Butter Chicken (Murgh Makhani)

Name: Butter Chicken (Murgh Makhani)
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 60 min
Yield: 4 portions
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 800 g · 1¾ lb boneless chicken thighs; 150 g · ¾ cup plain yogurt, for the marinade; 30 g · 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste; 8 g · 1 tbsp Kashmiri chili powder; 6 g · 2 tsp garam masala; 15 ml · 1 tbsp lemon juice; 600 g · 4 tomatoes tomatoes, chopped; 150 g · 1 onion onion, chopped; 40 g · ¼ cup cashews; 60 g · 4 tbsp butter; 120 ml · ½ cup heavy cream; 2 g · 1 tbsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi); 15 g · 1 tbsp honey or sugar; 4 g · 1 tsp whole spices: cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaf, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaf; 8 g · 1½ tsp salt

🍽 Serves 4⏱ Prep 30 min🔥 Cook 60 min⏳ Rest 240 min🌍 Indian

Tandoori-marinated chicken finished in a silky tomato, butter and cream gravy with warm spices.

📍 Delhi · India

The story of the dish

Butter chicken was created at Moti Mahal in Delhi after 1947, when cooks simmered leftover tandoori chicken in a tomato, butter and cream sauce.

The name: Murgh makhani means 'buttery chicken' in Hindi.

Ingredients

Ingredient	EUg · ml	UScups · spoons
boneless chicken thighs	≈ 800 g	≈ 1¾ lb
plain yogurt for the marinade	≈ 150 g	≈ ¾ cup
ginger-garlic paste	≈ 30 g	≈ 2 tbsp
Kashmiri chili powder	≈ 8 g	≈ 1 tbsp
garam masala	≈ 6 g	≈ 2 tsp
lemon juice	≈ 15 ml	≈ 1 tbsp
tomatoes chopped	≈ 600 g	≈ 4 tomatoes
onion chopped	≈ 150 g	≈ 1 onion
cashews	≈ 40 g	≈ ¼ cup
butter	≈ 60 g	≈ 4 tbsp
heavy cream	≈ 120 ml	≈ ½ cup
dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi)	≈ 2 g	≈ 1 tbsp
honey or sugar	≈ 15 g	≈ 1 tbsp
whole spices: cardamom cloves, cinnamon, bay leaf, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaf	≈ 4 g	≈ 1 tsp
salt	≈ 8 g	≈ 1½ tsp

≈ amount suggested from similar recipes

Tools & equipment

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Chana Masala	🛒 Buy	🛒 Buy
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Also used: heavy pan · blender · grill pan or oven tray · mixing bowl

Method

Marinate the chicken in yogurt, half the ginger-garlic paste, chili, garam masala, lemon and salt for at least 4 hours.
Grill or roast the chicken at high heat until charred at the edges.
For the gravy, cook onion, the rest of the ginger-garlic paste and the whole spices in half the butter.
Add tomatoes and cashews and simmer 20 minutes; remove the bay leaf and blend until very smooth.
Return to the pan, add the remaining butter, honey and kasuri methi.
Add the chicken, simmer 10 minutes, then stir in the cream.
Serve with naan or basmati rice.

👨‍🍳 Chef’s tips

Crush the kasuri methi between your palms before adding: it is the signature aroma.

📱 Scan to watch me cook ityoutu.be/G1fS3QLgXwUEvery step on video, and new recipes every week: subscribe on YouTube.

Nutrition per portion estimate · 1 of 4

596kcal

30 gprotein

23 gcarbs

44 gfat

Allergens

MilkTree nuts

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▶ Watch me cook it: youtu.be/G1fS3QLgXwU

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