Easy Butter Chicken

Yumna Jawad

5 from 410 votes

A quick and easy version of the popular Indian dish, Butter Chicken, cooked in a creamy tomato sauce in just one pan!

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This Easy Butter Chicken is, well, easy! So, if you’ve been putting off making butter chicken at home, you no longer have to wait! It’s an easier, faster version of the traditional Indian dish, making it a perfect weeknight dinner or make-ahead meal. Served with fluffy basmati rice to soak up every last bit of the creamy, buttery sauce, there’s not much better than this simple butter chicken recipe!

Easy Butter Chicken over rice in a bowl with a piece of torn flatbread on the side and another serving nearby.
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Authentic butter chicken, known in India as “Murgh Makhani,” is a labor of love. It requires the chicken to be marinated in advance, has more authentic Indian spices than I can probably pronounce, and takes at least an hour to make. I only allot myself 30 minutes for most recipes. So I took a shortcut and made this absolutely amazing tasting version of homemade butter chicken. 

I promise you that all of the flavor of traditional butter chicken is still there, thanks to the amazing collection of spices! Don’t be scared by the list of ingredients; seven of them are just spices, and all the rest are simple, easy-to-find items. 

With the combination of warm, smoky spices in this butter chicken, coconut milk is a natural companion. It mellows and rounds out the flavors while also creating a velvety sauce that coats each tender bite of chicken. It’s so good!

Recipe At a Glance

Cuisine Inspiration: Indian
Primary Cooking Method: Stovetop
Dietary Info: Gluten-free with dairy-free option
Key Flavor: Warmly spiced and buttery
Skill Level: Beginner

Summary

  • Authentic-tasting recipe in under an hour: Traditional butter chicken recipes take much longer, but I promise you the combination of spices and one-pan prep make a fantastic, flavorful, and fast butter chicken recipe that rivals the original!  
  • Family friendly: An array of spices make this chicken curry so aromatic and delicious–but overall, it’s a very mild curry that’s extremely family friendly.
  • Less butter: Restaurant-style butter chicken can contain a large amount of butter, but this healthy butter chicken recipe only calls for a tablespoon–and that’s all it needs!
  • Terrific meal-prep recipe: Make this healthy butter chicken ahead of time and refrigerate in divided containers with rice for delicious make-ahead lunches or dinners.

Ingredients to Make Butter Chicken

Ingredients for recipe in individual bowls and before prepping: garlic cloves, ginger, curry powder, coconut milk, yellow onion, oil, tomato paste, red curry paste, spice blend, butter, and chicken breasts.
  • Chicken: I recommend boneless, skinless chicken breasts for this recipe, cut into ¾-inch chunks. 
  • Butter: Salted or unsalted butter will both work.
  • Olive oil: Introduces some healthy fats and helps with sautéing the aromatics and blooming the spices. 
  • Onion, ginger, and garlic: It might be tempting to use dried versions of these ingredients, but I highly recommend you use fresh, which will add much more flavor to the dish than dry will.
  • Garam masala: If you can’t find garam masala spice blend, you can make your own blend with one part cumin plus ¼ part allspice. You can also use any combination of coriander, cumin, black peppercorns, cardamom, cloves, and/or nutmeg. 
  • Chili powder, mustard seeds, ground coriander, and curry powder: An array of spices brings so much flavor to this easy butter chicken recipe. 
  • Tomato paste: Adds an umami note and contributes to the gorgeous orange hue.
  • Red curry paste: Thai red curry paste is very easy to find in most grocery stores and adds so much flavor. I recommend a mild red curry paste unless you prefer your butter chicken spicy. 
  • Coconut milk: For the creamiest butter chicken, coconut milk that is full fat works best. 
  • Salt & pepper: To enhance all of the delicious flavors; adjust to your liking.
  • Make it dairy-free: Yes, butter chicken without butter can still taste amazing! If dairy is not a part of your diet, swap in more olive oil for a dairy-free version.
  • Add veggies: The chicken is the star of the dish, but you can bulk this up with any other vegetables like carrots, cauliflower or peas.
  • Omit the cilantro: If you don’t care for the taste of cilantro and coriander, it’s fine to leave them out of this recipe. If you’d still like a pretty green garnish, parsley works well as a substitute. 
  • Change out the chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are also delicious in this homemade butter chicken recipe.

How to Make this Easy Butter Chicken

  1. Cook the onions in the butter and olive oil until soft and translucent. Add the ginger and garlic and cook, stirring often, until softened.
  2. Add the spices and cook until fragrant, then add the chicken, tomato paste, red curry paste, salt, and pepper. 
  3. Stir until the chicken is completely coated with the onion, spices, tomato paste, and red curry paste. 
  4. Pour the coconut milk over the chicken and spices.
  5. Stir until creamy and the spices are well-distributed.
  6. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until the chicken is tender and cooked through.
6 image collage making recipe in a large skillet: 1- onions after sauteeing with garlic and ginger added, 2- after spices added with chicken pieces and pastes added to pan, 3- after coating chicken with seasonings and pastes, 4- coconut milk added, 5- after stirring together, 6- after cooking until deepened in color.

Tips for Making the Best Homemade Butter Chicken

  • Be liberal with the spices. Like a lot of Indian recipes, this one is a heavily spiced dish. When you break down the ingredients, you’ll realize that all the flavor comes from the combination of warm, smoky spices. Use my recipe below as a guide, but feel free to add more and substitute the spices you don’t have with more of the ones you do have.
  • Finely dice the onions. This helps the onions blend in with the sauce for a more uniform result. 
  • Get the rice going before you start the chicken. Let it sit for about 10 minutes after cooking, then remove the lid, fluff it with a fork, and put the lid back on to keep it warm. It will be perfectly cooked and ready to serve when your easy butter chicken is done.
  • Serve with fresh naan or flatbread. Homemade butter chicken is even better with warm, buttery flatbread to soak up every last bit of sauce!
Easy butter chicken in skillet garnished with an extra drizzle of coconut milk, fresh cilantro, and a side of naan and rice nearby.

What to Serve With This Simple Butter Chicken Recipe

How to Store & Reheat Easy Butter Chicken

Store leftover butter chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To reheat, place leftovers in a pan on the stove and heat gently, stirring occasionally, until warmed through. Butter chicken with coconut milk can also be reheated in the microwave.

How Long Will Easy Butter Chicken Last in the Fridge?

Leftovers keep in the refrigerator for up to three days.

Can I Freeze Butter Chicken with Coconut Milk?

To freeze this simple butter chicken recipe, let cool to room temperature, then transfer to an airtight container. Transfer to the refrigerator and freeze for up to three months. To reheat, let thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then warm gently on the stovetop or in the microwave.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the difference between butter chicken and chicken tikka masala?

Butter chicken and chicken tikka masala look very similar, but chicken tikka has a more complex taste with more added spices and butter chicken has a milder and sweeter curry sauce or gravy. Butter chicken originates from India, whereas chicken tikka masala is actually a British dish.

Is butter chicken sauce spicy?

Despite the various spices used in this gravy, it is a very mild dish, the spices add flavor to the curry rather than heat. One tip to keep the heat level low is to make sure that your chili powder and curry powder are milder versions. This is a great family meal that the kids will love, and if you are not a fan of spicy food this dish will be for you!

Why is butter chicken orange?

Butter chicken is orange because of the tomato paste and the colorful spices that are in the recipe.

Close up of the final dish for the easy butter chicken plates with rice and cilantro and a spoon dipped in.

No need for hours of prep time when making homemade butter chicken! Instead, this easy butter chicken recipe gives you tender chicken swimming in a warmly spiced sauce in well under an hour. It has far less butter than traditional recipes, too! This wildly flavorful and healthy butter chicken is sure to become a must-have in your dinnertime rotation.

More Indian Inspired Recipes:

If you try this feel good Easy Butter Chicken recipe or any other recipe on Feel Good Foodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below! It helps others who are thinking of making the recipe. We would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots, share it on Instagram so we can repost on Stories!

This Easy Butter Chicken recipe was originally published on September 23, 2018 and is now updated with new photography and step by step collages and instructions to help better make the recipe, which has not changed.

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Easy Indian Butter Chicken recipe.
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Review

Easy Butter Chicken

A quick and easy version of the popular Indian dish, Butter Chicken, cooked in a creamy tomato sauce in just one pan!
5 from 410 votes
Author Yumna Jawad
Servings 8 servings
Course Entree
Calories 235
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium onion small diced
  • 2 teaspoon ginger grated
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 tablespoon garam masala
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
  • 1 teaspoon coriander
  • 1 teaspoon curry
  • 2 pounds chicken breasts cut into ¾-inch chunks
  • 3 ounces tomato paste
  • 3 ounces red curry paste
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk
  • Rice and/or naan for serving
  • Cilantro for serving

Instructions

  • Heat the butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the onions until they become soft and translucent, about 3-5 minutes. Stir in the ginger and garlic and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes.
  • Add the garam masala, chili powder, mustard seeds, coriander and curry and toast the spices until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the chicken, tomato paste, red curry paste, salt and pepper and stir until the chicken is well coated with the onions, tomato and curry pastes, and spices.
  • Pour the coconut milk over the chicken mixture and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil, and then set the heat to low and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.
  • Serve over white rice and/or naan, and garnish with cilantro, if desired.

Equipment

Notes

Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container. They will last about 3-4 days in the fridge.
Make Ahead: If you want to prepare some of the dish ahead of time. You can saute the onions, garlic and ginger with the butter and olive oil. Then transfer the onion mixture to a bowl, add all the ingredients on top of it and stir to combine. You can do this up to one day in advance. When ready to cook, just put everything in a pan, bring to a boil, then simmer on low heat for 20 minutes. 
Sourcing: You can find most of the spices at major grocery stores. Garam masala may not be as widely available, but you can find at Indian specialty stores.
Substitutes: For best results, follow the recipe as is. If you can’t find garam masala, you can make your own blend. Here’s are two popular substitutions: 1 part cumin plus ¼ part allspice. Or any combination of: Coriander, Cumin, Black Peppercorns, Cardamom, Cloves, Nutmeg.
* Please note the nutrition label does not include the rice or naan.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5cup, Calories: 235kcal, Carbohydrates: 7g, Protein: 25g, Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 76mg, Sodium: 565mg, Potassium: 575mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 1992IU, Vitamin C: 6mg, Calcium: 36mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.

Cuisine Indian
Course: Entree

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Recipe Rating




Comments

  1. I made this for my young family and it was a little spicy for you daughter to taste. Not for us. We loved it!!!! I also made other dishes to have my daughter taste her heritage. We live a state away from my Palestinian mother and when I call her for recipes, well let’s just say that she doesn’t using the same measurements as others. “A pinch of this and a handful of that.” Because of your recipes I’m able to give my daughter a similar food experience to what I grew up with. And my husband appreciates that great tasting food. Thank you

    Reply

  2. This looks delicious and I plan to make it, just checking when you say red curry paste, I”m assuming you mean Thai red curry, such as Thai Kitchen? thanks!

    Reply

      1. I made this – it turned out amazing and has made it to my regular roation. Thank you! Finally a butter chicken recipe that works!

        Reply

  3. To make delicious butter chicken: marinate chicken, use ghee, roast it, blend a tomato-nut-cream mixture, season with garam masala and fenugreek, and finish with butter and cream. Serve with naan or rice.

    Reply

  5. Hi, me again. I just want to point out that I had gone through my spice cabinet and saw my bottle of Moroccan spice blend (Ran El Hanout) by McCormick and it has all the same spices as Garam Masala, minus the clove. So, in case anyone cannot find Garam Masala, this might be a good alternative and is easily available. You can probably just add a few cloves or a little clove powder to make it the same. Just wanted to point that out so you are not like me searching all the markets down to find this product. I wish I had known that before I wasted the time and money.

    Reply

  6. This looks wonderful and I’m sure it tastes wonderful too, but I hate coriander as it tastes like ivory soap to me, and I don’t want all the fat from the coconut milk. Oh, and I went to two stores and cannot find mustard seed. Can I omit the coriander and substitute non-fat yogurt for the coconut milk and use dry mustard instead of the mustard seeds? Sorry, I know it must sound like I’m changing your recipe too much, but I really want to make this except for the issue with those items. Thanks for any suggestion you can offer.

    Reply

    1. Hello, yes, the seasoning is easy to change to whatever your preference is. I think the garam masala and curry paste, and curry powder are the most important, and the others can be substituted or left out. As for the yogurt substitute, I think that will work, but I would recommend whole milk yogurt so that the sauce doesn’t curdle. Let me know how it works.

      Reply

  7. I was skeptical about this recipe because the ingredients were very different than my usual butter chicken recipe. I made the recipe as written and wow… this was delicious. My husband is a good cook and very picky. He praised the dish and helped himself to seconds. Thank you for an easy and delicious recipe!

    Reply

  11. We made this last night, following the recipe (used less chili powder than what was called for, ground mustard vs mustard seed), and it was so spicy we could hardly eat it. Which I was surprised by the outcome since it’s stated above:
    “Is butter chicken sauce spicy?
    Despite the various spices used in this gravy, it is a very mild dish, the spices add flavor to the curry rather than heat. This is a great family meal that the kids will love, and if you are not a fan of spicy food this dish will be for you!”
    We both like spicy food, so I’m not sure where the extra heat came from. Maybe the ground mustard?

    Reply

    1. I’m not sure what happened there. The mustard shouldn’t affect the spice level that drastically. It could’ve been the chili powder depending on your spice tolerance, so it may be better to leave it out all together.

      Reply

    2. Hi! I just made this for the first time and I think I know why it is too spicy for you. The recipe calls for 3 ounces of red curry paste. That is very spicy. I used 3 tablespoons instead and it was spicy, but not too spicy. Try using less red curry paste. Otherwise, this recipe is delicious!! I also used ground chicken instead of chicken breast and served over rice. My sons and husband loved it and requested it again another night. Thanks for a great recipe!

      Reply

  12. Made this for dinner tonight it was delicious. The store was out of regular coconut milk, they only had light unsweetened. So I added a couple of tablespoons of sugar. I didn’t know what else to do but it was still really good! I also used half breast meat half thigh meat because that’s what I had available.

    Reply

  13. Delish ! I used 1.5 cans of Coconut Milk & doubled the Curry & Tomato Paste
    We love it more creamy to dip the Naan in
    Also used boneless skinless chicken thigh chunks b/c you can simmer this longer & the chicken won’t dry out 🙂

    Reply

  14. This was first time trying an Indian dish by recipe. Butter Chicken is my absolute favorite at any restaurant. This dish tasted SO authentic to me, I told all my friends and family about it! It was SO DELICIOUS. I didn’t have any cilantro for the garnish and didn’t have Naan either. I just served it over Basmati rice and it was to die for. GREAT RECIPE

    Reply

  15. My fiancee and I just made this and it was amazing! It was simple to put together and SO flavorful. I always count on your recipes to be spot on with the flavors!

    Reply

  16. I tried this recipe and I have to say it’s amazing!!! I might have put too much red curry but I still liked it even thought it was really spicy 😂

    Reply

  17. Delicious.. I substituted turmeric for mustard seeds, curry powder for red curry and tomato sauce for tomato paste as I didn’t have them at the time. Still turned out very yummy. Chicken breast was tender. Will definitely make it again. Thank you for an amazing recipe!!

    Reply

  20. This was really good and so much flavor! We put it over rice. I omitted the butter and still worked out great! Will put it in rotation for sure!

    Reply

  21. Just made this for dinner tonight. Had some tomato paste and coconut milk I’ve wanted to use for a while. I didn’t have the red curry paste, so I added a little more garam masala powder.

    Mine didn’t look like your tasty looking picture, but still good. I’m not super fond of coconut in savory applications, but this tasted closer to butter chicken than any previous attempts I’ve tried making, so I guess I should be more open minded, heh~

    Would there be a suitable substitute for red curry paste?

    Reply

    1. I’m glad it was still good! It’s definitely an acquired taste, but I love that you gave it a try! I haven’t tried this with a substitute for red curry paste, but I do know that it’s possible to make it at home too!

      Reply

  23. Didn’t have chicken breast in the house so went with thigh and drumstick (skinned), omitted the butter and added a touch of lemon zest. Worked beautifully.

    Reply

  24. Quick question! Is Red curry the same as “Thai” red curry paste? I am not sure if there is an indian version for red curry paste! Would love to try this recipe.

    Reply

    1. Can’t wait for you to try this recipe! In it, I used Thai red curry paste, as it’s a lot more accessible and available.

      Reply

  25. unbelievably delicious. ate it tonight with cooked rice & homemade sourdough naan bread. THANK YOU for the scrumptious recipe!

    Reply

  26. This recipe is incredible! I am just getting into cooking and am loving your recipes. This one was a hit with the family. 🙂

    Reply

  27. Best butter chicken recipe out there! Tastes similar to the one we order from our favorite Indian restaurant. I had to omit butter (does that defeat the purpose of its name? Haha) but it was still so delicious. Thank you for this recipe!

    Reply

    1. Haha so funny you omitted the butter but honestly it doesn’t make much of a difference, I agree! So glad you enjoyed this!

      Reply

  29. I was looking to find a recipe to use up my leftover tomato paste and stumbled upon this! It was absolutely delicious and will definitely be part of our dinner roundup now! Thank you for sharing!

    Reply

  30. Delicious and so easy! Subbed tandoori paste for the red curry paste and used ground ginger (didn’t have enough fresh on hand), but it was still awesome. Also, one pan for clean up is a win!! Added some sauteed spinach and green beans for some veggies, served over rice with naan on the side. Will make again!

    Reply

  31. So easy and delicous! I tried it yesterday its for 4 servings! We still have enough left for today’s dinner again. I have used creme fraiche instead of coconut milk as am allergu to coconut

    Reply

  32. Is this recipe for one serving or 8 servings because I’m going to make for 4 and I did half of the ingredients.?

    Reply

    1. It’s for 8 servings since it’s 2 pounds of chicken and we assume everyone eats about 1/4 pound along with rice or naan bread. You can definitely cut it in half and only use one pound of chicken.

      Reply

  33. I’ve made three or four similar recipes (including yours!) and find chicken thighs to work better than chicken breast. Delicious fast meal.

    Reply

  34. It was the perfect self isolation meal! I used milk instead of coconut milk and cumin instead of coriander, and cut up leftover rotisserie chicken Before the covid crisis I would have ran to grocery store and grabbed what I did not have, but Now it’s only when I am completely out of groceries! Thank you for sharing, it is so much better than the store bought butter chicken sauces, which I will never buy again!

    Reply

    1. Aww I’m so glad to hear that. And it’s amazing that you were able to make it work with what you had on hand! Thanks so much for sharing 🙂

      Reply

  35. It was so good and so easy!
    I ended up making a couple of substitutions just because #quarantinecooking
    I didn’t have a can of coconut milk, so I used some coconut milk from the carton (like almond or oat milk) and added about 2 tablespoons of butter.
    I didn’t have tomato paste or curry paste so I just used some of the juice from a can of tomatoes.
    I also didn’t have coriander so I subbed cumin.
    Also added bell peppers and it was so good!

    Reply

    1. I love all the substitutions because of quarantine cooking – you did well! Thank you so much for taking the time to share!! I appreciate it 🙂

      Reply

  36. I’ve made several recipes for this from other sources- this one is THE BEST!! Great with chicken thighs too. It makes plenty of sauce that I usually have enough for leftovers.

    Reply

  37. So delicious ? thanks for amazing recipe!!
    Be careful of overcooking, chicken may dry a bit!
    Only small question – in many recipes the chicken is marinaded in Yogurt or something, which makes it softer. Do you think it can work here too??
    Sauce was so yummmi !

    Reply

    1. So glad you liked it! And yes you can definitely marinate the chicken in yogurt as well. It will make it extra tender! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply

    1. Yes you can taste it but it’s very slight since the Indian spices over-power it. You can use heavy cream or milk if you prefer.

      Reply

  39. Is there anything I can substitute red curry paste with if I cant get it?
    Recipe looks delicious and cant wait to try it!!

    Reply

    1. Yes, you can just substitute 2 teaspoons curry powder along with 3 oz of tomato paste for the color. Hope you like it!

      Reply

      1. Around a year later I’m back at the same recipe haha.
        Just noticed I haven’t replied since, thank you so much!:)

        Reply

    1. You can leave it out all together or try this substitute a combination of Coriander, Cumin, Black Peppercorns, Cardamom, Cloves and Nutmeg. Hope that helps!

      Reply

  41. I loved all the spices you used. It was really flavorful and not as hard as I imagined butter chicken recipes to be. Thanks!

    Reply