• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Libations and Lattes
  • Recipe Index
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact Me
  • A Nerd Travels
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Fall
  • Recipe Index
  • About
  • Contact Me
  • Subscribe
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Fall
  • Recipe Index
  • About
  • Contact Me
  • Subscribe
×
A Nerd Cooks » Dinner

Butter Chicken

Jan 11, 2016 · Modified: Feb 26, 2023 by Lauren Pacek · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

I love it when you share my recipes!

28 shares
  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Flipboard
  • Mix
  • Threads
  • Bluesky
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

This Butter Chicken is delicious, fast, and easy. What's better than Indian food? Few things, in my opinion. But how about Indian food that doesn't require you to put on real pants?

Butter Chicken | A Nerd Cooks

Okay so you could also have food delivered. Yes, I know that. But there's something pretty satisfying about whipping up your own delicious meal.

Also, some of us don't have Indian places in our area that deliver. (not salty about that at all... /s)

Butter Chicken | A Nerd Cooks

I made this over the weekend, and both my husband and I loved it.  It will definitely be making a regular appearance in my recipe rotation.

I found this recipe on 40 Aprons, and couldn't resist.

✨ Recipe

Butter Chicken | A Nerd Cooks

Butter Chicken

Lauren Pacek
This Butter Chicken is delicious, fast, and easy. What's better than Indian food? Few things, in my opinion. But how about Indian food that doesn't require you to put on real pants?
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 30 minutes mins
Total Time 45 minutes mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine Indian
Servings 4 servings
Calories 1023 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 3 tablespoon olive oil coconut oil, or ghee, divided
  • 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into bite-sized pieces
  • ¼ cup butter or ghee
  • 2 teaspoon garam masala
  • 2 teaspoon sweet paprika
  • 2 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 tablespoon fresh ginger minced
  • ¼ teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 6 cardamom pods cracked with the flat side of a knife
  • 15 oz. can tomato sauce
  • 1 ½ tablespoon sugar honey, maple syrup, or coconut sugar
  • â…“ cup full fat plain yogurt
  • ¾ cup heavy cream
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • kosher salt to taste
  • fresh cilantro chopped
  • basmati rice for serving
  • naan for serving

Instructions
 

  • Heat a large skillet over medium heat with 1 tbs of oil/butter//ghee. Add half the chicken and cook until browned all over, but not necessarily cooked the whole way through. Remove and set aside. Add another tbs of oil/ghee and the rest of the chicken. Brown the rest of the chicken, remove it, and set it aside.
  • Turn the heat down to medium-low. Add the remaining oil/butter/ghee to the skillet and melt. Add the garam masala, paprika, coriander, ginger, chili powder, cinnamon stick, and cardamom pods and cook for 1 minute. Add the chicken back into the skillet and stir it around to coat it in spices.
  • Add the tomato sauce and sweetener. and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir occasionally.
  • Add the yogurt, heavy cream, and lemon juice. Simmer for 5 more minutes, or until the sauce is thickened and the chicken is cooked through entirely. Add salt to taste and garnish with chopped cilantro.
  • Serve with warm basmati rice and naan.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Calories: 1023kcalCarbohydrates: 48gProtein: 63gFat: 68gSaturated Fat: 32gPolyunsaturated Fat: 33gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 375mgSodium: 1256mgFiber: 4gSugar: 21g

Disclaimer: Nutritional information is a generated estimate and is not guaranteed to be accurate.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Butter Chicken | A Nerd Cooks

More Dinner

  • three small bowls containing short cut pasta with pesto sauce, small jar of broccoli pesto in background
    Broccoli Pesto Pasta
  • bowl of cacio e pepe risotto with glass of wine, dish of cheese, and pepper mill in background
    Risotto Cacio e Pepe
  • Creamy Bucatini with Crispy Mushrooms
  • Butternut Squash Risotto

I love it when you share my recipes!

28 shares
  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Flipboard
  • Mix
  • Threads
  • Bluesky

Reader Interactions

Comments

    5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




  1. Kelsey

    January 12, 2016 at 12:12 pm

    Wow! Looks so good! Will for sure be testing out!

    Reply
  2. Kelsey Rostad

    January 12, 2016 at 12:11 pm

    This looks so great! Will for sure be trying.

    Reply
    • ANerdCooks

      January 12, 2016 at 12:13 pm

      I hope you love it! =)

      Reply
  3. Ginny

    January 11, 2016 at 3:22 pm

    Oh, yum! This looks beautiful and delicious!

    Reply
    • ANerdCooks

      January 11, 2016 at 3:26 pm

      Thank you, Ginny!

      Reply

Primary Sidebar

Hi, I'm Lauren! I'm the recipe developer, photographer, and writer here at Libations and Lattes. I'm a 30-something wife, mom, and scientist who loves a fun beverage and can't wait to share my recipes with you.

More about me →

Fall Drink Recipes

  • an iced pumpkin spice latte with a metal straw
    Iced Pumpkin Spice Latte
  • two glass mugs full of caramel apple spice
    Starbucks Caramel Apple Spice
  • two copper mugs full of pumpkin pie moscow mules
    Pumpkin Pie Moscow Mule
  • a glass of cold brew with pumpkin cream cold foam on top.
    Pumpkin Cold Foam
  • two stemless champagne flutes of apple cider mimosas
    Apple Cider Mimosa
  • one short glass full of frog's breath cocktail with a smoking cauldron in the background.
    Frog's Breath Cocktail

See More Fall Drink Recipes →

Popular Recipes

  • a small goblet full of luxardo cherries on a wooden tray
    Homemade Luxardo Cherries
  • a glass of cold brew coffee topped with cold foam.
    How to Make Cold Foam
  • two key lime pie crush cocktails with straws
    Key Lime Pie Crush
  • cream cheese cold foam being poured on top of a latte.
    Cream Cheese Cold Foam
  • Two tall glasses full of Limoncello Gin Collinses and a bottle of gin.
    Limoncello Gin Collins
  • an orange creamsicle crush garnished with whipped cream and an orange wedge, plus a metal straw
    Orange Creamsicle Crush

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • About Libations and Lattes
  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility Policy

Newsletter

  • Sign Up! for emails and updates

Contact

  • Contact

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2026 Foodie Pro on the Foodie Pro Theme

28 shares

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required

Recipe Ratings without Comment

Something went wrong. Please try again.