Butter Chicken (Murgh Makhani)
Creamy tomato-based curry with tandoori-marinated chicken.
Meat
⚠ Contains: Dairy, Mustard, Tree Nut. Always check your own ingredients — this isn't a guarantee for severe allergies.
How this varies: The dish began at Delhi's Moti Mahal specifically as a way to not waste leftover tandoori chicken — some North Indian households still make it that way today, using already-roasted chicken rather than marinating raw chicken just for this dish.
Ingredients
- 600g chicken thighs (bone-in or boneless), cut into large pieces
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt, 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp Kashmiri chili powder, 1/2 tsp garam masala, 1/2 tsp salt (marinade)
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter, divided
- 1 tbsp vegetable or mustard oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp ginger, 1 tbsp garlic, minced
- 1 cinnamon stick, 3 green cardamom pods, 3 cloves
- 500g ripe tomatoes, pureed (or canned tomato puree)
- 1 tsp Kashmiri chili powder, 1/2 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp garam masala
- 10-12 raw cashews, soaked and blended into paste (optional, for body)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 tbsp honey or sugar
- 1 tbsp kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves), crushed between palms
- Cilantro, to garnish
Steps
- Marinate chicken in yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, lemon juice, chili powder, garam masala, and salt for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.
- Roast or grill chicken at the highest oven/grill setting (240°C/475°F+) until charred at the edges and just cooked through, 12-15 minutes, turning once — this smoky char, traditionally from a tandoor, is what gives butter chicken its name and flavor. Set aside.
- Melt 2 tbsp butter with oil in a pan, temper cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add onion, saute until golden, then garlic and ginger, cook 1 minute.
- Add tomato puree, chili powder, turmeric, and garam masala; simmer 15-20 minutes until thick and oil separates.
- Remove whole spices, blend sauce smooth (with cashew paste if using), return to pan.
- Stir in remaining butter, cream, and honey; adjust salt.
- Add charred chicken, simmer 8-10 minutes until warmed through and coated.
- Off heat, crush and stir in kasuri methi. Garnish with cilantro, serve with rice or naan.