TL;DR (Quick-Answer Box)
- What it is: A simplified, weeknight-friendly take on the classic Indian curry, featuring tender chicken thighs simmered in a creamy, spiced tomato sauce.
- Why you’ll love it: You get all the deep, complex flavors of restaurant-quality butter chicken in just over an hour—with absolutely no marinating required.
- How to make it: Sauté onions, garlic, and a blend of spices, then simmer the chicken in a tomato and ketchup base with dried fenugreek. Finish by stirring in heavy cream + garnishing with a pat of butter for that signature “aah” flavor.
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It’s no secret that butter chicken is the superhero of Indian takeout. That rich, velvety sauce and tender meat are total comfort in a bowl. But let’s tawk: Most traditional recipes insist you start marinating the chicken the day before. I don’t know, but if you’re anything like me, you don’t exactly have that kind of presence of mind when you’re just trying to put dinner on the table without having to reach for the Valium.
This quick version is your super power because it ditches the long soak without sacrificing a bit of flavor. It’s fast, it’s fragrant, and it’s packed with the kind of warming spices that make your kitchen smell like a spice market. Whether you’re looking for a low-carb dinner or just a way to avoid another delivery fee, this dish delivers.
Chow,
Why this Butter Chicken recipe works
Most butter chicken recipes rely on a long yogurt marinade to tenderize the meat. This recipe swaps that step for a low-and-slow simmer in a high-acid tomato base, which keeps the chicken thighs incredibly succulent in a fraction of the time. The addition of ketchup (GASP!) might seem unusual, but it provides the perfect hit of sweetness and tang that balances the earthy cumin and coriander.
What’s garam masala?
A spice blend used extensively in South Asian cuisine, garam masala is used alone or with other seasonings. It isn’t a particularly spicy blend, even though the name means warm (garam) and spice (masala), but it does tend to get hotter the farther south you go in India and Pakistan. It adds warmth, floral notes, a little sweetness, and a touch of heat.
Nearly every home has its own blend for garam masala but the general ingredients are cinnamon, peppercorns, cardamom, mustard seeds, coriander seeds, cloves, mace, and nutmeg.
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Butter Chicken pro tips & troubleshooting
☞ Watch the sauce
If the sauce looks a bit too thick while the chicken is cooking, I drizzle in a tablespoon or two of water or chicken stock.
☞ Toast those spices
Spice always benefit from a heat heat. When you add the turmeric, cumin, and coriander to the pan, let them sauté for a full minute. This blooms the spices in the oil, releasing their essential oils and intensifying the flavor.
☞ Turn up the heat
Like things spicy? Dial up the chili powder or use a bit of Kashmiri chili powder for a vibrant red color and a satisfying kick.
☞ Don’t skip the fenugreek
Whatever you do, don’t omit the kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)—it’s gives the dish its signature slightly bitter and earthy flavor. It’s what stes apart butter chicken from other curries.
More deeply flavored Indian recipes
Lahori Chicken Curry with Potatoes
1 hr 15 mins
Easy Marinated Chicken Skewers
2 hrs 45 mins
Masala Smashed Potatoes
1 hr 15 mins
Write a review
If you make this easy butter chicken recipe, or any dish on LC, consider leaving a review, a star rating, and your best photo in the comments below. I love hearing from you.–David
Featured Review
I was skeptical when I read this recipe, because I’ve never made butter chicken with ketchup! Being a loyalist, I once again trusted the method. The one thing that keeps me from making butter chicken more is that darn marinating part. Voila! A recipe with no marinating needed, and the end result is a beautiful butter chicken! I was lazy and used whole thighs and did add water. It was fabulous with basmati pilaf [and] your roasted broccoli & soy recipe. Hubby loved it. Win, win!!!
BBQGoddess
Easy Butter Chicken
Equipment
- If you want to be authentic, use a Kadai or wok but honestly, my testers found a large skillet works perfectly fine
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon mild vegetable oil or butter
- 2 medium (14 oz) onions, chopped
- 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon chili powder, plus more to taste
- 2 teaspoons fresh ginger, peeled and minced
- 1 1/2 tablespoons ground garam masala
- 1 teaspoon sea salt, plus more if needed
- 2 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 2-inch (5 cm) pieces
- 1 can (8 ounce) tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon ketchup
- 1 tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves (kasurimethi)
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon (1/2 oz) unsalted butter, for garnish
- Chopped fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish
Instructions
- In a kadai or wok over medium heat, warm the oil. Add onions and garlic and sauté until onion is translucent, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in turmeric, cumin, coriander, and chili powder. Sauté for a minute or so. If you notice the spices sticking to the bottom of the pan, sprinkle in a little bit of water.
- Stir in ginger, garam masala, and salt and sauté for about 30 seconds. Fold in chicken, cook for 1 minute, then add tomato sauce and ketchup, stirring to combine well. Cook, covered, over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add dried fenugreek leaves and continue cooking, covered, until chicken is fully cooked, 10 to 12 minutes.
☞ TESTER TIP: If the sauce seems too thick while cooking, drizzle in a tablespoon or two of water to thin it out.
- Gently mix in heavy cream until well distributed. Simmer for 1 minute, then remove from heat. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more chili powder or salt, if desired.
- Garnish with a pat of butter and cilantro leaves. Serve warm.
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Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe Testers’ Reviews
Did you know only 68% of the recipes we test make it onto the site? This recipe survived our rigorous blind testing process by multiple home cooks. It earned the Leite’s Culinaria stamp of approval—and the testers’ reviews below prove it.
I never really used to choose butter chicken on menus at Indian restaurants. I don’t know why, besides the fact that it just seemed kind of basic. I’d usually go for spicier lamb dishes, or eggplants and okra. I think the first time I really remember trying butter chicken was only two or three years ago, and it felt like one of those “Aha” moments. I was thinking, “why have I never had this before?!” I’ve come to appreciate the menu items that appear to be more “basic” at restaurants. If they’re taking up space on a menu, there’s usually a good reason for it.
In this dish, the warming spices and acidity of the tomato sauce are softened just enough by butter and cream to create a very satisfying sense of balance. The chicken thighs are the perfect tenderness, and on the whole, this dish comes together very quickly! I’m really excited to have the leftovers tomorrow and see how much more the flavor develops overnight.
We served the butter chicken with saffron-infused basmati rice and some lightly sautéed kale. I think I’ll try making some naan bread and another veggie side next time to pair with it.
Butter chicken is always a bit of a toss-up when you go out to eat—it can be sublime—or it can taste like chicken in ketchup. This recipe is definitely more on the sublime end, and is also relatively easy to make, how lovely!
I don’t own a kadai or a wok, so I used my 12-inch cast-iron skillet, which worked perfectly well for this. The mixture does seem quite dry, even after you put in the tomato sauce and ketchup, but don’t worry, the first covered simmer brings out more liquid and when you go to add the fenugreek you’ll see that the sauce has loosened up and the chicken will be starting to cook on the exterior. By the end of the covered cooking, the sauce texture will be exactly right.
This has a lovely mild but well-spiced flavor but I think next time I make it I’ll add just a little more of all the spices. I don’t have fenugreek leaves and so I ground up some whole fenugreek, and it tasted great. I think next time I’ll cut the cream back to 1/2 cup, I don’t think it really needs the full 3/4 cup.
This quick version of butter chicken is dynamite! It’s so deeply flavorful that I didn’t miss my more laborious overnight version. The recipe calls for a kadai, which I don’t have; I used a large carbon steel skillet and it worked just fine. I wanted a non-dairy version so I substituted coconut oil for the butter and full-fat coconut milk for the heavy cream and it was dreamy.
I think the mild sweetness of the coconut really highlights the flavors and the spices. I was lucky to have Kashmiri chili powder on hand because for my palate it lent a perfect amount of heat to the dish, I could definitely feel it but it didn’t blow out my taste buds.
This recipe for butter chicken is fairly fast and very easy to make. It has a mild flavor, but with the use of several spices, it is very flavorful and aromatic. I increased the chili powder to 2 teaspoons.
The chicken comes out very tender and went well served with naan. It would also go well with rice. You need something to sop up the delicious sauce. I used a wok to prepare this dish. Because you need to work quickly when using a wok, I measured and combined the ingredients I would need to add at each point in the recipe.
This weeknight-friendly butter chicken curry was easy, healthy, and fresh in flavours. Bonus is that although the sauce has a lovely richness (thank you cream, and a light touch of butter), it didn’t feel heavy. I’m glad I waited until I could find dry fenugreek leaves, because they DO have a very special scent and flavour and are worth seeking out (look for Sadaf brand spice packets in an international market).
Making an easy, straightforward dish like this really is a good reminder that you can exceed a jarred sauce with just a little planning. Maybe chop your onions ahead of time, enlist a helper to chop garlic and ginger, and bake your rice in the oven so you have hands free.
This is very satisfying comfort food and worked for both of us. No one was sad about having leftovers—it yielded cheerfully received bonus meals.
I was skeptical when I read this recipe, because I have never made butter chicken with ketchup! Being a loyalist, I once again trusted the method. The one thing that keeps me from making butter chicken more is that darn marinating part. Voila! A recipe with no marinating needed, and the end result is a beautiful butter chicken! I was lazy and used whole thighs and did add water. It was fabulous with basmati pilaf, your roasted broccoli (soy and sesame oil, yum) recipe. Hubby loved it. Win, win!!!
BBQG, I’m loving this. I’m psyched you pushed through on the recipe. Is it 100% authentic? No. Does it takes hours, up to overnight, to make? Nope! And that’s what makes it great for weeknights. Love that the hubs loved it!
Butter chicken curry looks yummy I will try to cook on the weekend. Thanks for sharing the recipes.
Wonderful, Thao! Let us know how it turns out!
Questions:
First, about the chili powder above: pure ground single chile, like pure paprika or Kashmir OR American style chile powder (like for chile con carne).
And if it is a pure, single chile, recommendations please?
And garam masala: any recommendations for a particular brand, or a recipe to use?
Thank you very much.
L. Watts, I almost always use ground Kashmir chile when I make Indian food, so that’s what I would recommend here. As to garam masala, Laxmi Gourmet and Swad are the brands that come to mind, and I have used both with good results. For a homemade version, we have listed as the general ingredients cinnamon, peppercorns, cardamom, mustard seeds, coriander seeds, cloves, mace, and nutmeg. Their amounts—for balancing sweetness and heat—seem to be entirely up to each home cook. Have fun coming up with your own blend!
You can use Kashmiri red chili powder and I love Frontier Co-op Garam Masala the most. Otherwise use Rajah or Shaan, all available online or in your local Indian grocery store.