Butter Chicken, or Indian chicken curry made with a yogurt-based marinade is a rich and flavorful dish. To start, the chicken is marinated with a blend of ginger, garlic paste, and thick Greek-style yogurt, allowing the flavors to penetrate deeply and tenderize the meat. The yogurt adds a tangy depth, while the ginger and garlic provide a robust base. Once cooked with aromatic spices like paprika and garam masala, the curry develops its signature warmth and complexity. Towards the end of cooking, a splash of cooking cream is added, giving the dish a luxurious creaminess that balances the spices and enhances the sauce’s velvety texture. This comforting curry pairs beautifully with naan/roti or basmati rice, making it a satisfying meal for any occasion.
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 30 min
The key to making butter chicken curry lies in its two essential steps: marination and cooking.
Things you need (2 person):
Marination
400gm boneless chicken
200ml yogurt
4 Cloves garlic + 1 inch ginger – finely mashed
1-2 tea spoon garam masala
1-2 tea spoon paprika powder
Marination: Wash and clean the chicken
Mash the garlic and ginger into a fine paste
The chicken is marinated with ginger/garlic paste, garam masala, paprika and a few spoons of thick yogurt, I prefer the Greek style, as it matches the consistency and flavor of the Indian yogurt.
Use the yogurt for marination, while the cooking cream to be added while cooking to make the sauce buttery…
Cooking:
50gm butter
1 small onion or a couple of green onions chopped
1 small piece of cinnamon
2 tomatoes chopped
1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons Salt
Fry the onions and tomatoes until they soften a bit
Add the chicken marinade and salt as per taste
Cook the chicken for 15 to 20 mins, until the chicken is well cooked. Once the chicken is cooked, add the cream and salt as per taste.
Once the cream is added, let the curry cook for a few minutes and it is ready to serve.
You can serve the curry with naan/roti or rice. It is yummy either ways…
