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Boneless tender chicken simmered in a spiced coconut sauce.

Restaurant Style Butter Chicken

Fatimah
Nothing is better than gathering the family at home and sharing lovely memories while eating this incredible dish made out of boneless marinated chicken cubes swimming in a creamy spicy red sauce.
5 from 22 Ratings
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Prep Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Indian
Servings 6
Calories 2685 kcal

Equipment

  • Food processor

Ingredients
  

For The Chicken

  • 2 pounds chicken breast or thighs

For The Chicken Marinade

  • ¼ cup yogurt
  • 1½ tablespoons ginger paste or fresh ginger
  • 1½ tablespoons garlic paste or fresh garlic
  • ½ teaspoon coriander powder
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • 1 teaspoon curry powder
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon red chili powder (or more can be spicy)
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric

For The Creamy Sauce

  • 1 small yellow onion
  • 1 tablespoon garlic paste or fresh garlic
  • 1 tablespoon ginger paste or fresh ginger
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1 can coconut cream (or thick coconut milk)
  • 2¼ cups heavy cream
  • ½ cup tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon (or to taste)
  • ¼ teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • ½ teaspoon red chili powder
  • ¼ teaspoon coriander powder
  • 1 teaspoon curry powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
  • ⅓ cup soaked raw cashews optional

Instructions
 

  • Cut chicken into 1 inch cubes. Then put it in a big bowl and add the marinade ingredients and mix well. Marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
  • Heat the 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. If you're using cashews, add them now.
  • 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). Run the mixture through a sieve to make sure it comes out super smooth and creamy.
  • Add the spices, coconut cream, heavy cream, and tomato paste, and mix.
  • In a separate pot, cook the chicken until all the moisture evaporates, for about 15 minutes.
  • Add to the sauce and let it boil. Then cover and let it cook for another 10 minutes.

Notes

  • If you’re looking for full-flavored butter chicken, use fresh tomatoes instead of tomato paste.
  • 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 enormous wonderful richness you’re looking for!
  • If your curry isn’t that traditional orange color, you can add red food coloring or tomato puree. The color comes from the Turmeric, Kashmiri pepper, and tomato paste.
  • If you're using cashews, make sure to soak them for 1 hour and then drain them.
  • Run the mixture through a sieve to make sure it comes out super smooth and creamy.

Nutrition

Calories: 2685kcalCarbohydrates: 51gProtein: 29gFat: 272gSaturated Fat: 151gPolyunsaturated Fat: 15gMonounsaturated Fat: 89gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 698mgSodium: 2656mgPotassium: 2087mgFiber: 9gSugar: 34gVitamin A: 11260IUVitamin C: 33mgCalcium: 511mgIron: 7mg
Keyword butter chicken, orange butter sauce
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