Description
Butter chicken is the perfect dish when you’re craving something creamy and satisfying that comes together faster than you’d expect. Your kitchen fills with warm spices as tender chicken simmers in a silky tomato sauce that tastes like you’ve been cooking all day.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 1 lb boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
Aromatics and Spices:
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 2 teaspoons garam masala
Sauce Base:
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 can (14 ounces) crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup full-fat coconut milk
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Trim any excess fat from your 1 lb of boneless chicken thighs and cut them into bite-sized pieces.
- Melt 3 tbsp of butter in a large skillet over medium heat, then add your finely chopped medium onion and sauté for about 5 minutes until it turns translucent.
- Stir in 4 minced cloves of garlic and 1 tbsp of minced fresh ginger, cooking for about 1 minute until the kitchen smells fragrant.
- Add 2 tsp of ground cumin, 2 tsp of ground coriander, 1 tsp of turmeric powder, and 2 tsp of garam masala to your pan, stirring everything together for about 2 minutes.
- Pour in your 14 oz can of crushed tomatoes and 1 cup of full-fat coconut milk, stirring to combine.
- Lower your heat to low and let the sauce simmer for about 10 minutes until it thickens slightly.
- Add your prepared chicken pieces to the pan and cover it.
- Simmer your covered pan for about 20 minutes on low heat until your chicken cooks through completely.
- Taste your finished dish and season with salt and pepper as you see fit.
Notes
- Brown your chicken pieces in a separate pan first for deeper flavor, then add them to the sauce—this extra step prevents the meat from steaming and gives the dish more complexity.
- Toast your spices in the butter for a full 2 minutes before adding tomatoes, as this releases their oils and makes the sauce taste significantly more developed.
- Coconut milk can split if your heat is too high, so keep everything at a gentle simmer and stir occasionally to maintain a smooth, creamy sauce.
- If your family prefers milder heat, reduce the garam masala and add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice at the end instead, which brightens the dish without making it spicy.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 38 minutes
- Category: Simmered Chicken
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Indian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 370 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 220 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 18 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 22 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg