Butter Chicken | Chicken Makhni Recipe
Customer favorite. Boneless chicken marinated with herbs in a light cream.
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Ingredients
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Marinade
Sauce Base
Cook & Finish
Garnish & Serve
Method
Marinade
- 1
Prepare marinade
In a large bowl combine 1 cup plain yogurt, 1 tbs lemon juice, 1 tbs ginger paste, 1 tbs garlic paste, 1 tbs Kashmiri red chili powder, 0.5 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp garam masala, 1 tsp coriander powder, 1.5 tsp salt and 1 tbs oil. Whisk until smooth and well combined.
- 2
Marinate chicken
Add the 600 g cubed boneless chicken to the marinade. Toss thoroughly to coat every piece. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (preferably 2–4 hours or overnight for best flavor). If short on time, marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Sauce Base
- 3
Sweat onions
Heat 50 g unsalted butter and 1 tbs vegetable oil in a heavy skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Add 1 finely chopped onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and deep golden brown (about 10–12 minutes). This step builds sweetness and depth.
- 4
- 5
Toast spices
Stir in 1 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp ground coriander and 0.5 tsp garam masala. Cook for 30–60 seconds until fragrant, taking care not to burn the spices.
- 6
Tomato base
Add 400 g tomato puree to the pan. Stir to combine, then simmer on medium-low until the sauce thickens and oil begins to separate at the edges, about 10–12 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
- 7
Balance & loosen
Stir in 1 tsp sugar, 1 tsp salt and 100 ml water or chicken stock to adjust consistency. Simmer gently for 4–5 minutes to marry flavors. If you prefer an ultra-smooth sauce, use an immersion blender to puree the sauce until silky (careful with hot splatter), or transfer to a blender and purée, then return to the pan.
Cook & Finish
- 8
Cook the marinated chicken
Heat 1 tbs vegetable oil in a separate heavy skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Remove excess marinade from the chicken pieces (shake off, keep remaining marinade with the sauce). Add chicken in a single layer (work in batches if needed) and sear for 3–4 minutes per side until lightly browned and just undercooked in the center (internal temp around 75–80°C / 165–177°F will be reached later). This step adds texture and roasted flavor.
- 9
Combine chicken with sauce
Add the seared chicken pieces to the simmering tomato sauce. Stir to submerge the pieces, cover partially, and simmer gently for 6–8 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened to a glossy consistency.
- 10
Finish with cream, butter & kasuri methi
Lower heat, stir in 0.5 cups heavy cream, 25 g unsalted butter and 1 tsp crushed kasuri methi (rub between your palms before adding to release aroma). Simmer 1–2 minutes more—do not boil vigorously after adding cream to avoid splitting. Taste and adjust seasoning; add 1 tbs lemon juice for brightness and balance if desired.
Garnish & Serve
- 11
- 12
Serve
Serve hot with steamed basmati rice, jeera rice or warm naan/roti. Leftovers keep well refrigerated for 2–3 days; reheat gently on low heat with a splash of water or cream.
