Liven up your curry night with this recipe for easy butter chicken (Murgh Makhani). It’s mild enough for the whole family but bursting with flavour thanks to a yoghurt and spice marinade. The sauce is rich and silky — you’ll want to savor every spoonful.
Serve butter chicken with steamed rice and garlic naan so you can mop up every last drop of the sauce.
Incredible butter chicken
Butter chicken is a classic Indian dish found on most menus across the UK. This version is approachable, family-friendly and full of warming spices.
If you love curry, you’ll enjoy this buttery, aromatic dish.
The distinctive tang comes from marinating chicken in thick Greek yoghurt blended with spices such as garam masala, cumin, coriander and turmeric plus ginger and garlic. After marinating, the chicken is fried in butter, then simmered with onions in a mild tomato-based sauce enriched with cream until it becomes thick and velvety and the meat is tender.
This curry is gently spiced, but you can add more chilli if you prefer extra heat.
Allow an hour or two for marinating; after that, you’ll have butter chicken on the table in about 30–40 minutes.
Here’s how to make a reliable, flavourful butter chicken at home.
What you will need
Equipment
A large dish or bowl for the marinade and a wok or large frying pan with a lid to cook the chicken and sauce.
Ingredients
This recipe serves 4. The printable recipe card at the end lists full quantities and instructions.
Chicken – skinless breast or thigh fillets cut into bite-sized pieces.
Thick Greek yoghurt – unflavoured. Regular natural yoghurt works too.
Lemon juice – fresh or bottled, to add a bright touch.
Spices – turmeric, garam masala, cumin, ground coriander, cardamom and a pinch of cayenne for heat. Adjust to taste or use chilli paste instead of cayenne.
Onion – one large, coarsely chopped.
Garlic and ginger – fresh or jarred minced versions for convenience.
Cream – single or pouring cream. If using heavier cream, you can dilute with a little milk.
Passata – smooth tomato puree for a thick, silky sauce.
Butter – butter is essential for the authentic flavour; avoid margarine.
Sugar and salt – sugar helps balance the tomatoes; season to taste.
Sunflower oil – mixed with butter to prevent burning while frying.
What to do
Marinate and fry the chicken
Mix the marinade ingredients (all except the chicken) in a large bowl.
Cut the chicken into pieces, add to the marinade and ensure it is well coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour or longer if convenient.
Melt butter with a little oil in a large frying pan. Fry the chicken until it’s cooked through (test by cutting a piece open). Work in batches to avoid overcrowding.
Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate, leaving the butter and oil in the pan. Reserve any leftover marinade to add to the sauce.
Tips for frying the chicken
- Let excess marinade drip off before frying; any remaining marinade goes into the sauce.
- Keep the heat fairly high so the chicken cooks quickly without burning.
- Fry in batches to avoid steaming the chicken; overcrowding makes it tough.
- Stir occasionally so pieces cook evenly.
- The marinade can prevent browning; chicken is done when no pink remains inside.
Make the butter sauce
Use the same pan so you keep the buttery fond from frying the chicken — it adds flavour to the sauce.
Add the chopped onion, garlic and ginger to the pan. Fry, stirring, until the onion is soft and translucent—about 5 minutes. If they begin to brown, lower the heat and cover briefly so they steam.
Stir in the passata, reserved marinade, cream, salt and sugar. Return the chicken to the pan along with any juices that collected on the plate. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover and cook for 20 minutes.
If you prefer a thicker sauce, stir in a slurry of 1 tablespoon cornflour/cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water during the final 2 minutes and cook until it reaches the consistency you like.
Garnish with chopped coriander and serve immediately.
What to serve with butter chicken
Serve with steamed white rice and garlic butter naan. A side of peas or a fresh tomato-onion sambal (tomatoes and onions finely chopped with a pinch of salt, sugar and a splash of vinegar) also pairs well.
FAQ
Murgh Makhani is from Hindi/Urdu: murgh (chicken) and makhan (butter). The dish was developed in Delhi in the mid-20th century and has become a worldwide favourite.
Yes. Marinate the chicken overnight to save time. Cooked butter chicken keeps in the fridge for 2–3 days; reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave.
Yes — freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before reheating. Avoid freezing if you started with previously frozen chicken.
Save for later
Pin or save the recipe so you can find it easily when planning your next curry night.
Related recipes
If you enjoy this recipe, try other curry favourites such as chicken tikka masala, beef madras or a Kashmiri chicken and prawn curry.
Chicken tikka masala-
Easy beef madras
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Kashmiri chicken & prawn curry
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Tandoori lamb chops with saag aloo
Serve with classic Indian sides like samosas, bhajis or saag aloo for a full feast.
📋The recipe
Easy butter chicken (Murgh Makhani)
Equipment
- Pyrex bowl for marinating
- Wok or large frying pan
- Pan with lid
Ingredients
Chicken and marinade
- 450 g / 1 lb skinless boneless chicken breasts or thighs
- 240 ml / 1 cup thick Greek yoghurt (unflavoured)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tsp garam masala
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)
Butter sauce
- 1 large onion, coarsely chopped
- 240 ml / 1 cup tomato passata
- 1 tsp crushed garlic
- ½ tsp crushed ginger
- 120 ml / ½ cup single or pouring cream
- 85 g / 3 oz butter
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil
- ½ tsp salt (or to taste)
- 1 tsp sugar (optional)
- 1 tbsp cornflour mixed with 2 tbsp water (optional, for thickening)
Instructions
Chicken and marinade
- Combine the yoghurt, lemon juice and spices in a large bowl.
- Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and add to the marinade, ensuring all pieces are coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Melt the butter with the oil in a large frying pan. Fry the chicken in batches until cooked through. Transfer to a plate and reserve any remaining marinade.
Butter sauce
- In the same pan, add the chopped onion, garlic and ginger and cook until the onion is soft and translucent.
- Add the passata, reserved marinade, cream, salt and sugar. Stir to combine, then return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the pan.
- Simmer gently, covered, for 20 minutes.
- If needed, thicken with the cornflour slurry added during the last 2 minutes of cooking. Stir until the sauce reaches your preferred consistency.
- Garnish with chopped coriander and serve with rice and naan.
Notes
Tips for frying the chicken:
- Allow excess marinade to drip off before frying; leftover marinade goes into the sauce.
- Keep heat high enough to sear but not burn; fry in batches to avoid stewing the meat.
- The marinade can prevent browning; chicken is done when there is no pink inside.
Nutrition values exclude rice or naan. The information provided is for guidance only.
If you try this recipe and enjoy it, please leave a rating or comment. Email the author at [email protected] for feedback or questions.