Name: Butter Chicken (Murgh Makhani)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 1 pound boneless, skin-on chicken thighs; ¾ cup plain whole milk yogurt; 1 tablespoon lemon juice; 4 garlic cloves, grated or crushed; 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; 1 teaspoon garam masala; ½ teaspoon turmeric; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 3 tablespoons unsalted butter; 1 small onion, finely chopped; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; 1 teaspoon paprika; ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional); 1 cup tomato puree or crushed tomatoes; 1 cup heavy cream; ½ teaspoon sugar; Salt to taste; Fresh cilantro, chopped; Cooked basmati rice or warm naan

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The first time I made butter chicken that actually mattered… I was barefoot, slightly hungover, and using a saucepan that had seen better days.

My fridge was a joke.

Half a stick of butter, a stubborn pack of thighs, and a tomato can that had been quietly judging me for a week.

But then the garlic hit the hot butter.

The cumin followed.

And everything else?

It stopped mattering for a second.

That smell… buttery, a little smoky, like something was finally going right.

See, butter chicken isn’t some fancy dinner party dish.

It’s the meal you make when you’re outta ideas but still want to eat like you give a damn.

It’s comfort food with a backbone, bold without trying too hard, and creamy without pretending it’s healthy.

I’ve made this dish more times than I can count.

Sometimes I’ve burned the onions.

Sometimes I’ve dropped a chicken thigh on the floor, picked it up and cooked it anyway.

I’ve made it drunk, tired, homesick, and once with my 8-year-old niece who thought garam masala was “dirt that smells good.”

And every single time, the flavor showed up.

If you’ve had bad butter chicken before, I’m sorry.

Maybe it was watery.

Maybe it was too sweet.

Maybe it was made by someone who thought paprika was enough.

But done right, butter chicken isn’t just “good”… it shuts the room up.

People eat it slower. They soak the sauce with bread and look up like, what is this magic?

This recipe?

It’s not for impressing strangers.

It’s for making something so good you get mad when it’s gone.

Ready?

The Truth About Butter Chicken (And Why Some Versions Are a Crime)

Let’s get something out of the way.

Butter chicken is not supposed to be sweet.

It’s not orange like a creamsicle. It shouldn’t remind you of a jar of tomato soup.

And no, you do not need ten different spices and a degree in culinary arts to pull it off.

The real deal tastes like chicken that’s been hugged by spice and fat and fire.

It’s bold but balanced. Smoky from the pan, rich from the butter, and deep with flavor that didn’t come from a bottle.

Now here’s where people mess it up:

They use boneless, skinless chicken breast.

Let me stop you right there.

That’s a salad ingredient, not a main character in a dish like this.

You want thighs.

Bone in or boneless is fine, but thighs have the fat, flavor, and juice that can take the heat and still come out singing.

Then there’s the cream.

Don’t use half and half. Don’t use skim milk. Don’t be clever.

This is butter chicken, not “low-cal Monday chicken.”

You want full-fat cream or whole milk at the bare minimum.

Anything else and you’re eating tomato yogurt soup with regrets.

And finally, marination.

Yes, it matters. But don’t get stuck thinking longer is always better.

An hour is great. Three is better.

But overnight?

That’s just showing off unless you’re bored or trying to impress your mother-in-law.

Bottom line?

Butter chicken doesn’t need to be complicated… it just needs to be respected.

And if you cook it with attention, not fear, it rewards you every single time.

Next up: the ingredients.

And I’ve got some thoughts on those. Let me know when to roll.

Ingredients (And What NOT to Use)

Here’s what you’ll need. And yes… some of this matters more than you think.

For the Chicken Marinade

1 pound boneless, skin-on chicken thighs
(If you can’t find skin-on, fine… but please don’t use chicken breast unless you’re actively avoiding joy)
¾ cup plain whole milk yogurt
(Greek works, but don’t go fat-free. This is butter chicken, not a detox juice)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
(Fresh. Not the bottled stuff that’s been sitting in the back of your fridge since your last breakup)
4 garlic cloves, grated or crushed
(The fresher, the better. None of that pre-chopped jar sadness)
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon garam masala
(Smell it before you use it. If it smells like dusty air, toss it)
½ teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon kosher salt
(Table salt works too, just back it off a bit)

For the Sauce

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
(Salted butter? Sure. Just taste before seasoning at the end)
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
(Yes, again. It’s called flavor layering. Trust me)
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
(Don’t sub with smoked. Not the same vibe)
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
(Optional… but I don’t recommend skipping it unless your tongue is on probation)
1 cup tomato puree or crushed tomatoes
(Not diced. Not chunky. Smooth or you’ll be chewing sauce)
1 cup heavy cream
(This is not the time to be shy. Use the good stuff)
½ teaspoon sugar
(Just a pinch to mellow the acid. Not enough to sweeten it)
Salt to taste

For Garnish and Serving

Fresh cilantro, chopped
(Even if you’re one of those “it tastes like soap” people… try just a sprinkle)
Cooked basmati rice or warm naan
(Because you’re gonna want something to mop up that sauce. Trust)

Step-by-Step That Feels Like Cooking with a Friend

Step 1: Marinate Like You Mean It

In a bowl that’s seen things… toss in the yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, ginger, cumin, garam masala, turmeric and salt.

Mix it up until it smells like something you want to rub on everything you own.

Now drop in your chicken thighs.

Make sure they’re fully coated.

Massage it in. Show the chicken some affection.

This isn’t a salad. This is foreplay.

Cover and let it sit in the fridge for at least an hour.

Three is better. Overnight?

Beautiful, but don’t lose sleep over it.

And yes… it’s okay to forget it’s in there and find it the next day.

That’s called bonus flavor.

Step 2: Sear and Sizzle

Heat up a big pan with a little oil.

Not butter yet.

We’re building crust now, not sauce.

Pull the chicken out of the marinade and let the excess drip off.

Too much and it’ll steam instead of brown.

You want sizzle, not soup.

Lay the chicken down and don’t touch it for 3 to 4 minutes.

Let it catch that color.

Flip once and go again.

You’re not cooking it all the way through here.

You’re locking in flavor and getting that slight char that makes sauce taste like it was cooked over a fire in the back of a loud kitchen.

Set the chicken aside.

Try not to eat it yet. I know. I know.

Step 3: Butter Up

Wipe out the pan if it’s scorched.

Or don’t, if you like it a little wild.

Add your butter.

Let it melt and get a little golden.

Add in your onion and cook until it’s soft and smells sweet.

That takes about 5 minutes, maybe 7 if your stove’s like mine and believes in slow character development.

Toss in the garlic and ginger.

Stir.

Smell that?

That’s where it starts to feel like you know what you’re doing.

Step 4: Spices, Meet Butter

Time to add the cumin, paprika and cayenne.

Stir them into the butter and onion mix.

Let them toast for about 30 seconds.

You want the spices to wake up, not burn down.

This is when people walk into your house and ask, “What are you making?” even if you didn’t invite them.

Step 5: Tomato Dive

Pour in your tomato puree.

Scrape up the bottom of the pan.

Let it bubble gently and darken a bit.

This is where the sauce thickens, concentrates, becomes something you want to eat with a spoon.

Give it about 10 minutes, uncovered, low heat, stirring when you remember.

If it starts spitting at you, turn the heat down.

Add the sugar and a pinch of salt.

Taste.

It should be deep, not sharp.

You’re not trying to make pasta sauce here. This should feel like a warm coat in winter.

Step 6: Cream It Up

Now add the cream.

Slowly.

Stir as you go and watch the whole thing go from red to a rich reddish orange that makes you want to call someone over to look at it.

Do not boil this. It’ll split and cry and so will you.

Keep it gentle.

Let it simmer just until it feels thick enough to coat a spoon.

Step 7: Chicken, Meet Your Destiny

Slide those browned thighs back in. Spoon some sauce over them.

Let them simmer together for about 10 minutes, lid half on.

You want the chicken fully cooked, but also soaking in that buttery, spiced, creamy bath like it earned a spa day.

Step 8: Taste, Adjust, Stop Pretending You’re Not Hungry

Taste your sauce.

Need more salt? Add it.

Want it hotter? Cayenne is right there.

Want it creamier? More cream. Just don’t lose the balance.

Turn off the heat.

Let it sit a minute.

Then sprinkle on the chopped cilantro. Smell it one more time.

You’ve made butter chicken.

The kind that gets remembered.

Real-Life Serving Tips That Don’t Sound Like a Restaurant Menu

You’ve got a pot of butter chicken sitting there like it knows it’s hot stuff.

Now what?

First off, you need something to catch that sauce.

Basmati rice is the obvious choice.

Rinsed well, cooked right, fluffy with a little bite.

Not mushy. Not sticky.

Just a perfect bed to soak up every drip of that creamy, spiced goodness.

Or naan. Warm, charred edges, soft in the middle.

If you can make your own, you deserve applause.

If not, toast the store-bought kind directly on the burner for a few seconds.

Cheat with style.

Now… how to plate?

Don’t overthink it.

Big spoon of rice or two slices of naan.

Pour that butter chicken over the top or next to it.

Let it spill a little.

This isn’t fine dining. This is spoon-licking comfort with attitude.

Sprinkle of cilantro on top.

Optional squeeze of lemon if you’re that kind of person.

A cold beer or something fizzy on the side won’t hurt either.

Got leftovers?

Congratulations.

You just won tomorrow’s lunch.

Heat gently with a splash of cream or water so the sauce doesn’t go sad on you.

Throw it in a wrap with some crunchy lettuce.

Or… just eat it cold, standing over the sink, because you’re the chef and you make the rules.

One Last Confession Before You Go

You know what I forgot once?

The butter.

I got all the way through it, marinated the chicken, seared it like a champ, nailed the spices, even pulled out the good cream.

I tasted it at the end and thought… why does this taste like it’s missing its soul?

Looked down.

Stick of butter, still sitting there. Just watching.

Lesson? Even good cooks forget stuff.

Doesn’t mean the food won’t still slap.

Just means next time, you’ll remember to taste earlier.

And maybe not cook while texting your cousin about a family fight.

So that’s it.

Butter chicken that’s big, bold, and unapologetically buttery.

No sugar-coated shortcuts.

No watered-down nonsense.

Just food that tastes like someone actually cared when they made it.

You made something beautiful.

Messy too, maybe.

But beautiful.

Now go eat it before someone else does.

Butter Chicken (Murgh Makhani)

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Print Recipe

A rich, creamy, and boldly spiced Indian classic. This butter chicken is all about tender marinated chicken thighs simmered in a velvety tomato-butter-cream sauce. Perfect with basmati rice or warm naan.

Total Time: 45 minutes
Yield: Serves 4