Indian Butter Chicken (Murgh Makhani)
A rich and creamy tomato-based curry with tender chicken, warm spices, and a velvety finish. This Murgh Makhani is perfect with rice or naan for a comforting meal.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: ~30 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4
- Category: Main Course, Curry
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Indian
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
Boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into chunks
1 tbsp peanut oil (or neutral oil)
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 white onion, diced
3–4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
½–1 tsp chili powder (adjust to taste)
1 bay leaf
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 cup crushed tomatoes
½ cup heavy cream
¼ cup plain yogurt (full-fat preferred)
1 tsp cornstarch + 1 tbsp cold water (for slurry)
Kosher salt, to taste
Instructions
Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add chicken and sauté until lightly browned (~5 minutes).
Add butter and diced onion. Cook until soft (~2 minutes), then stir in garlic and cook 30 seconds.
Add ginger, garam masala, cumin, coriander, chili powder, and bay leaf. Stir until fragrant (~1 minute).
Mix in tomato paste and crushed tomatoes. Stir well.
Reduce heat to low and stir in heavy cream and yogurt. Simmer ~10 minutes, until sauce reduces by ⅓ and chicken is cooked.
Stir in cornstarch slurry and simmer 5–10 more minutes to thicken.
Season with salt to taste. Discard bay leaf.
Serve hot with basmati rice or naan.
Notes
Use chicken thighs for extra tenderness and flavor.
Grill or broil chicken beforehand for a smoky, tandoori-style touch.
Adjust spice with more chili powder or Kashmiri chili.
Swap cream for half-and-half or coconut cream for a lighter version.
Leftovers taste even better the next day—perfect for meal prep.
Find it online: https://allrecipesmade.com/indian-butter-chicken-murgh-makhani/
