Butter Chicken Recipe (Restaurant-Style Murgh Makhani at Home)

If there’s one dish that made Indian food famous around the world, it’s this butter chicken recipe. Known traditionally as murgh makhani — “murgh” means chicken and “makhani” means buttery — it features tender pieces of tandoori-spiced chicken folded into a silky, creamy tomato gravy perfumed with garam masala and kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves). This homemade version tastes just like your favorite Indian restaurant’s, but it’s ready in about 50 minutes with simple pantry spices.

Why You’ll Love This Butter Chicken

• Restaurant flavor at home — the secret is a quick yogurt marinade plus a properly caramelized tomato gravy.
• One pan, 50 minutes — no tandoor needed; a hot skillet gives the chicken those lightly charred edges.
• Mild and creamy — kid-friendly and crowd-pleasing, with heat you can easily adjust.
• Better than takeout — fresher, cheaper, and you control the cream and butter.

Butter Chicken Ingredients

For the Chicken Marinade

• 1½ lbs (700g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1½-inch pieces (breasts work too, but thighs stay juicier)
• ½ cup plain whole-milk yogurt
• 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons Kashmiri red chili powder (for color without too much heat)
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt

For the Tomato Gravy

• 3 tablespoons butter, divided
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
• 4 large tomatoes, chopped (or 1 can / 400g crushed tomatoes)
• 10–12 cashews (this is the restaurant trick for a silky gravy)
• 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
• ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 1 cup water

For Finishing

• ½ cup heavy cream, plus extra for drizzling
• 1 teaspoon kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves), crushed between your palms
• 1 tablespoon butter
• Fresh cilantro, chopped (for garnish)

How to Make Butter Chicken

Step 1: Marinate the Chicken

In a large bowl, whisk together the yogurt, ginger garlic paste, lemon juice, Kashmiri red chili powder, garam masala, cumin, and salt. Add the chicken pieces and toss until every piece is well coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 8 hours for deeper flavor.

Step 2: Sear the Chicken

Heat 1 tablespoon of butter with the oil in a large, heavy skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the marinated chicken in a single layer (work in batches if needed) and sear for 4–5 minutes per side until lightly charred at the edges. The chicken doesn’t need to cook through yet — it will finish in the gravy. Remove and set aside.

Step 3: Build the Tomato Gravy

In the same pan, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the chopped onion and cook for 6–8 minutes until soft and golden. Stir in the ginger garlic paste and cook 1 minute until fragrant. Add the chopped tomatoes, cashews, Kashmiri red chili powder, turmeric, garam masala, and salt. Pour in the water, bring to a simmer, then cover and cook for 12–15 minutes until the tomatoes break down completely.

Step 4: Blend Until Silky

Let the gravy cool slightly, then blend until completely smooth using an immersion blender (or a regular blender in batches — vent the lid so steam escapes). For an ultra-silky restaurant-style finish, strain the gravy through a fine-mesh sieve back into the pan — this one step makes a huge difference.

Step 5: Combine and Finish

Return the gravy to medium-low heat. Stir in the heavy cream, crushed kasuri methi, and the final tablespoon of butter. Add the seared chicken pieces along with any accumulated juices. Simmer gently for 8–10 minutes until the chicken is cooked through (165°F / 74°C internal temperature) and the gravy thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Taste and adjust salt.

Step 6: Serve

Drizzle with a swirl of cream, sprinkle with fresh cilantro, and serve hot with naan bread or basmati rice.

Tips for the Best Butter Chicken

• Don’t skip the cashews. Blended cashews are what give restaurant butter chicken its signature velvety body without flour or cornstarch.
• Kashmiri red chili > regular chili powder. It gives that gorgeous orange-red color with mild heat. Regular chili powder will make it spicier and darker.
• Crush the kasuri methi. Rubbing the dried fenugreek leaves between your palms before adding releases their aroma — this is the flavor people can’t quite identify but always love.
• Strain the gravy. Five extra minutes with a sieve = restaurant texture.
• Thighs beat breasts. Chicken thighs stay tender even if slightly overcooked; breasts can dry out.

What to Serve with Butter Chicken

Butter chicken is best mopped up with something soft. Serve it with warm naan bread (garlic naan if you’re feeling fancy), fluffy basmati rice, or jeera rice. A simple kachumber salad or cucumber raita on the side cuts through the richness beautifully.

Storage and Reheating

• Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The flavors actually deepen overnight.
• Freezer: Freezes beautifully for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
• Reheating: Warm gently on the stovetop over low heat, adding a splash of water or cream if the gravy thickened too much. Avoid boiling — high heat can split the cream.

Butter Chicken FAQs

Is butter chicken the same as murgh makhani?

Yes! Murgh makhani is the original name — “murgh” means chicken and “makhani” means buttery. “Butter chicken” is simply the English name for the same dish.

Can I make butter chicken less spicy?

Absolutely. Use only Kashmiri red chili powder (it’s mild), skip any extra chilies, and add a little more cream. The dish is meant to be mild and creamy.

Can I use chicken breast instead of thighs?

Yes, but cut the pieces slightly larger and don’t overcook them in the final simmer — breasts dry out faster than thighs.

Why is my butter chicken gravy grainy?

Usually because the gravy wasn’t blended smooth enough or wasn’t strained. Blend thoroughly and pass it through a fine-mesh sieve for a silky finish.

What is kasuri methi, and can I skip it?

Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) adds the distinctive aroma of restaurant butter chicken. It’s worth finding at any Indian grocery store, but in a pinch you can skip it — the dish will still be delicious.

Butter Chicken (Murgh Makhani)

Tender tandoori-spiced chicken folded into a silky tomato-cashew gravy with cream and kasuri methi — restaurant-style murgh makhani at home.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Servings: 6 servings

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

For the Chicken Marinade

• 1½ lbs (700g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1½-inch pieces (breasts work too, but thighs stay juicier) ​
• ½ cup plain whole-milk yogurt ​
• 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste ​
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice ​
• 2 teaspoons Kashmiri red chili powder for color without too much heat
• 1 teaspoon garam masala ​
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin ​
• 1 teaspoon salt ​

For the Tomato Gravy

• 3 tablespoons butter divided
• 1 tablespoon oil ​
• 1 large onion finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste ​
• 4 large tomatoes chopped (or 1 can / 400g crushed tomatoes)
• 10–12 ​ cashews this is the restaurant trick for a silky gravy
• 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder ​
• ½ teaspoon turmeric powder ​
• 1 teaspoon garam masala ​
• 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
• 1 cup water ​

For Finishing

• ½ cup heavy cream plus extra for drizzling
• 1 teaspoon kasuri methi dried fenugreek leaves, crushed between your palms
• 1 tablespoon butter ​
• ​ ​ Fresh cilantro chopped (for garnish)

Method

 

1. Marinate the Chicken: In a large bowl, whisk together the yogurt, ginger garlic paste, lemon juice, Kashmiri red chili powder, garam masala, cumin, and salt. Add the chicken pieces and toss until every piece is well coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 8 hours for deeper flavor.
2. Sear the Chicken: Heat 1 tablespoon of butter with the oil in a large, heavy skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the marinated chicken in a single layer (work in batches if needed) and sear for 4–5 minutes per side until lightly charred at the edges. The chicken doesn’t need to cook through yet — it will finish in the gravy. Remove and set aside.
3. Build the Tomato Gravy: In the same pan, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the chopped onion and cook for 6–8 minutes until soft and golden. Stir in the ginger garlic paste and cook 1 minute until fragrant. Add the chopped tomatoes, cashews, Kashmiri red chili powder, turmeric, garam masala, and salt. Pour in the water, bring to a simmer, then cover and cook for 12–15 minutes until the tomatoes break down completely.
4. Blend Until Silky: Let the gravy cool slightly, then blend until completely smooth using an immersion blender (or a regular blender in batches — vent the lid so steam escapes). For an ultra-silky restaurant-style finish, strain the gravy through a fine-mesh sieve back into the pan — this one step makes a huge difference.
5. Combine and Finish: Return the gravy to medium-low heat. Stir in the heavy cream, crushed kasuri methi, and the final tablespoon of butter. Add the seared chicken pieces along with any accumulated juices. Simmer gently for 8–10 minutes until the chicken is cooked through (165°F / 74°C internal temperature) and the gravy thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Taste and adjust salt.
6. Serve: Drizzle with a swirl of cream, sprinkle with fresh cilantro, and serve hot with naan bread or basmati rice.

Notes

Strain the gravy through a fine-mesh sieve for restaurant texture. Chicken thighs stay juicier than breasts. Leftovers keep 4 days refrigerated or 3 months frozen (thaw overnight in the fridge).