Restaurant Style Butter Chicken (cheat version)

Treasure the moment, strengthen the bridge, spread your unconditional love, and take the chance to please your family with this easy, creamy homemade restaurant-style butter chicken.

Delightful, golden, and tender chicken pieces dive into a smooth, creamy sauce with an array of Indian spices and other incredible flavors that will recreate the feeling of restaurant-style butter chicken!

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Heavenly Flavored Butter Chicken

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Restaurant Style Butter Chicken, a Festival of Flavors!

Butter chicken, also known as Murgh Makhani or chicken makhani, originated from Northern India.

Nowadays, it is one of the most popular Indian curry dishes recreated around the world to suit different palates!

The experience of skewering yogurt-marinated chicken pieces and immersing them in a flow of butter, cream, and a blend of spices creates a balance of tanginess and a velvety texture that you should never miss!

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Why You Will Love This Recipe

We all know that cheating is bad lol.

But cheat mode in my recipe is way different. It’s simply doing away with the hard work and making an easy recipe!

I called it Cheat Version Restaurant Style Butter Chicken because I omitted the cashews.

Despite the importance of cashews for extra creaminess and rich taste, an easier and quicker version would be to skip adding cashews.

Moreover, the original recipe calls for fresh onions, tomatoes, and cilantro in the sauce, while in my cheat version, no fresh vegetables other than onions are needed.

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We Are Smitten With Butter Chicken

This recipe truly stands out as one of the best I’ve ever tried. Even with picky toddler taste buds in mind, it surpasses expectations. My little one consistently ranks it among their top three favorites and always requests more.

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This restaurant-style Chicken Butter incorporates cream and butter into the sauce. This combo not only adds depth and richness to the dish, but also creates a smooth and indulgent mouthfeel that keeps you coming back for more.

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Authentic Butter Chicken

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Ingredients

To make the best homemade restaurant-style butter chicken, you will need the following ingredients:

For the Marinade

Chicken breasts or thighs: You can use boneless, skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs taken from the chest.

Yogurt: It is the king of marinade sauce aside from the spices used. Yogurt contains calcium and lactic acid which break the protein in the chicken and gently tenderize it.

Ginger paste or fresh ginger: Use ginger to bring a nice peppery, warm flavor to your chicken.

Garlic paste or fresh garlic: It adds a lot of flavor to the marinade.

Coriander powder: This is an essential ingredient of many curries and gravies as it has a mild aroma that instigates the appetite.

Spices: Adding garam masala, curry powder, red chili powder, garlic powder, black pepper, onion powder, turmeric, and salt will surely enhance the flavor.

Oil: Use olive oil to add richness and slight acidity to your marinade.

Always remember these 5 key elements for a good marinade: acid, fat, salt, flavors, and time.

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For the Creamy Sauce

Don’t be surprised, you’ll need onion, garlic paste or fresh garlic, ginger paste or fresh ginger, and tomato paste for the slightly sweet sauce taste.

Butter: Butter adds richness and balances the flavors.

Coconut cream (or thick coconut milk) and heavy cream: It’s the thickener secret you’re looking for.

Spices: Use chicken bouillon, fenugreek powder, garam masala, red chili powder, coriander powder, and curry powder and get the perfectly spiced dish.

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Steps to Prep

First of all, cut the chicken into 1-inch cubes. Then put the chicken pieces in a big bowl, add the marinade ingredients, and mix well. Marinate the chicken in the fridge for at least 1 hour.

Now, heat butter in a pot and add finely diced onions. Let it cook and caramelize on medium heat. This should take about 5–10 minutes or so.

After that, add the garlic and ginger paste and sauté for 2 minutes. Once caramelized, transfer to a food processor and process until fine, or use an immersion blender.

Next, add the spices, coconut cream, heavy cream, and tomato paste and mix.

Then, in a separate pot, cook the chicken until all the moisture evaporates, for about 15 minutes.

Finally, add to the sauce and let it boil. Then cover and let it cook for another 10 minutes.

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What Goes Well with Butter Chicken?

If you’re looking for the best sides to serve with butter chicken, then fluffy, garlicky naan bread would be a great choice. It is the most traditional side to serve with any curry dish. You can also choose Bazlama (Turkish Flatbread), to substitute naan.

I usually pair it with plain white rice or basmati rice. I think it is the perfect accompaniment to this butter chicken dish.

Also, you can serve it with couscous, the staple food throughout North Africa made out of semolina or granules of durum wheat.

Besides couscous, any type of grain, like bulgur or quinoa, works well with this incredible dish.

Once you give this Restaurant-style butter chicken recipe a try, you’ll never get your dinner outside!

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Fluffy Jasmine Rice Goes Hand in Hand with the Butter Chicken

After washing the rice with cold water to release the starches, cover it with cold water and let it soak for 20-30 minutes.

Once soaked, strain and discard the water. Heat up some oil then add the strained rice and salt and mix well with the oil to make sure each grain is coated.

Finally, add the hot water. Make sure the rice is even all around the pot. Let it boil on high until the water level decreases and touches the surface of the rice, which takes about 3–5 minutes.

Once boiled, cover tightly, reduce the heat to low, and let it cook for another 15-20 minutes. Once done, let it sit and steam for another 5 minutes off the heat before fluffing with a fork.

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Unforgettable Butter Chicken!

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Substitutions for Butter Chicken

Base: While Butter Chicken is traditionally served with rice or naan bread, you can also serve it with quinoa, couscous, or roasted vegetables for a low-carb option.

Protein: Instead of chicken, you can use alternative proteins such as tofu, shrimp, or vegetables like cauliflower or chickpeas for a vegetarian option.

Dairy-Free: If you’re lactose intolerant or following a dairy-free diet, you can substitute the heavy cream with coconut cream or cashew cream for a creamy texture without dairy. Use dairy-free butter or ghee for cooking.

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Pro Tips for the Best Restaurant-Style Butter Chicken

If you’re looking for full-flavored butter chicken, use fresh tomatoes instead of tomato paste.

The longer it is marinated, the more tender your chicken will be.

Make sure there is no excess water in your chicken before marinating.

Don’t marinate the chicken for more than 24 hours; otherwise, it could turn mushy!

For a lighter version, decrease the amount of cream and use less butter or replace it with ghee.

Adding the cream at the end of cooking retains the wonderful richness you’re looking for!

Pay attention not to cook longer after adding cream.

If you’re going to make the authentic recipe with cashews, make sure to prepare the cashew paste in a separate pot.

Keep in mind that you can adjust the amount of spice as needed to get the ideal recipe for the whole family.

If your curry isn’t the traditional orange color, you can add red food coloring or tomato puree.

You can reserve any leftover marinade to add to the butter chicken sauce later.

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Storage Tips

Refrigeration: Allow the Butter Chicken to cool down to room temperature before storing. Transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate it. Properly stored, Butter Chicken can last in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.

Freezing: If you’re not planning to consume the Butter Chicken within a few days, consider freezing it for longer-term storage. Transfer the cooled Butter Chicken to a freezer-safe container or freezer bag. It can be stored in the freezer for up to 2 to 3 months.

Thawing: When ready to use frozen Butter Chicken, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator. Avoid thawing at room temperature to prevent bacterial growth.

Reheating: Reheat the Butter Chicken gently on the stovetop or in the microwave until heated through. You may need to add a splash of water or broth to prevent it from drying out during reheating.

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Creating Restaurant-Quality Flavor

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

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Must-Try Recipes:

Juicy Middle Eastern Kebabs

Traditional Palestinian Musakhan Recipe

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Lebanese Fried Kibbeh Recipe

Hummus Bil Lahme

Lentil Soup (Shorbet Adas)

Middle Eastern Spiced Baked Chicken

Meat Stuffed Pitas (Palestinian Arayes)

Honey Garlic Sriracha Wings

Easy Buffalo Chicken Quesadillas

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If you’ve tried this recipe, don’t forget to rate it and leave a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience. You can follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

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