Butter Chicken simmers into fragrant sauce with silky protein—serve over rice with warm flatbread on the side.
Weeknight Butter Chicken That Plays Well with Leftovers
A hands-off, family-friendly butter chicken that marinates ahead, sears to deepen flavor, and finishes in a glossy, buttery sauce—perfect over rice or with warm flatbread.
Think of this as the butter chicken you’ll reach for when you want something comforting but not complicated. A lemon-and-yogurt marinade does the heavy lifting—tenderizing the thighs and carrying garam masala, cumin, coriander and a touch of chili into every bite—so you can prep in 20 minutes and walk away. Marinating for at least 30 minutes (or overnight) concentrates flavor and makes weeknight dinner feel elevated with almost no extra work.
Searing the marinated chicken in batches builds a deep, savory crust before it ever meets the sauce, which is where the real silk happens. Slow-cooked, deeply golden onions add body and sweetness; a generous pat of butter folded in at the end turns the pan juices into a glossy, velvety sauce that coats the chicken. The spices are balanced—earthy cumin and coriander, warm garam masala, bright lemon and a whisper of turmeric—so the finished dish is fragrant rather than fiery.
This is a terrific make-ahead dinner: marinate the chicken the night before, sear and finish the sauce the day you plan to eat, or cook a full batch and freeze portions for future busy nights. It keeps and reheats beautifully, making it an easy pick for lunches or a family dinner that stretches across a few days. Serve it piled over steaming rice with wedges of lemon and warm flatbread for mopping up every last buttery spoonful.
Ingredients
How to Make Butter Chicken
- Trim excess fat from the chicken thighs and cut into 1.5–2 inch pieces; place in a bowl.
- Make the marinade by stirring together the Greek yogurt, juice of the lemon, half the garlic (minced), 1 tsp garam masala, 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp coriander, 1/4 tsp turmeric, 1/2 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp chili powder; toss the chicken to coat, cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes or up to overnight.
- When ready to cook, heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and sear the marinated chicken in batches until browned (3–4 minutes per side); transfer seared pieces to a plate and set aside.
- Wipe the skillet, then add the remaining 1 tbsp oil and 2 tbsp butter and reduce heat to medium; add the thinly sliced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until deep golden and soft, 10–12 minutes.
- Add the remaining garlic (minced) and ginger paste to the onions and cook 1 minute, then stir in the remaining garam masala, cumin, coriander, turmeric and chili powder and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.
- Pour in the crushed tomatoes, 1 tsp sugar and 1 tsp kosher salt, bring to a simmer and cook uncovered 12–15 minutes to reduce and thicken slightly; if you prefer a smooth sauce, blend briefly with an immersion blender or transfer to a blender and puree then return to the pan.
- Lower heat to medium-low, stir in the heavy cream, remaining 2 tbsp butter and the kasuri methi (crush between your palms first), then return the chicken and any juices to the sauce and simmer gently 8–10 minutes until the chicken reaches 165°F and the flavors meld.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with extra salt, a squeeze of lemon if needed, and finish by stirring in chopped cilantro; serve immediately with rice or naan, or cool and portion into airtight containers for meal prep.
- To store and reheat: refrigerate up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months. Reheat gently in a covered skillet over low heat or microwave in 1-minute increments until piping hot; add a splash of water or cream if the sauce has thickened while cold.
Recipe Card
Butter Chicken
Butter Chicken simmers into fragrant sauce with silky protein—serve over rice with warm flatbread on the side.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Servings
- 6
Ingredients
Instructions
- Trim excess fat from the chicken thighs and cut into 1.5–2 inch pieces; place in a bowl.
- Make the marinade by stirring together the Greek yogurt, juice of the lemon, half the garlic (minced), 1 tsp garam masala, 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp coriander, 1/4 tsp turmeric, 1/2 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp chili powder; toss the chicken to coat, cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes or up to overnight.
- When ready to cook, heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and sear the marinated chicken in batches until browned (3–4 minutes per side); transfer seared pieces to a plate and set aside.
- Wipe the skillet, then add the remaining 1 tbsp oil and 2 tbsp butter and reduce heat to medium; add the thinly sliced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until deep golden and soft, 10–12 minutes.
- Add the remaining garlic (minced) and ginger paste to the onions and cook 1 minute, then stir in the remaining garam masala, cumin, coriander, turmeric and chili powder and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.
- Pour in the crushed tomatoes, 1 tsp sugar and 1 tsp kosher salt, bring to a simmer and cook uncovered 12–15 minutes to reduce and thicken slightly; if you prefer a smooth sauce, blend briefly with an immersion blender or transfer to a blender and puree then return to the pan.
- Lower heat to medium-low, stir in the heavy cream, remaining 2 tbsp butter and the kasuri methi (crush between your palms first), then return the chicken and any juices to the sauce and simmer gently 8–10 minutes until the chicken reaches 165°F and the flavors meld.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with extra salt, a squeeze of lemon if needed, and finish by stirring in chopped cilantro; serve immediately with rice or naan, or cool and portion into airtight containers for meal prep.
- To store and reheat: refrigerate up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months. Reheat gently in a covered skillet over low heat or microwave in 1-minute increments until piping hot; add a splash of water or cream if the sauce has thickened while cold.
Nutrition
- Carbohydrates
- 9
- Saturated Fat
- 11
- Sodium
- 680
- Fiber
- 2
- Unsaturated Fat
- 36
- Protein
- 51
- Fat
- 47
- Cholesterol
- 200
- Trans Fat
- 0
- Calories
- 663
- Sugar
- 6