Butter chicken is one of the most popular Indian dishes around the world. The rich, creamy tomato-based sauce with tender chicken pieces in it is simply irresistible! If you want to make this restaurant-style dish at home, having the right ingredients and following some simple steps can lead to amazing results. In this article, we’ll go over everything you need to know to make delicious butter chicken from scratch.
Ingredients for Butter Chicken
Here are the main ingredients you’ll need:
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Boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts – Chicken thighs work really well but you can use breasts too. Cut them into 1-2 inch pieces.
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Plain yogurt – This adds a tangy flavor and tenderizes the chicken Use about 1/2 cup
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Ginger-garlic paste – Freshly grated ginger and garlic adds so much flavor. You’ll need about 1 tablespoon each.
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Spice powders – Garam masala, cumin, coriander, turmeric, chili powder, paprika. These make the dish taste authentically Indian.
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Chopped onion and tomato – Sautéed onion and pureed tomato forms the base of the sauce. Use 1 medium onion and 2 medium tomatoes.
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Butter and cream – Adds richness and velvety texture. Use 2-3 tablespoons each.
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Fresh cilantro – Essential for garnish! Also squeezing a lime adds brightness.
Steps to Make Butter Chicken
Follow these easy steps for foolproof butter chicken:
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Marinate chicken – Combine chicken with yogurt, ginger-garlic paste and spices. Chill for 30 mins – overnight.
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Sear chicken – Heat oil in a pan. Add chicken and cook until browned but not fully cooked. Set aside.
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Sauté aromatics – In the same pan, sauté onion, garlic, ginger. Add tomatoes and cook until softened.
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Simmer sauce – Add spice powders and tomato puree to pan. Simmer until oil separates.
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Finish with cream – Stir in butter and cream. Add chicken and simmer until cooked through.
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Adjust seasoning – Add salt, pepper, more spices to taste. Garnish with cilantro and serve!
Tips for Best Homemade Butter Chicken
Follow these tips for restaurant-worthy butter chicken:
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Use bone-in chicken thighs for more flavor and moisture. Debone and cut after cooking if desired.
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Chill chicken properly after marinating for flavors to permeate.
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Use full fat dairy – don’t skimp on butter and cream!
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Simmer the sauce well to achieve right consistency – not too thin or thick.
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Adjust spices according to taste – add more garam masala and chili for spiciness.
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Finish with squeeze of lime juice and loads of chopped cilantro.
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Serve with steamed rice or naan for the complete experience!
FAQs
Can I use chicken breasts instead of thighs?
Yes, boneless skinless breasts will also work but thighs are more moist and flavorful.
What if I don’t have garam masala powder?
You can use a mix of cumin, coriander, cinnamon, cloves instead.
Is butter chicken spicy?
It has a mild spice level usually. Add more chili powder or cayenne if you want it spicier.
Do I need to marinate the chicken overnight?
You can marinate for just 30 mins if short on time but longer is better for flavor.
Can I make butter chicken without cream?
You can but the cream gives it a luscious texture. Substitute with coconut milk if needed.
So there you have it – with the right ingredients and techniques, you can make restaurant-worthy butter chicken at home anytime the craving strikes! What are you waiting for? Head to the grocery store to stock up on supplies and get cooking. Let us know how your homemade butter chicken turns out!
What To Serve With Creamy Tuscan Chicken
I love this dish served with bread, but you can also serve it over rice or pasta, or with creamy mashed potatoes. Whatever you do, I highly recommend serving this alongside something to sop up all of that incredible Tuscan sauce—let’s be honest, it’s the real star of the show here.
Feel free to store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The Tuscan sauce can also be batched ahead of time and frozen in the freezer for up to 3 months before use.Advertisement – Continue Reading Below
- 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- 3 Tbsp. butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 3 cups baby spinach
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
- Lemon wedges, for serving
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- Step 1 In a skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Add chicken and season with salt, pepper, and oregano. Cook until browned on both sides and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast reads 165°, 8 minutes per side. Remove from skillet and set aside.
- Step 2 In the same skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add cherry tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Cook until tomatoes are beginning to burst then add spinach and cook until spinach is beginning to wilt.
- Step 3 Stir in heavy cream and parmesan and bring mixture to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and simmer until sauce is slightly reduced, about 3 minutes. Return chicken to skillet and cook until heated through, 5 to 7 minutes.
- Step 4 Serve with lemon wedges.
How To Make Creamy Tuscan Chicken
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts: I use boneless, skinless chicken breasts in this recipe, but you can use chicken thighs if you prefer. Chicken breasts are leaner than thighs, and tend to be thicker as well, which works very well in this recipe. Not feeling chicken? Try our Tuscan salmon or Tuscan shrimp instead.
- Oregano: Oregano has an aromatic, earthy flavor that helps to round out the flavor profile of a dish while also adding a slight hint of pleasant bitterness.
- Butter: There is a reason everyone loves butter. I am using it here to add an extra layer of creaminess to the sauce. It is also going to help deglaze the pan of some of those stuck-on brown bits from your chicken, which is great because they hold so much flavor.
- Garlic: Punchy, aromatic, and slightly spicy, garlic adds so much flavor to every dish, and is a classic Tuscan ingredient.
- Cherry Tomatoes & Baby Spinach: I added cherry tomatoes and spinach to my skillet (like I do in most of my Tuscan-inspired recipes), but you can add even more additions if you have them on hand, or swap out the cherry tomatoes for sun-dried tomatoes. Either way, using bright, fresh veg is important to achieving a convincing Tuscan flavor.
- Heavy Cream: Heavy cream is really what carries this simple sauce, creating a rich, silky base for your chicken.
- Parmesan: Rich and nutty, Parmesan carries double weight in this recipe, lending flavor and texture to the sauce. Here it acts as a thickener that will help the sauce hold to the chicken.
- Lemon Wedges: This will add some acidity to the dish that really balances well, but feel free to leave it out if lemon isn’t your thing!
I start this recipe off by heating olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, until the oil looks slick and begins to glide across the face of the pan. Once the oil is ready, I add my chicken breast, spacing properly to fit all four in the skillet at once, and season with salt, pepper, and oregano. We can season the chicken beforehand, but seasoning in the skillet allows for any extra seasoning that doesn’t immediately stick to be mixed back into the chicken and sauce. Cook the chicken for about 8 minutes on each side. A golden crust on both sides is a good indicator that your chicken is cooked through and no longer pink. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside, covered, until ready to reintroduce.
Next, I add my butter to the same skillet and stir it as it melts, making sure to scrape any stuck-on chicken and seasoning bits back into the mix. Then I stir in my garlic and cook it until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Then, I add in my cherry tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Cook the tomatoes until the skin begins to burst, then add in the spinach and cook until it begins to wilt.
Once the spinach wilts, I add in the heavy cream and parmesan and stir the mixture to combine, until it reaches a simmer.
Then I reduce the heat to low and allow the sauce to continue to simmer until it is slightly reduced and thickened. This should take about 3 minutes.
When the sauce has reached our desired consistency, return the cooked chicken to the skillet and allow it to cook in the sauce until heated through completely, about another 5 to 7 minutes.
Plate, serve with lemon wedges, and enjoy the fruits of your labor.
Full list of ingredients and directions can be found in the recipe below.