Butter Chicken
Have you guys made Butter Chicken?? If not, it’s about to change your life.
Butter chicken is one of the best chicken recipes I’ve made to date. It’s right up there with Chicken Parmesan and Grilled Chicken with Avocado Tomato Salsa. It’s cut up chicken thighs marinated in a lemon juice, greek yogurt and spice mixture and then simmers in a savory sauce made of butter, onion, garlic, ginger, tomatoes and some cream. It’s slowly cooked until the chicken is almost falling apart, majorly tender, and packed full of flavor.
There’s all sorts of delicious juices that come with this recipe so you absolutely MUST eat it with a few pieces of Stonefire Naan bread – Whole Wheat is my preference of choice with this recipe but really any of the delicious Stonefire naan would pair perfectly with this Butter Chicken! Make it now, make it this fall, put it into your regular rotation – you’ll be hooked!
Ingredients
- 2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1 cup greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 ½ tablespoons ground turmeric
- 2 tablespoons garam masala
- 2 tablespoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ cup butter
- 1 onion, small dice
- 4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated
- 1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes
- ½ cup chicken stock
- 3 cups heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons salt
- Lemon juice to taste
- Cilantro to garnish
- Whole Wheat Stonefire Naan
Instructions
- Combine the chicken, greek yogurt, lemon juice, and spices in a bowl. Marinate overnight.
- In a large pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Stir in onion and cook slowly until the onion and cook until translucent. Add the garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes more.
- Add the tomatoes to the skillet and cook for 5 minutes. Add the chicken and its marinade to the pan and cook for 5 minutes. Add the chicken stock and bring the mixture to a boil - then lower heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Stir in the heavy cream and tomato paste and continue to simmer until the chicken has cooked through, about 15 minutes, and the sauce is thick.
- Taste, adjust seasoning as needed, add lemon juice for a bit of acid. Garnish with cilantro leaves and serve alongside Stonefire Naan.
Photo by Matt Armendariz / Food Styling by Adam Pearson / Recipe from What’s Gaby Cooking
** This post is brought to you by Stonefire. All content, ideas, and words are my own. Thanks for supporting the sponsors that allow me to create new and special content like this for What’s Gaby Cooking**
I am so excited you are making one of my recipes and I would love to see how it turns out. Make sure to share it on instagram and tag me @whatsgabycookin so I can see your masterpiece!
This sounds amazingly yummy! I’m a chicken lover and this sounds fantastic.
Yum! That looks so delicious!
Kari
http://sweetteasweetie.com/sweet-and-spicy-burgers/
I definitely need to add this to my meal rotations!! Winner, winner, chicken dinner!!
Hi Gaby
Just to confirm, your description says chicken breasts but the recipe says thighs. Which should we use for the recipe it sounds delicious!!
Thanks!
either!
Thats amazing, i can imagine the taste, ive been there! lol
YUM! This looks amazing and definitely going on my to make list!
looks amazing! definitely making it this week. can you sub something else for heavy cream?
Butter chicken is soooo good. something I dont get nearly often enough. I will have to add this to my make list for the week to treat myself!
Love Indian flavors! Would definitely like to try this but with tofu for a veg option!
http://www.sprinklesandsaturdays.com
This looks lovely. Any suggestions for the lactose intolerant that won’t alter the flavor?
coconut cream instead of heavy cream! vegan butter, and lactose free yogurt!!
I have attempted to make Butter Chicken several times but I aways seem to missing something, A friend told me that it could be the garam masala mix I’m using, what brand (if you don’t mind me asking) do you use? She said that some brands differ on ratios and may even leave an ingredient out depending…?!
I use the one from McCormick!! Let me know what you think of this recipe once you make it!! xx
I just found your site on the Internet and I’m excited to start making many of your recipes. Do you have a calorie count for your recipes?
I don’t calculate calories for my recipes – but I know there are a bunch on online tools to do it for yourself if you’re curious!! Thanks!
This looks amazing! Could you make this in the slow cooker and skip the marinating step?
I havent tested it in a slow cooker but I’d assume it would work!!
Hi, do you cover it during the simmer period? Or do you leave it uncovered? Thanks!
uncovered
I am making this for my fourth time–it is SO GOOD. Everyone I have made it for absolutely loves it. So many of your recipes are now in my meal rotation, they are what my husband constantly requests! Thank you for all the yummy food!
yayyyyyy! Thanks Sally! xx
How do I get it to thicken up if it is too runny at the end?
Thank you!!
continue to simmer until thick!!
Has anyone ever tried it without marinating chicken overnight?
you can marinate for 2 hours and still be good to go
Made this tonight and it was great! However three cups of heavy cream plus the chicken stock seemed like it would be way too much liquid so I only added about 1/3 cup cream (and stock as written, and it turned out perfectly!
Made this last night. it was very tasty and approved by all. I found it to be a little heavy in liquid. I thickened it up slightly at the end with a little flour/water and but still fished out the content with slotted spoon and served in a bowl with less of the sauce. Also put 1/3 of heavy cream. Added 1/2 c. of frozen peas. Spice/heat was perfect. with 1/2 tsp of cayenne. Would reduce sauce longer next time.
Do you think the heavy cream could be substituted for coconut milk?
absolutely
Love this recipe, could it be made ahead at all?
totally!
What can i sunstitute the yogurt and heavy cream with?