If there’s one curry that can silence a dinner table, it’s a good butter chicken recipe. I learned that the hard way at a family dawat where my cousin’s murgh makhani got all the compliments and my dry chicken karahi got polite silence. That evening I decided to master butter chicken, and after many batches — some too sweet, some too thin, one memorable disaster involving an entire tin of tomato paste — this butter chicken recipe is the one I now make whenever I want guaranteed praise.
Real butter chicken, or murgh makhani, was born in Delhi in the 1950s, when cooks at Moti Mahal started simmering leftover tandoori chicken in a rich tomato-butter gravy so it wouldn’t go to waste. That origin story tells you everything about the dish: the chicken should taste faintly smoky and charred, and the gravy should be silky, buttery, and just tangy enough to cut through the richness. Getting both halves right is the whole game.
The two mistakes I see most often are a gravy that’s raw-tasting (tomatoes not cooked long enough) and chicken that’s rubbery (overcooked after being added to the gravy). My method fixes both: the tomato base simmers until the oil genuinely separates, and the chicken is cooked separately until just charred, then only briefly finished in the gravy. The result is that restaurant-style butter chicken with the velvety sauce and tender chicken — no tandoor required.
This recipe serves 4 to 6 and tastes even better the next day, which makes it perfect for entertaining. Let’s get into it.
Why You’ll Love This Butter Chicken Recipe
- Genuinely smoky flavor — broiling the marinated chicken gives you that tandoor char without any special equipment.
- Silky, never grainy gravy — blending with soaked cashews and straining gives a restaurant-smooth sauce.
- Balanced, not candy-sweet — just enough honey/sugar to round the tomatoes, with kasuri methi for depth.
- Fail-proof method — chicken and gravy cooked separately means neither can overcook the other.
- Freezer friendly — make a double batch of gravy and freeze half for an instant future dinner.
- Crowd-pleaser — mild enough for kids, rich enough for guests, and endlessly scoopable with naan.
Ingredients
- For the chicken marinade:
- Chicken — 750 g (about 1½ lbs) boneless thighs, cut into 1½-inch chunks (thighs stay juicier than breast)
- Plain yogurt — ½ cup (120 g), thick
- Ginger-garlic paste — 1 tablespoon
- Lemon juice — 1 tablespoon
- Kashmiri red chili powder — 2 teaspoons (for color without fierce heat)
- Tandoori masala — 1 tablespoon (store-bought is fine)
- Turmeric — ½ teaspoon
- Salt — 1 teaspoon
- Mustard oil or regular oil — 1 tablespoon
- For the makhani gravy:
- Ripe tomatoes — 6 large (about 800 g), roughly chopped
- Butter — 4 tablespoons (60 g), plus 1 extra tablespoon for finishing
- Cashew nuts — ¼ cup (35 g), soaked in hot water for 20 minutes
- Onion — 1 medium, roughly chopped
- Ginger — 1-inch piece, sliced; garlic — 6 cloves
- Green cardamoms — 4, cloves — 4, cinnamon — 1-inch stick
- Kashmiri red chili powder — 1 teaspoon
- Garam masala — ½ teaspoon
- Honey or sugar — 1 to 2 teaspoons, to balance acidity
- Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) — 1 tablespoon, crushed between palms
- Heavy cream — ½ cup (120 ml), plus extra for drizzling
- Salt — to taste (about 1½ teaspoons)
- Water — 1 cup (240 ml), as needed
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken. Combine all the marinade ingredients in a bowl, add the chicken chunks, and mix thoroughly so every piece is coated in the spiced yogurt. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight if you can plan ahead. The yogurt and lemon tenderize the meat while the tandoori masala builds that characteristic flavor base. Don’t marinate longer than 12 hours, though — the acid can make the texture mushy.
- Char the chicken. Thread the marinated chicken onto skewers or spread on a foil-lined baking tray. Broil/grill on the highest setting for 8 to 10 minutes per side, until you see charred spots and the edges crisp slightly. You’re not cooking it through here — it should still be a touch pink inside, because it will finish in the gravy. That char is where the smoky tandoor flavor comes from, so don’t be shy about the heat. Set aside.
- Start the gravy base. Melt the butter in a deep pan over medium heat. Add the cardamoms, cloves, and cinnamon and let them sizzle for 30 seconds. Add the onion, ginger, and garlic and sauté for 5 to 6 minutes until the onion turns translucent and soft. Stir in the Kashmiri chili powder and cook for another minute — blooming it in the fat deepens the color dramatically.
- Cook the tomatoes down completely. Add the chopped tomatoes, soaked cashews (drained), salt, and 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. The tomatoes must break down entirely and the fat should start glistening at the edges — this is the visual cue that the raw taste is gone. Rushing this step is the number one cause of mediocre butter chicken, so be patient.
- Blend until silky. Fish out the whole spices (or leave them — a good blender will pulverize them), then blend the mixture until completely smooth. For a truly restaurant finish, strain it back into the pan through a fine sieve, pressing with a spoon. Yes, it’s an extra step, and yes, it’s worth it — this is what separates silky gravy from grainy gravy.
- Finish the gravy. Return the strained gravy to medium-low heat. Stir in the garam masala, honey or sugar, and adjust salt. Let it simmer gently for 5 minutes, then crush the kasuri methi between your palms and stir it in — that distinctive smoky-herbal aroma is non-negotiable in real makhani. Pour in the cream and the final tablespoon of butter, stirring until glossy. The gravy should coat the back of a spoon thickly.
- Combine and simmer briefly. Add the charred chicken pieces (with any resting juices) to the gravy. Simmer on low for 8 to 10 minutes, just until the chicken is cooked through and has absorbed some sauce. Don’t boil hard or simmer long — the chicken is already mostly cooked, and prolonged simmering will toughen it. Taste and adjust salt, sweetness, and heat one final time.
- Rest and serve. Take the pan off the heat and let it rest for 5 minutes so the flavors settle. Drizzle with a swirl of cream, scatter a pinch of crushed kasuri methi on top, and serve piping hot with naan, jeera rice, or plain basmati. Watch it disappear.
Pro Tips
- Use chicken thighs, not breast. Thighs stay tender through the double cooking; breast dries out and turns chalky in this dish.
- Kashmiri chili over regular. It gives that signature deep red-orange color with moderate heat. Regular red chili powder can make the dish harsh.
- Don’t skip straining. Tomato skins and cashew bits are what make homemade versions grainy. A fine sieve takes two minutes and transforms the texture.
- Crush kasuri methi fresh. Rubbing it between your palms right before adding releases its oils. Pre-crushed or stale methi tastes like dust.
- Balance the tomatoes. If your tomatoes are very sour, you may need the full 2 teaspoons of honey. Taste after blending and adjust — the gravy should be tangy but rounded, never sharp.
- Char is flavor. Pale, steamed-looking chicken makes pale-tasting butter chicken. Get real color on it under the broiler.
- Make gravy ahead. The strained gravy (before adding cream and chicken) keeps 4 days refrigerated or 3 months frozen. Dinner becomes a 15-minute job.
Serving Suggestions
Butter chicken demands scooping — butter naan or garlic naan is the classic pairing. Jeera rice works beautifully too. Keep sides simple: sliced onions with lemon and a cucumber raita.
FAQs
Can I make butter chicken without a broiler or grill?
Yes. Sear the marinated chicken in a very hot cast-iron skillet with a little oil, in batches so it browns rather than steams — about 3 to 4 minutes per side. You won’t get quite the same char, but a pinch of smoked paprika in the marinade helps fake the smokiness.
Why is my gravy grainy?
Almost always because it wasn’t blended long enough or wasn’t strained. Blend for a full 2 minutes until completely smooth, then pass through a fine-mesh sieve. Also make sure the cashews were soaked — unsoaked cashews never blend fully smooth.
How spicy is this butter chicken recipe?
Mild to medium — that’s traditional for this dish. The Kashmiri chili gives color more than fire. If you want more heat, add ½ teaspoon of regular red chili powder or a slit green chili to the gravy while it simmers.
How long do leftovers keep?
Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days — the flavor actually deepens overnight. Reheat gently on the stove with a splash of water or cream, stirring, until just simmering. It also freezes well for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
That’s my definitive butter chicken — smoky charred chicken folded into a silky, buttery tomato gravy. Make it once for your family and you’ll be getting requests for it every other week. I speak from experience.