Degchi
Butter Chicken
Serves 4 · Total 65 min · Prep 30 min · Cook 35 min
Murgh makhani — tandoor-charred chicken simmered in a smoky, butter-rich tomato gravy. Invented at a Delhi restaurant in the 1950s to use up leftover tandoori chicken, it's now India's most famous export to the world.
Quick answer: 65 min in total · serves 4 · main ingredients: Boneless chicken, Yogurt, Lemon, Red chilli powder · amounts in metric and US
Ingredients
- 600 g 1.3 lb Boneless chicken, cut into pieces
- 100 g 0.4 cup Yogurt, for marinade
- 1 tbsp 1 tbsp Lemon, juice, for marinade
- 1.5 tsp 1.5 tsp Red chilli powder
- 1 tsp 1 tsp Garam masala
- 5 pc 5 pc Tomato, roughly chopped
- 10 pc 10 pc Dry fruits, cashews, soaked
- 1 tbsp 1 tbsp Ginger, paste
- 1 tbsp 1 tbsp Garlic, paste
- 4 tbsp 4 tbsp Butter
- 1 tsp 1 tsp Sugar
- 1.5 tsp 1.5 tsp Salt, to taste
- 100 ml 0.4 cup Cream
Steps
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- Mix the chicken with the yogurt, lemon juice, a pinch of salt, red chilli powder and garam masala. Cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour, or overnight for a more tender result.⏱ Marinating · 60 min
- Grill, broil or sear the chicken on high heat in batches for about 12–15 minutes, turning once, until charred at the edges and just cooked through (74 °C / 165 °F). Do not overcook; it will simmer again later.⏱ Grilling chicken · 15 min
- Simmer the tomatoes, cashews (soaked in hot water for 15 minutes), ginger and garlic in about 250 ml (1 cup) water, covered, for 12 minutes until the tomatoes collapse. Cool slightly, then blend until completely smooth.⏱ Cooking the base · 12 min
- Melt the butter in a wide pan over medium heat and pour in the puree through a fine sieve, pressing it through for a silky sauce.
- Add the sugar and salt and simmer for 8 minutes, stirring often, until the gravy is thick, deep orange-red and the butter shines at the edges.⏱ Thickening gravy · 8 min
- Add the chicken with any juices and simmer on low heat for 6 minutes so the pieces absorb the gravy without turning dry.⏱ Simmering chicken · 6 min
- Take it off the heat, swirl in the cream, and serve hot with naan or steamed rice.
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Frequently asked questions
How long does Butter Chicken take to make?
Butter Chicken takes about 65 minutes in total. That is about 30 minutes of prep and 35 minutes of cooking.
How many people does this Butter Chicken recipe serve?
This version serves 4. The Degchi app has a servings scaler if you need more or fewer portions.
What ingredients do I need for Butter Chicken?
You need Boneless chicken, Yogurt, Lemon, Red chilli powder, Garam masala, Tomato, Dry fruits, Ginger, Garlic, Butter, Sugar, Salt, Cream.
Is Butter Chicken difficult?
Degchi rates it Medium, with 7 steps in the method; steps that need timing have a built-in timer in cook mode.
Is Butter Chicken halal, vegetarian or eggless?
It is marked halal in our recipe data. It is not vegetarian. It has no egg. It has no beef. Check the labels on any packaged ingredients for your own needs.
What will I probably need to buy for Butter Chicken?
Everyday staples that Degchi counts as pantry basics: red chilli powder, salt. Spice-box items: garam masala. Fresh items you will probably need to buy: boneless chicken, yogurt, lemon, tomato, ginger, garlic, butter, cream. Lentils, grains and other dry goods: dry fruits, sugar.
Any tips for making Butter Chicken?
Charring the chicken on a hot grill or tawa before adding it is what gives butter chicken its smoky flavour. The dish is usually traced to Moti Mahal in Delhi, where cooks tossed leftover tandoori chicken in a buttery tomato sauce. A pinch of crushed kasuri methi rubbed in at the end gives the classic restaurant aroma.
Notes and questions
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Cooking terms in this recipe: Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) · Garam masala · Methi (fenugreek)
