Indian & South Asian · Lunch · Dinner
Butter Chicken
Murgh Makhani
Tender, chargrilled chicken pieces simmered in a silky, gently spiced tomato sauce, finished with just a touch of butter and cream. It has all the rich comfort of the restaurant classic in a lighter form, served over nutty brown basmati rice.
- Prep
- 45 min
- Cook
- 50 min
- Total
- 95 min
- Serves
- 4
Calories come from: Carbs 46% · Fat 23% · Protein 31%
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Ingredients
For 4 servings- 600 g (about 3 small breasts)Boneless skinless chicken breast
- 1/2 cup120 gPlain low-fat yogurt
- 1 tbsp15 gLemon juice
- 1 tbsp6 gGaram masala
- 1 tspGround cumin
- 1 tspKashmiri chili powder
- 1/2 tspGround turmeric
- 1 tsp6 gSalt
- 1 1/2 tbsp20 gUnsalted butter
- 1 tsp5 gVegetable oil
- 1 medium150 gOnion, finely chopped
- 4 cloves12 gGarlic, minced
- 1 tbsp (about 3 cm piece)15 gFresh ginger, grated
- 1 can (400 g)Canned crushed tomatoes
- 1 tbsp16 gTomato paste
- 1/2 cup120 gWater (for the sauce)
- 1/4 cup60 gHalf-and-half (light cream)
- 1 tsp7 gHoney
- 1 tbspDried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi)
- 1 1/4 cups240 gBrown basmati rice
- 2 1/2 cups600 gWater (for the rice)
- small handful8 gFresh coriander (cilantro), chopped (optional)
Steps
- 1
Cut the chicken into 3 cm chunks.
- 2
In a bowl, stir together the yogurt, lemon juice, 2 tsp of the garam masala, the cumin, half the chili powder, the turmeric and half the salt.
- 3
Add the chicken, coat it well, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- 4
Rinse the rice, then bring it to a boil with the 600 ml rice water in a pot.
- 5
Cover the rice, turn the heat to low and simmer for 40 minutes, then take it off the heat and leave it covered for 10 minutes.
- 6
While the rice cooks, heat the grill (broiler) to high and line a baking tray with foil.
- 7
Spread the marinated chicken on the tray and grill for 10–12 minutes, turning once, until lightly charred and cooked through to 74 °C / 165 °F inside.
- 8
Meanwhile, melt the butter with the oil in a large pan over medium heat.
- 9
Add the onion and cook for 6–8 minutes until soft and golden.
- 10
Stir in the garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- 11
Add the tomato paste, the remaining chili powder and the remaining 1 tsp garam masala and cook for 1 minute.
- 12
Pour in the crushed tomatoes, the 120 ml sauce water and the remaining salt, then simmer for 15 minutes, stirring now and then.
- 13
Blend the sauce until smooth with a stick blender, or carefully in a blender, and return it to the pan.
- 14
Add the grilled chicken, half-and-half and honey, then crumble in the fenugreek leaves between your fingers.
- 15
Simmer gently for 5 minutes without boiling hard so the cream does not split.
- 16
Fluff the rice with a fork and serve it with the butter chicken, topped with coriander if using.
Swaps, storage and make-ahead
Swaps
- For a dairy-free version, use unsweetened plain coconut yogurt in the marinade, coconut oil instead of butter and light coconut milk instead of the half-and-half.
- Swap the chicken breast for boneless skinless chicken thighs for juicier, more forgiving meat that is harder to overcook.
- Use maple syrup or a pinch of sugar instead of honey if that is what you have on hand.
- If you can't find Kashmiri chili powder, use 3/4 tsp sweet paprika plus a small pinch of cayenne for similar colour with mild heat.
Storage
Cool the rice quickly and refrigerate it within 1 hour, then eat it within 1 day and reheat it only once, until steaming hot. Refrigerate the butter chicken in an airtight container within 2 hours and eat within 3 to 4 days, reheating gently until steaming hot and adding a splash of water if the sauce thickens. The curry can be frozen for up to 3 months, though the cream may separate slightly, so stir well as it reheats.
Make ahead
Marinate the chicken up to 24 hours ahead in the fridge, and make and blend the tomato sauce up to 3 days in advance. Then just grill the chicken and finish it in the reheated sauce with the cream.
Nutrition values are for the recipe as written.
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Allergens and nutrition
Contains: Milk
Check the labels of packaged ingredients for allergens and suitability for your diet.
Full nutrition
| Per serving (600 g) | Per 100 g | |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 561 kcal | 94 kcal |
| Protein | 43.3 g | 7.2 g |
| Carbohydrates | 65.2 g | 10.9 g |
| of which sugars | 11.4 g | 1.9 g |
| Fiber | 5.9 g | 1 g |
| Fat | 14.1 g | 2.3 g |
| of which saturated | 5.4 g | 0.9 g |
| Sodium | 885 mg | 148 mg |
Nutrition is calculated from USDA FoodData Central data and may differ from what you cook.
