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You are here: Home / Recipes / Main Dish / Chicken / Butter Chicken (Murgh Makhani)

Butter Chicken (Murgh Makhani)

Published January 6, 2021. Last updated May 22, 2025 by Lauren Vavala Harris

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image of butter chicken with text overlay
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2 images of butter chicken separated by text overlay
image of butter chicken with text overlay
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This easy Butter Chicken recipe, also know as Murgh Makhani, uses simple ingredients yet tastes just as delicious as your favorite authentic Indian takeout. This one-pan chicken dinner recipe is perfect for any night of the week.

Butter chicken over rice in a white bowl with part of a black pan showing with more butter chicken and a wood spoon inside of it and a glass of water and cilantro next to it

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We try to support local restaurants every week or two by ordering takeout. One night my fiancé asked me what I felt like ordering and I really wanted Indian food but didn’t think there was an Indian restaurant near us.

A quick Google search revealed that a new Indian restaurant had recently opened not too far from us. We ordered takeout that night, and every week or two since. I always order the Butter Paneer because the sauce (or gravy as it’s commonly called) is so amazingly delicious. I’ve even recently learned how to make paneer so I can have it more often!

This recipe for Butter Chicken is as close to their recipe as I could possibly get, that I knew everyone in my family would love. I mean, it’s pretty spot on if I do say so myself. 

Why This Recipe Works

This is a fairly quick, easy recipe that tastes amazing. It’s equally as delicious as your favorite Indian takeout restaurant.

The best part is that you don’t really need any ingredients that are hard to find. I have had trouble finding garam masala seasoning in the past, but it’s almost everywhere these days.

You can keep it mild and family-friendly, or add a chili pepper or two for a spicy version.

This recipe is naturally gluten free and can be made low carb simply by serving it over cauliflower rice or zoodles instead of white or brown rice.

How To Make Butter Chicken

Ingredients

The ingredients needed to marinate the chicken are:

Butter chicken marinade ingredients on a white background with labels

The ingredients needed to make the gravy are:

Ingredients needed to make butter chicken gravy or sauce on a white background with labels

  • You can use diced tomatoes, if preferred. I use tomato puree so that the finished gravy is pretty creamy without the need to use a blender.
  • For a spicier version, add a diced red chili pepper or two.

The entire recipe and instructions can also be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. You can also print the recipe from the card, if needed.

Prep!

Mince the garlic and ginger and finely dice the onion.

Cut the chicken into bite size pieces.

Create!

Chicken pieces marinating in a spiced yogurt sauce

Marinate the chicken in greek yogurt, garam masala, turmeric, ground cumin and paprika for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.

Pieces of spiced chicken cooking in a black skillet

Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned on both sides, about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm.

Don’t worry if the chicken is not fully cooked through. It will finish cooking in the sauce.

Minced onion, shallot and garlic cooking in butter and spices in a black skillet

Melt the remaining butter in the same skillet. Add the onion and cook until softened and starting to brown, about 3-5 minutes.

Add the garlic, ginger, cumin, and garam masala. Continue to cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently.

Tomato puree in a black skillet

Stir in the tomato puree and paprika. Lower the heat and simmer until the puree darkens and thickens, about 10 minutes.

If you are using a chili pepper, add it with this step.

Close up of butter chicken and gravy in a skillet with a wood spoon

Add the chicken pieces and any accumulated juices back to the pan. Slowly stir in the heavy cream.

Simmer for at least another 5-10 minutes. Taste and season, as needed. 

Present!

Overhead of butter chicken and rice in a white bowl with part of a pan showing with more butter chicken in it and a wood spoon with a white linen between the pan and bowl and fresh cilantro in the background

Serve hot over rice.

For a lower carb option, serve over cauliflower rice or zucchini noodles.

Tips and Techniques

  • For a spicier version, add a diced red chili pepper or two.
  • Serve over cauliflower rice or zucchini noodles for a low carb option.
  • Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Use within 3-4 days for best results.

FAQ’s

What Is Butter Chicken Sauce Made Of?

Butter chicken sauce, or gravy, is made from a combination of tomato, cream, butter, and spices. The spices vary from recipe to recipe but typically include garam masala, cumin, paprika and more.

Is Butter Chicken Healthy?

The term “healthy” is relative.

Butter Chicken is fairly high in calories and fat due to the amount of dairy in the recipe so some would say it’s really not healthy at all. It’s also traditionally served over rice which also increases the total calories and carbohydrates.

However, if you are following a low carb, high fat diet and serve this dish over cauliflower rice, one could say it’s healthier.

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Love this Butter Chicken recipe? Follow me on Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook for more!

If you try this recipe, I would really appreciate it if you would please leave a comment and star rating. Thanks!

Butter chicken on a bed of white rice in a white bowl over a white background
Print

Butter Chicken (Murgh Makhani)

This easy Butter Chicken recipe, also know as Murgh Makhani, uses simple ingredients yet tastes just as delicious as your favorite authentic Indian takeout. This one-pan chicken dinner recipe is perfect for any night of the week.
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Gluten Free, Indian, Low Carb
Diet Gluten Free
Prep Time 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes minutes
Marinate Time 1 hour hour
Total Time 1 hour hour 45 minutes minutes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 476kcal
Author Lauren Harris

Ingredients

Marinade

  • 1.5 pounds chicken (cut into bite size pieces)
  • 1 cup Greek yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon garam masala
  • 2 teaspoons turmeric
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon paprika

Sauce

  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter (divided)
  • 1 onion (finely diced)
  • 4 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 1 tablespoon ginger (minced or grated)
  • 1.5 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1.5 teaspoons garam masala
  • 14 ounces tomato puree
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1-2 red chili peppers (optional for spicy version)
  • 1.5 cups heavy whipping cream

Instructions

  • Combine chicken, greek yogurt, garam masala, turmeric, ground cumin and paprika in a bowl. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.
  • Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned on both sides, about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm.
  • Melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter in the same skillet. Add the onion and cook until softened and starting to brown, about 3-5 minutes.
  • Add the garlic, ginger, cumin, and garam masala. Continue to cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently.
  • Stir in the tomato puree and paprika. Lower the heat and simmer until the puree darkens and thickens, about 10 minutes. If you are using a chili pepper, add it with this step.
  • Add the chicken pieces and any accumulated juices back to the pan. Slowly stir in the heavy cream. Simmer for at least another 5-10 minutes.
  • Taste and season, as needed. Serve over rice, or as desired.

Notes

Tips and Techniques

  • For a spicier version, add a diced red chili pepper or two.
  • Serve over cauliflower rice or zucchini noodles for a low carb option.
  • Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Use within 3-4 days for best results.
** Nutritional information is an estimate and may vary.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 476kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 41g | Saturated Fat: 22g | Cholesterol: 149mg | Sodium: 96mg | Potassium: 573mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1917IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 115mg | Iron: 3mg

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Filed Under: Chicken, Gluten Free, Low Carb, Main Dish, Recipes

Comments

  1. Sara Welch says

    May 3, 2024 at 2:13 am

    This was such a quick and easy dinner that did not disappoint! Turned out tender flavorful, and delicious!

    Reply
  2. Harriet Young says

    May 3, 2024 at 1:14 am

    A really delicious butter chicken recipe. The flavours are immense. Thank you!

    Reply
  3. kushi says

    May 3, 2024 at 12:48 am

    Creamy and delicious butter chicken recipe. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
  4. Anna Smith says

    May 2, 2024 at 9:24 pm

    I have been craving an Indian style dish for the longest time and unfortunately, our local Indian restaurant closed. I stumbled upon this recipe and it was easy to make and SO good. I used the suggested tomato puree instead of diced tomatoes so that the finished gravy was a nice creamy texture. Again, SO good!

    Reply
  5. Heather says

    May 2, 2024 at 8:52 pm

    One-Pan dinners are a busy weeknight lifesaver! And this butter chicken is now one of my favorite dinner recipes to make, it’s absolutely delicious! Quick to prepare and there are never any leftovers (sadly)! A winning recipe, thanks so much!

    Reply
  6. NP says

    March 29, 2024 at 11:54 am

    No salt?

    Reply
    • Lauren Vavala Harris says

      March 30, 2024 at 7:19 pm

      Hi! So this recipe has a lot of spices in it and you may find that you don’t need much, if any, salt. The last step says to taste and season, as needed. With a lot of cooking you season as you go, but with a recipe like this, I wouldn’t recommend it. There are many more reviews on Pinterest for this recipe and none have mentioned it needing salt.

      Hope this helps,
      Lauren

      Reply
  7. tina says

    June 3, 2023 at 5:41 pm

    can i use whole milk or canned cream? i forgot heavy cream at store

    Reply
    • Lauren Vavala says

      June 4, 2023 at 3:31 pm

      Hi Tina! You can use whole milk, but the sauce may just be a little thinner and not quite as rich. I’m not sure about canned cream, as I’ve never used it, but it might work ok, as well.

      Reply
  8. Sherri says

    August 25, 2022 at 7:48 pm

    I love this so much! My husband who “thinks”
    he doesn’t like Indian food asks for it all the time! 😅
    Can I use tomato paste instead? How much would I use?

    Reply
    • Lauren Vavala says

      August 27, 2022 at 9:32 am

      Hi Sherri!

      So happy to hear that you and your husband enjoy this recipe. It’s the same one that got my 14 year old hooked on Indian food, as well!
      To substitute tomato paste for tomato puree, you combine equal parts of the paste and water to get the amount that you need. I haven’t made this substitution myself, but it should work out ok.

      Lauren

      Reply
  9. Gaynor says

    August 10, 2022 at 11:54 am

    Can I make up and freeze?

    Reply
    • Lauren Vavala says

      August 10, 2022 at 9:55 pm

      Hi there! The cream in the recipe doesn’t freeze well and may become grainy in texture when thawed and reheated. You could possibly make it up the point before the cream is added, the freeze and add the cream in once it’s reheated. I haven’t done it, so I can’t say for sure it will turn out as good.

      Lauren

      Reply
  10. Tamilyn Salameh says

    February 25, 2022 at 7:51 pm

    Made this tonight with homemade Naan bread and tiara salad. No lefts over tonight! Thank you for the recipe 😊

    Reply
  11. Sarah says

    December 20, 2021 at 3:53 pm

    Can I use sour cream
    Instead of Greek yogurt? I realized I forgot to pick some up and I don’t plan on another grocery run before I make it. Thanks

    Reply
    • Lauren Vavala says

      December 20, 2021 at 6:44 pm

      I think sour cream would be okay. It will definitely taste a bit different, but should still be very good!

      Reply
  12. Jacqueline Debono says

    January 24, 2021 at 2:33 pm

    We had this butter chicken yesterday and it was superlicious. So flavourful and creamy and as an added plus it was easy to make! Definitely repeating soon!

    Reply
  13. Marisa F. Stewart says

    January 24, 2021 at 1:22 pm

    Ever since we had butter chicken in our favorite restaurant I wanted a recipe to make at home. I found yours and we tried it out last night and it turned out better than the restaurants. It was so easy. I’ll be making this again soon.

    Reply
    • Lauren Vavala says

      January 24, 2021 at 7:02 pm

      Thank you!

      Reply
  14. Helen says

    January 24, 2021 at 12:18 pm

    This looks superb, I love butter chicken. It’s the perfect winter comfort food and the recipe looks really straightforward and utterly delicious.

    Reply
    • Lauren Vavala says

      January 24, 2021 at 7:03 pm

      Thanks! It actually is very easy!

      Reply
  15. Beth says

    January 23, 2021 at 9:19 pm

    Now that I’ve seen how straightforward and delicious this recipe is, I won’t be tempted to use Butter Chicken sauce packets I’ve seen for sale. I can’t wait to make this!

    Reply
  16. Leslie says

    January 22, 2021 at 1:42 pm

    Excellent Butter Chicken recipe! This recipe has great flavor combinations and is pretty easy to make, which makes it that much better!

    Reply
  17. Veronika says

    January 22, 2021 at 8:15 am

    This is one of my favorite recipes! Perfectly comforting and flavorful! I love your version and will make it this weekend 😉

    Reply
  18. HEATHER PERINE says

    January 19, 2021 at 1:06 pm

    This is what I order whenever I order Indian food -but this looks way better than any takeout! Can’t wait to try this 🙂

    Reply
  19. Candice says

    January 19, 2021 at 1:03 pm

    So easy! And love the simple ingredients because I had all of them already. It came out so good! Will be making this one again.

    Reply
  20. Amanda Dixon says

    January 18, 2021 at 11:09 pm

    We just loved the butter chicken! I was surprised at how quickly it came together, but it was still loaded with flavor. It made for the perfect cozy winter meal.

    Reply
  21. Healing Tomato says

    January 18, 2021 at 7:24 pm

    You have definitely captured the flavors of Indian food in this makhani recipe. I love the colors and the ingredients in it. Just imagine dipping naan in it!

    Reply

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Welcome, I'm Lauren!

Delicious Little Bites is where I share all types of recipes from appetizers to desserts. You will also find plenty of keto, gluten free, and vegetarian recipes here to help you put a delicious meal on the table every night that the whole family will love! Read More...

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