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Butter Chicken
Creamy, rich tomato-based curry with tender chicken - the most ordered dish at Indian restaurants worldwide.
30 mins
45 mins
4 people
North Indian
Boneless chicken thighs
Cut into 2-inch pieces
800g
Plain yogurt
1 cup
Kashmiri chili powder
Gives that red color
2 tbsp
Ginger-garlic paste
3 tbsp
Tomato puree
1 cup
Heavy cream
1 cup
Butter
4 tbsp
Ghee
2 tbsp
Fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi)
Crucial for authentic taste
1 tsp
Garam masala
1.5 tsp
Cumin seeds
1 tsp
Bay leaves
2
Green cardamom
3
Cinnamon stick
1 inch
Cloves
2
Onions
Finely sliced
2 large
Honey
Restaurants use this for sweetness
1 tbsp
Salt
to taste
🍽️ Tandoori oven
→ High-heat pan or oven broiler at 200°C
Achieves similar charring effect
🍽️ Kashmiri chili powder
→ Paprika + touch of cayenne
Similar color and mild heat
🍽️ Heavy cream
→ Greek yogurt or cashew cream
Creates similar richness
Marinate chicken in yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, kashmiri chili powder, garam masala, and salt for 30 minutes.
💡 Pro Tip: Restaurants marinate for 2+ hours for deeper flavor. Use boneless thighs - they stay juicy unlike breast meat.
Heat a cast-iron skillet or tawa on high heat. Cook marinated chicken until charred on all sides (8-10 mins). Set aside.
💡 Pro Tip: Don't overcrowd the pan. Cook in batches to get proper charring. This charred layer is critical for authenticity.
In a heavy-bottomed pot, heat ghee and butter together. Add cumin seeds, let them crackle.
💡 Pro Tip: Restaurants use equal parts ghee and butter for that rich, unmistakable flavor profile.
Add bay leaves, cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves. Toast for 30 seconds.
💡 Pro Tip: This blooming of spices is what makes restaurant curry smell incredible.
Add sliced onions, cook until deep golden brown (12-15 mins). This is crucial - don't rush.
💡 Pro Tip: Caramelized onions create the base sweetness. Many home cooks under-caramelize - go darker than you think.
Add tomato puree, cook on medium-high heat for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. It should reduce and darken.
💡 Pro Tip: Let the tomato paste reduce and deepen in color - this concentrates flavors.
Add ginger-garlic paste and Kashmiri chili powder. Stir well, cook for 2 minutes until fragrant.
💡 Pro Tip: Cooking the paste briefly prevents raw taste.
Add heavy cream, honey, and salt. Stir well. Add the charred chicken pieces.
💡 Pro Tip: Honey adds subtle sweetness that commercial restaurants sometimes add to mask spice levels.
Simmer on medium heat for 20-25 minutes. The gravy should coat the back of a spoon.
💡 Pro Tip: Simmer gently - boiling breaks the cream emulsion. If it's too thin, let it reduce uncovered.
Just before serving, tear in kasuri methi (fenugreek leaves) and add a dollop of cream on top.
💡 Pro Tip: The fenugreek leaves are non-negotiable - they add that distinctive restaurant aroma.
- ✓Use only boneless, skinless thighs - they remain tender and juicy
- ✓Char the chicken properly before adding to gravy - this creates depth
- ✓Caramelize onions deeply - this is where sweetness comes from
- ✓Use Kashmiri chili powder for color and mild heat, not cayenne
- ✓Add kasuri methi at the very end - it's fragrant and shouldn't be cooked long
- ✓Let cream sit at room temperature before adding to hot curry
- ✓The gravy should coat a spoon - not thin soup, not paste
- ✓A touch of honey is what separates home version from restaurant version
- →With naan or basmati rice
- →With garlic naan and pickled onions
- →With jeera rice and a side of raita
- →Serve in a cast-iron skillet for restaurant presentation