Butter Chicken Curry

This butter chicken is a wonderfully creamy, mildly spiced curry that’s pure comfort in a bowl. Tender pieces of chicken simmer in a silky tomato sauce enriched with butter, cream, and gentle spices, creating a dish that’s rich, fragrant, and beautifully balanced. It’s surprisingly simple to make at home and tastes every bit as delicious as your favourite takeaway — perfect for cosy evenings, family dinners, or whenever you’re craving something warm and full of flavour.

Don’t be put off by the number of ingredients either; it’s much easier than it looks, and you’ll be amazed at how close it comes to your local chicken tikka masala — with the added satisfaction of making it yourself.

Top tip: when making this curry if you don’t have any Kashmiri chilli

If you don’t have any Kashmiri chilli, as it’s fairly mild and only used for it’s deep red colour, you can substitute it with 3 tsp sweet paprika and 1 tsp cayenne pepper.

Serving suggestions for butter chicken curry

  • Steamed basmati rice or fluffy pilau rice
  • Warm naan breads (plain, garlic or butter naan)
  • Homemade chapatis or parathas
  • Crispy onion bhajis or vegetable pakoras
  • A simple cucumber raita to cool the spices
  • Fresh kachumber salad (tomato, cucumber, red onion)
  • Roasted or sautéed cauliflower
  • Bombay potatoes or spiced roast potatoes
  • Saag aloo or simple spinach sautéed with garlic
  • Mango chutney or lime pickle for a tangy contrast
Butter Chicken

Butter chicken

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Cook Time 50 minutes
Marinating Time 2 hours
Servings 4 people

Ingredients
  

  • 3 large chicken breasts, cut into bite size chunks

First marinade

  • 2 limes (juice), cut in half and squeezed
  • 1 tsp kashmiri chilli powder (see top tip)
  • 1 tsp salt

Second marinade

  • 50 g natural yoghurt
  • 50 g double cream
  • 1 tsp garlic paste
  • 1 tsp ginger paste
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • 1 tsp ground tumeric
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • ½ tsp red food colouring

Sauce

  • 50 g salted butter
  • 1 tsp garlic paste
  • 1 tsp ginger
  • 400 g passata
  • ½ tsp kashmiri chilli powder
  • ½ tsp ground coriander
  • ½ tsp ground cumin
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp garam masala
  • 1 red chilli, finely chopped (leave seeds in if you like it spicier)
  • 1 tsp desiccated coconut
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 25 g mixed nuts
  • 25 g pumpkin seeds
  • 2 tbsp boiling water
  • 1 tbsp ground fenugreek
  • ½ tsp caster sugar
  • 45 ml double cream

Instructions
 

  • First marinade the chicken in the lime juice, kashmiri powder and salt in a bowl for around 30-60mins.
  • Then add all the of the ingredients for the second marinade, stir together and then place in the fridge for a minimum of 1 hour.
  • Preheat your grill or george forman, then thread the chicken (if you don't have skewers don't worry, you can just place on the grill) and grill until lightly charred, turning occasionally but not completely cooked through.
  • In a mini food processor, blend the nuts and pumpkin seeds until finely ground, tip into a dish and mix in the boiling water, stir and set aside.
  • Heat the butter in a pan over a medium heat, add the garlic and ginger and fry for a few mins, add the passata and simmer for 5 mins.
  • Add the spices, coconut, chilli, salt and 100ml water and simmer for another 10mins
  • Add the nut and seed mixture, chicken and another 100ml water, stir together and simmer for another 10mins, or until the chicken is cooked through.
  • Add the fenugreek, sugar and cream, cook for another few mins and serve alongside rice and naan.

Top Tip:

  • If you don't have any Kashmiri chilli, as it's fairly mild and only used for it's deep red colour, you can substitute it with 3 tsp sweet paprika and 1 tsp cayenne pepper