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Rich Creamy Butter Chicken So Good You’ll Want Extra Sauce
This Rich Creamy Butter Chicken brings tender spiced chicken and creamy coconut sauce together. Serve with rice or roti for an easy curry dinner.
Additional Information
- Can this be frozen? Yes. Let the cooked butter chicken cool completely, then portion it into airtight freezer containers. Freeze for up to 3 months for the best quality. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat gently on the stovetop. The coconut milk sauce may look slightly separated after freezing, but a good stir while reheating usually brings it back together.
- How long can it be stored and how? Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days. Reheat only the amount you need and make sure the chicken is piping hot throughout before serving.
- Can I use boneless chicken? Absolutely. Boneless chicken thighs are especially forgiving and stay tender. Boneless chicken breast works too, but keep an eye on it because it can dry out if overcooked.
- What can I use instead of sour milk? Buttermilk is the closest easy substitute. Plain unsweetened yogurt thinned with a little water also works well. Avoid sweetened or flavoured yogurt.
- Do I need the food colouring? No. It’s completely optional and only gives the chicken that familiar deeper colour. The dish will still taste great without it.
- Can I use butter instead of coconut oil? Yes. Butter gives the dish a richer flavour, while coconut oil works well if you prefer it. You can also use a combination of both.
- What if I don’t have dhania jeera powder? Use a mixture of ground coriander and ground cumin. A good starting point is 1 tsp ground coriander plus 1 tsp ground cumin.
- What if I don’t have saffron? You can leave it out. It adds a subtle aroma and colour, but the recipe doesn’t depend on it.
Why You’ll Love and Enjoy Rich Creamy Butter Chicken
- The chicken gets a proper spice and tangy marinade before it hits the pot.
- Fried onion, whole spices and coconut milk make the sauce rich without needing a long list of ingredients.
- It’s an easy one-pot style meal that works beautifully with rice, roti or whatever you’ve got on hand.
Rich Creamy Butter Chicken
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Marinating: 2 hours
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours 5 minutes
- Yield: 8–10 depending on size 1x
- Category: Dinner Recipes
- Method: Easy Cooking
- Cuisine: Indian
Description
Tender chicken is marinated in a spiced, tangy mixture, then cooked with fried onion, whole spices and creamy coconut milk. It’s the kind of curry that tastes even better with warm roti or rice, and yes, you’ll want plenty of sauce.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Chicken Marinade
- 4.4 lb – 2 kg chicken pieces, bone-in or boneless
- 1 tbs ginger garlic paste
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 2 tbs chili powder
- 2 tsp dhania jeera powder
- 2 tsp garam masala
- 1 pinch saffron
- Salt to taste
- 1/2 tsp powdered food colouring, optional
- 1 cup sour milk, preferably buttermilk or plain unsweetened yogurt thinned with a little water
- 1/2 cup tomato purée
Fried Spices
- 1/2 cup coconut oil or butter
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced
- 3 to 4 cinnamon sticks
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 tsp jeera seeds
- 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 star anise
- 1 sprig curry leaves
Finish
- 1.6 cups (Approx) 1 can coconut milk, about 400 ml
- 1 chicken stock cube
Instructions
- Add 2 kg chicken pieces to a large bowl or pot.
- Add 1 tbs ginger garlic paste, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, 2 tbs chili powder, 2 tsp dhania jeera powder, 2 tsp garam masala, 1 pinch saffron, salt to taste, 1/2 tsp powdered food colouring if using, 1 cup sour milk and 1/2 cup tomato purée.
- Mix everything really well so the chicken is completely coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. If you’ve got the time, leaving it overnight will give the spices even more time to work.
- Heat 1/2 cup coconut oil or butter in a large frying pan over medium heat.
- Add 1 large sliced onion, 3 to 4 cinnamon sticks, 2 bay leaves, 1/2 tsp jeera seeds, 1/2 tsp fennel seeds, 1 star anise and 1 sprig curry leaves.
- Fry the onion and spices until the onion is softened and lightly golden and the whole spices smell fragrant.
- Scrape the fried onion and spices, along with all the flavoured oil or butter, into the marinated chicken. Give everything a good stir.
- Place the chicken mixture in a large heavy-based pot over medium heat.
- Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the chicken releases its juices and the liquid starts to thicken. This can take about 15 to 20 minutes depending on the size of your chicken pieces.
- Add 1 can of coconut milk and 1 chicken stock cube.
- Stir well, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer gently until the chicken is completely cooked through and tender, about 20 to 25 minutes for most pieces.
- Check the thickest piece of chicken before serving. If the sauce gets too thick before the chicken is cooked, add a small splash of water and keep simmering gently.
- Taste before serving and adjust the salt or chili if needed, as the chicken stock cube can already be quite salty, so it’s better to add less salt at the beginning and adjust at the end.
- Serve hot with rice, roti, flat bread or even pasta.
- Spoon plenty of that creamy sauce over the top because that’s the good part.
Notes
Prepared, tried, and tested by Irene
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 489
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 212 mg
- Fat: 28.1 g
- Saturated Fat: 19.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 8.7 g
- Fiber: 1.7 g
- Protein: 48.9 g
- Cholesterol: 154.8 mg
Recipe Card powered by
A rich chicken curry with saffron, tomato and coconut milk made for rice and roti.
Rich Creamy Butter Chicken delivers tender spiced chicken in a rich coconut sauce with tomato, saffron, ginger garlic and fragrant whole spices. It’s generously saucy, easy to serve with rice or roti, and has enough depth and warmth to make dinner feel properly satisfying.
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