Quick & Easy Homemade Butter Chicken Recipe
This Quick & Easy Homemade Butter Chicken recipe features tender chicken thighs cooked in a rich, creamy tomato sauce infused with aromatic spices. Ready in just 45 minutes, it’s a perfect weeknight meal that pairs beautifully with naan or rice.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken Marinade
- 1 ½ pounds skinless boneless chicken thighs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- ½ teaspoon curry powder
Cooking Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- ½ teaspoon curry powder (additional)
Instructions
- Marinate the Chicken: In a bowl, combine the chicken thighs with salt, garlic powder, sweet paprika, and curry powder. Mix well to evenly coat the meat with the spices and set aside for a few minutes to absorb the flavors.
- Brown the Chicken: Heat vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the marinated chicken and cook until browned on all sides, about 5 to 7 minutes. Once cooked, remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
- Sauté Aromatics: In the same skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add minced garlic and diced onion and sauté until translucent and fragrant, approximately 5 minutes.
- Prepare the Sauce: Stir in the tomato sauce, sugar, salt, and black pepper into the skillet with the sautéed aromatics. Allow this mixture to simmer gently for 5 minutes to blend the flavors.
- Add Cream and Spices: Pour in the heavy cream and add garam masala along with an additional ½ teaspoon of curry powder. Stir well to combine all ingredients smoothly.
- Simmer the Chicken in Sauce: Return the browned chicken to the skillet and simmer the mixture until the chicken is heated through and the sauce thickens slightly, about 5 to 10 minutes.
- Serve: Serve the butter chicken hot, ideally paired with warm naan bread or steamed rice for a classic meal experience.
Notes
- For a spicier version, add red chili powder or fresh green chilies along with the spices.
- Use heavy cream for richness; substitute with coconut cream for a dairy-free alternative, but this will alter the flavor.
- To save prep time, you can marinate the chicken ahead of time and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
- If tomato sauce is not available, pureed canned tomatoes can be used as a substitute.
- Garam masala can be omitted if unavailable, but it adds a signature flavor to the dish.
Keywords: Butter Chicken, Indian Butter Chicken, Quick Butter Chicken, Easy Butter Chicken, Creamy Chicken Curry, Chicken Curry, Indian Dinner
