What Makes This Recipe So Good
Indian butter chicken is a simple recipe, taking pieces of juicy chicken thighs and simmering them in a tomatoey curry, with flavors of garam masala, sweet paprika, coriander, ginger, chili powder, cinnamon, and cardamom. A little yogurt and heavy cream are added at the end, making the gravy delectably thick and creamy. If you’re new to homemade Indian food, this is a great recipe to start with. It’s SO easy to make, and really doesn’t take much time at all. Plus all the cooking takes place in one skillet (or wok), so clean up’s easy, too. Pair it with fluffy basmati rice and warm naan to sop up any extra curry you might be left with, and you’ve got a satisfying new way to serve a weeknight chicken dinner. This dish shares a lot of similarities with chicken tikka masala, but butter chicken tends to be much more mild. That makes it a great option for small kids or anyone who’s heat-sensitive. You’re welcome to add as much or as little chili powder as needed to make the curry as hot (or mild) as you like!
Chef’s Tips
Traditional butter chicken recipes begin by marinating the chicken overnight in a blend of yogurt and spices, to tenderize the meat. After that, the chicken is typically grilled in a tandoor before being simmered in the buttery curry. Obviously, we’ve left out the marinating and grilling steps, to keep things fairly quick. That means this version isn’t a fully authentic murgh makhani, but it’s a fairly close alternative! Be careful not to overcook the chicken pieces. While chicken thighs hold up against sustained heat a little better than chicken breasts, you can still overdo it. You don’t want dry or rubbery butter chicken, though. Gauge the temperature with an internal meat thermometer. The food safe internal temperature for dark meat chicken is around 170° Fahrenheit, but you don’t want the chicken to reach that temperature until after you’ve simmered it in the yogurt and cream for 5 minutes. This recipe may just be even more delicious as leftovers. As the sauce rests and chills, the flavors deepen and become even more vibrant. If you’ve got the time, you might consider making the curry in advance. Transfer it to an airtight container and let it cool completely, then cover it and refrigerate it overnight. The next day, cook the chicken and simmer the gravy until warmed through.
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