Butter Chicken AKA Murgh Makhani is a modern classic Indian curry that serves marinated and grilled chicken in a spicy, rich tomato sauce.
The chicken is at its best when marinated for at least 4 hours, but cooking this recipe from scratch takes under an hour.
Indian Murgh Makhani Curry
Butter chicken has become a bit of a global sensation, much like its very similar British cousin, Chicken Tikka Masala.
Both recipes hail from roughly the same time, the 1960's/70's and traditionally both feature "leftover" or pre-cooked chicken.
Despite the names being modern, the technique is a classic Amritsari technique.
The recipe has become many things to many people!
My version stays with the idea of a Tandoori style marinated chicken that is cooked under the grill, much like my chicken tikka kebabs.
True to all of my recipes, this is made to be as good as I can make it. No shortcuts, no skipping bits, this is my BEST butter chicken recipe, not an approximation of it.
It is a halfway house between the traditional Indian roots of the recipe and the recipe that the rest of the world turned it into.
The most important part of this recipe is the chicken; this is where the flavour is based.
So make sure that you do not skimp on that marinade time!
It is then gently finished off in a butter and cream-rich spiced tomato sauce.
If you want something equally indulgent but are feeding vegetarians, then you must try my shahi paneer recipe.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Amchoor?
Most of the spices in this butter chicken recipe should be familiar to anyone who has cooked a curry from scratch before, with maybe the exception of amchoor.
It is also known as mango powder, and it is made from green, underripe mangoes. It adds a wonderful earthy sourness to the grilled chicken.
Can I fry the chicken rather than grilling it?
Yes, although I think that cooking it under the grill or broiler is as close as you can get to a tandoor at home.
But pop them into a heavy-based pan or griddle pan and get a nice colour.
Just like under the grill, you need not worry about cooking the chicken all the way through because they will finish cooking in the sauce.
Can I cook the chicken in the sauce?
You could, but this would stew the chicken, and you would miss out on the wonderful flavour of grilled chicken.
Can I cook this in advance?
In theory, yes, although I think that butter chicken is best served fresh, because the nuts in the sauce continue to thicken the dish when it is reheated.
The best way to prepare this in advance is to make the sauce through to stage 10 in my instructions, then chill and refrigerate it. It will be fine for 2-3 days.
The chicken can be made and cooked in advance, but make sure that you cook it all the way through. This will be fine in the fridge for a couple of days.
To bring it all together, heat the sauce, then add the cashew nut water and the cream, then cook until it just starts to thicken. Finally, throw in the chicken and just heat it through.
Serving Suggestions
As in so many of my curry recipes, my choice of side is always a naan bread for butter chicken.
They are perfect for mopping up that thick and heavy sauce, but if you are a chapati or roti kinda person, don't worry, I have recipes for those too.
Rice is always a fantastic option as a side for curry. I usually opt for plain rice, but a good pilau rice is a classic option.
Potatoes are also a nice option, and I have roasted Bombay potatoes and aloo methi recipes that fit the bill.
Finally, if you want to go all in on the curry house experience, don't forget the poppadoms, kachumber salad and mint raita.
Equipment Used
I only name-check brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.
- Hob/stovetop.
- Grill (broiler).
- 30cm or 12" frying pan.
- Grill tray.
- Tin foil.
- Skewers. I prefer to use bamboo skewers with a square profile.
- Mini blender.
- Fine mesh sieve.
- Kitchen knife.
- Chopping board.
- A combination of weighing scales, a measuring jug, measuring cups and spoons.
Indian Butter Chicken Curry Recipe (Murgh Makhani)
Ingredients
- 2 Large Skinless Chicken Breasts 400-450g Total
For the Marinade:
- 1 teaspoon Lemon Juice
- 2 tablespoon Natural Yoghurt
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 2 teaspoon Kashmiri Chilli Powder
- ½ teaspoon Ground Turmeric
- ½ teaspoon Ground Cumin
- ½ teaspoon Amchoor
For the Sauce
- 1 tablespoon Cooking Oil
- 6 Garlic Cloves
- 35 g Ginger 1 Thumb Sized Piece
- 10 cm Cinnamon Bark 4" Piece
- 4 Cloves
- 4 Cardamom Pods
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 3 Dried Chilli Peppers
- 250 g Tomato Passata 1 Cup
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri Chilli Powder
- ½ tablespoon Dried Fenugreek Leaves
- ½ teaspoon Sugar
- 75 g Butter 5 tablespoon
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 15 g Cashew Nuts 2 tablespoon
- 50 ml Hot Water 3 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon
- 75 ml Double Cream ⅓ Cup (heavy cream in the US)
Instructions
- Cut the chicken breasts into 5-7 pieces.
- Mix the ingredients for the marinade in a mixing bowl, then add the chicken, mix well, cover and then place in the fridge for 4-8 hours.
- About 40 minutes before you are ready to serve, peel and roughly chop the ginger.
- Bash the garlic cloves with the side of a knife and then peel them.
- Heat the oil in a 30cm or 12" frying pan and add the garlic and ginger. and fry over a medium heat for 2-3 minutes, or until the garlic begins to go golden at the edges.
- Crack the cardamom pods with the side of a knife and add them to the pan with the cinnamon bark, cloves, bay leaf and dried chillies, then stir to coat in the oil.
- Pour in the tomato passata, reduce the heat to low and allow to cook for 20 minutes.
- Preheat your grill or broiler as hot as it will go.
- Thread the chicken onto skewers and place them under the grill for around 10-12 minutes (flipping halfway through). The aim is to get some colour all over, and you do not need to worry about cooking it all the way through because we have another 5-10 minutes of cooking time.
- When the sauce has had 20 minutes, strain it through a fine mesh sieve into the marinade bowl, then stir to combine and return it to the pan.
- Add the sugar, Kashmiri chilli powder, dried fenugreek leaves, butter and salt to the sauce and bring to a simmer.
- Add the grilled chicken to the pan and cook for 5-10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked.
- Blend the cashew nuts with the hot water and add this to the pan along with the cream, stirring until thickened.
- Serve with more cream and some freshly chopped coriander leaves.
nicole
Sunday 28th of February 2021
I am known for changing recipes often due to working in the back of the house in restaurants all my life. Followed the recipe on this one and it was fantastic. I usually cook for a crowd at home, so my only " issue" was I had to do a bit of math given that the recipe id for two servings. really not a issue recipe tripled well.
Helen
Saturday 9th of February 2019
Excellent recipe. I made this last night. We didn’t have time to marinate for 4 hours and I can only imagine how that would enhance all flavors. Nevertheless there were no leftovers. Thanks!
Ramona
Saturday 9th of February 2019
This dish looks insanely good. I love all these amazing spices and the yoghurt integrated into cooking. So lucky here in London to find all the spices you desire for from all over the world. Asian food fascinates me. I cook a lot of Sri Lankan dishes. Yumm ? A superb dish, will definitely save it and make it. I really love the pictures too. ??
Caroline
Saturday 9th of February 2019
Having been brought up in Scotland, Indian food was about the only 'foreign' food we ate out when I was young, and while I'm sure some were more of those dishes adapted to British taste, there were still so many I have a soft spot for. Your butter chicken looks wonderful, and definitely worth the extra effort.
Laura
Saturday 9th of February 2019
I like Indian food but I definitely don't master their cooking skills. The video is very helpful. I love Rik Stain's recipes so I am sure not much needed to be changed. Now I need to go around with the list of those spices and find the French translation.