of water if you need to loosen any browned bits on the bottom. Add the minced garlic and chopped onion with a pinch of salt, and sauté until the onion softens and becomes fragrant.
- Combine tomato base & chicken: Pour in the tomato sauce and sprinkle in the sugar. Let it bubble gently for a couple of minutes, then return the cooked chicken to the skillet. Stir to combine so the chicken gets coated in the tomato mixture.
- Make it creamy: Slowly add the heavy cream and stir until the sauce lightens to a warm orange color. Season with cayenne (if using), garam masala, curry powder, and black pepper. Reduce the heat and let everything simmer on low for about 10 minutes so the flavors can mingle. Taste and adjust salt or spices as needed.
- Finish with butter: Drop in the remaining 2 tablespoons of cold butter and stir until it melts into the sauce — this gives the dish a silky, glossy finish. Scatter chopped parsley on top if you like a fresh pop of color.
- Serve: Dish the butter chicken over steaming rice and hand around warm naan for scooping. Enjoy immediately.
Notes
- Marinate longer if you can — an hour or two boosts tenderness and flavor.
- Toast your spices briefly in the pan before adding liquids to intensify aroma.
- Use thighs for juiciness; swap in chicken breasts or tofu if you prefer.
- If the sauce gets too thick when reheating, add a splash of water or cream to loosen it up.