Butter Chicken, also known as Murgh Makhani, combines charred pieces of marinated chicken with a smooth tomato sauce finished with butter, cream and dried fenugreek leaves. The sauce is rich without being excessively sweet, with enough acidity from the tomatoes to balance the dairy.

This is a from-scratch Indian-style recipe rather than a British curry house base sauce curry. The chicken and sauce are prepared separately before being brought together at the end, which keeps the chicken tender and gives the makhani sauce its characteristic smooth texture.

What Is Butter Chicken?

Butter Chicken is a restaurant dish associated with Delhi and Punjabi cooking. Its defining combination is tandoori style chicken and a buttery tomato gravy, traditionally used to soften and reheat cooked chicken without losing its roasted character.

The precise invention story is disputed, and competing restaurant families have made rival claims. What is clear is that the dish became closely connected with Delhi’s Moti Mahal restaurant tradition after Partition and developed into one of the best known Indian restaurant curries.

Murgh means chicken, while makhani refers to a preparation enriched with butter. Despite the English name, the finished curry should not taste only of butter. Tomato, gentle spices, cream and kasuri methi should remain distinct and balanced.

What Should Butter Chicken Taste Like?

Butter Chicken should be creamy, tomato led and mildly spiced, with a gentle smoky character from the cooked chicken. It is normally milder than Chicken Jalfrezi or Chicken Madras, but it should still taste savoury rather than resembling a sweet cream sauce.

Kashmiri chilli powder contributes colour and restrained warmth. Garam Masala provides aromatic depth, while kasuri methi gives the sauce its familiar curry restaurant fragrance and slight bitterness. Cashews soften the tomato acidity and help produce a naturally smooth consistency.

Which Cut of Chicken Works Best?

Boneless chicken thighs are particularly suitable because they remain tender during marinating, high heat cooking and the final simmer. Cut them into fairly large pieces so the outside can colour before the centre becomes dry.

Chicken breast can be substituted, but it cooks more quickly and has less tolerance for overcooking. Check it early and move it into the sauce as soon as it is cooked through. The sauce method remains unchanged.

How Long Should the Chicken Marinate?

Allow at least two hours for the yoghurt, lemon juice, spices and aromatics to season the chicken. An overnight marinade gives the flavour more time to develop and makes advance preparation easier.

Keep the chicken covered in the refrigerator while it marinates. Remove it shortly before cooking so it loses some of its chill, but do not leave raw chicken at room temperature for an extended period.

Do I Need a Tandoor?

A tandoor is not necessary. A very hot grill can colour the raised edges of the chicken while allowing excess marinade to reduce. Spread the pieces out on a foil lined metal tray and avoid crowding them, otherwise they will release liquid and steam.

A heavy frying pan or griddle can also be used. Cook the chicken in batches so each piece has direct contact with the hot surface. Whichever method you choose, cook poultry thoroughly before adding it to the finished sauce.

Why Blend and Strain the Sauce?

Blending breaks down the tomatoes and cashews, but straining removes tomato seeds, skin fragments and any pieces of nut that remain. This extra step creates the refined, velvety texture expected from Murgh Makhani.

Use a fine sieve and press the blended sauce through with the back of a ladle. Do not force dry pulp through the mesh. If the sauce is too thick to pass easily, loosen it with a small amount of hot water.

How to Make Butter Chicken

Marinate the chicken before starting the sauce. Cook the chicken under a hot grill while the tomatoes and cashews simmer, then blend and strain the sauce. Add the cream, finishing butter and dried fenugreek only after the strained sauce has returned to a gentle simmer. See the recipe card at the bottom for printable directions and exact quantities.

Ingredients

Boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Full fat Greek yoghurt
Garlic and Ginger Paste
Lemon juice
Kashmiri chilli powder
Garam Masala
Ground cumin
Fine salt
Rapeseed oil
Unsalted butter
Tinned plum tomatoes
Raw cashews
Ground coriander
Hot water
Double cream
Dried fenugreek leaves
Sugar, if needed

Cooking Instructions

Step 1: Marinate the chicken. Combine the yoghurt, Garlic and Ginger Paste, lemon juice, Kashmiri chilli powder, Garam Masala, cumin, salt and oil. Coat the chicken thoroughly, cover and refrigerate for at least two hours.

Step 2: Begin the makhani sauce. Melt most of the first portion of butter with a little oil in a saucepan over a medium heat. Add the Garlic and Ginger Paste and cook briefly until its raw aroma softens without allowing it to brown.

Step 3: Cook the tomatoes and cashews. Add the Kashmiri chilli powder and ground coriander, followed immediately by the tomatoes, cashews, salt and hot water. Simmer uncovered until the tomatoes have broken down and the cashews are tender.

Step 4: Cook the marinated chicken. Arrange the chicken in a single layer under a preheated high grill. Turn the pieces during cooking so they colour on several sides. Cook until lightly charred at the edges and completely cooked through.

Step 5: Blend and strain the sauce. Remove the tomato mixture from the heat and blend carefully until completely smooth. Pass it through a fine sieve into a clean saucepan, pressing through the sauce while leaving the coarse pulp behind.

Step 6: Adjust the consistency. Return the strained sauce to a low heat. Add enough hot water to produce a thick but pourable consistency, then simmer gently for several minutes so the sauce settles.

Step 7: Finish the makhani sauce. Stir in the cream, remaining butter, Garam Masala and crushed dried fenugreek leaves. Taste before adding sugar because ripe tomatoes and cashews may already provide enough sweetness.

Step 8: Add the chicken. Fold the grilled chicken and any collected cooking juices into the sauce. Simmer gently until the chicken is piping hot and the sauce coats each piece, then check the salt and serve.

How Thick Should the Sauce Be?

The sauce should pour easily but coat the back of a spoon. It will thicken slightly as it stands, so stop reducing it just before it reaches the final consistency you want.

If it becomes too thick, stir in hot water a tablespoon at a time. If it is thin, simmer it uncovered before adding the cream. Prolonged boiling after the cream is added can dull the flavour and make the sauce appear greasy.

Does Butter Chicken Need Sugar?

Sugar is optional rather than an automatic ingredient. Tomatoes vary in acidity, so taste the finished sauce after adding the cream and butter. Add a small amount only if the tomato tastes noticeably sharp.

The purpose is to balance acidity, not make the curry sweet. Cashews and cream already round out the sauce, and too much sugar can hide the roasted chicken and dried fenugreek.

Variations and Substitutions

Replace chicken thighs with chicken breast, reducing the grilling time as necessary to prevent dryness.
Use cooked Chicken Tikka instead of preparing the included marinade. Add it when the strained sauce is finished and simmer only until piping hot.
Substitute blanched almonds for cashews. The sauce may need longer blending and careful straining.
For a nut free version, omit the cashews and add a little more cream at the end. The sauce will be lighter and slightly less thick.
Reduce the Kashmiri chilli powder for a very mild curry, although the finished colour will be paler.
Use coconut cream only when dairy is unsuitable. It produces a noticeably different flavour and is not a direct replacement for traditional makhani sauce.

Cooking Tips

Use full fat yoghurt because low fat yoghurt releases more water and can make the marinade thin.
Shake excess marinade from each chicken piece before placing it under the grill. A heavy coating slows browning.
Leave space between the chicken pieces so hot air can circulate and moisture can escape.
Add ground spices immediately before the tomatoes so they do not burn in the butter.
Blend hot sauce with care. If using a jug blender, work in batches and follow the manufacturer’s instructions for hot liquids.
Crush the dried fenugreek leaves between your fingers before adding them. This releases their aroma and prevents large leaves from remaining in the sauce.
Keep the final simmer gentle after adding the cream and butter.
Add the optional sugar only after tasting the completely finished sauce.

Why Is My Butter Chicken Sauce Grainy?

Cashews that have not softened sufficiently can leave small particles in the sauce. Simmer them with the tomatoes until tender, blend thoroughly and strain through a fine sieve.

Cream can also appear grainy if it is added to a rapidly boiling, highly acidic sauce. Reduce the heat before stirring it in and keep the sauce at a gentle simmer afterwards.

Why Has the Butter Separated?

A slight sheen on the surface is normal, but a large pool of fat suggests that the sauce reduced too far or boiled too vigorously after the butter and cream were added. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in a small amount of hot water to bring it back together.

Measure the butter rather than adding it freely. The dish should taste rounded and rich, but excessive butter can make the sauce heavy and mask the tomato and fenugreek.

What to Serve with Butter Chicken

Butter Chicken pairs well with White Rice, Pilau Rice or Mushroom Rice. Plain naan, Garlic Naan, Peshwari Naan and chapati are useful for serving with the smooth sauce.

For a larger meal, add Tarka Dhal, Saag Aloo, Bombay Potatoes or Mixed Vegetable Bhaji. Cucumber Raita and Coriander and Mint Chutney provide a fresher contrast to the rich makhani sauce.

How to Store and Reheat

Cool leftover Butter Chicken promptly and place it in a covered container in the refrigerator within two hours. Eat it within 48 hours or freeze it if it will not be used within that time.

Reheat only the portion you intend to eat. Warm it gently in a saucepan, stirring regularly and adding a splash of water if the sauce has thickened. Make sure the chicken and sauce are steaming hot throughout before serving.

The curry can be frozen once cooled. Defrost it in the refrigerator and reheat it only once. The sauce may appear slightly separated after thawing, but gentle heating and stirring will usually restore its consistency.