Butter Chicken Recipe

Butter Chicken is one of the most loved dishes among non-veg lovers. It is not only loved in India but also abroad. Butter chicken was developed by Moti Mahal restaurant in Daryaganj, Delhi. Chicken is prepared in a mildly spiced, rich,creamy tomato and onion based gravy. Originally chicken is first cooked in a tandoor and then added to the gravy. In this recipe, i have firstly shallow fried the chicken and then added to the gravy. You can also cook the chicken in tandoor first and then add it to the gravy.

Butter chicken is not only favourite among adults but also children. Children love butter chicken because of its mildness and sweetness.Butter chicken is served best with tandoori roti or naan.

Print Recipe
Butter Chicken Recipe
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Indian
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Passive Time 60 minutes
Servings
4-5 people
Ingredients
Marinating the chicken
For the makhani gravy
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Indian
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Passive Time 60 minutes
Servings
4-5 people
Ingredients
Marinating the chicken
For the makhani gravy
Instructions
For the marination
  1. Firstly, thinly slice boneless chicken and add ginger-garlic paste, kashmiri red chilli powder and salt.
  2. Let it marinate for 30 minutes.
For the makhani gravy
  1. In a pan, take some oil and shallow fry the marinated chicken.
  2. Remove the chicken from the pan and keep it aside. In the same pan add cumin seeds and let it splutter.
  3. Add onions, ginger-garlic paste and water. Keep stirring. You will notice all the spices stuck at the bottom while frying chicken will come up.
  4. Add coriander powder, red chilli powder, cashew nuts, dried fenugreek leaves, green chillies(optional) and tomatoes. Mix well and cover the pan with a lid. Keep cooking on the low flame till the tomatoes are done very well.
  5. After the tomatoes are cooked very well. Let the mixture cool down.
  6. Now add the mixture into a blender and make a fine paste out of this.
  7. Take a strainer and strain the paste very well to achieve a very silky smooth texture of the gravy. You can use some water to strain the paste very well.
  8. Again in the same pan , add butter and the tomato gravy. Add some water to make the gravy a little bit thinner because once we will add the cream the gravy will become thick.
  9. Add food color if you want. You can totally avoid this step but do not dry to achieve the red color by adding more tomatoes as the gravy will become sour.
  10. Now add sugar,tomato ketchup, cream and salt. Let it cook for 5 minutes.
  11. Add chicken. Mix well and again let it cook for 5-10 minutes.
  12. Finally add garam masala powder and black pepper powder. Let is cook for 2 more minutes.
  13. Serve hot Butter chicken with naan or tandoori roti.

Directions for preparing the recipe

For the marination

  1. Firstly, thinly slice boneless chicken and add ginger-garlic paste, kashmiri red chilli powder and salt.
  2. Let it marinate for 30 minutes.

For the makhani gravy

  1. In a pan, take some oil and shallow fry the marinated chicken.
  2. Remove the chicken from the pan and keep it aside. In the same pan add cumin seeds and let it splutter.
  3. Add onions and ginger-garlic paste.
  4. Add water and keep stirring. You will notice all the spices stuck at the bottom while frying chicken will come up.
  5. Add coriander powder, red chilli powder, cashew nuts, dried fenugreek leaves, green chillies(optional).
  6.   Add tomatoes and mix well. Cover the pan with a lid. Keep cooking on the low flame till the tomatoes are done very well. Add a little water if required.
  7. After the tomatoes are cooked very well. Let the mixture cool down.
  8. Now add the mixture into a blender and make a fine paste out of this.
  9. Take a strainer and strain the paste very well to achieve a very silky smooth texture of the gravy. You can use some water to strain the paste very well.
  10. Again in the same pan , add butter.
  11. Add the tomato gravy and some water to make the gravy a little bit thinner because once we will add the cream the gravy will become thick.
  12. Add food color if you want. You can totally avoid this step but do not dry to achieve the red color by adding more tomatoes as the gravy will become sour.
  13. Now add sugar,tomato ketchup, cream and salt. Let it cook for 5 minutes.
  14. Add chicken. Mix well and again let it cook for 5-10 minutes.
  15. Finally add garam masala powder and black pepper powder. Let is cook for 2 more minutes.
  16. Serve hot Butter chicken with naan or tandoori roti.