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If you’re looking for a weeknight dinner to mix up your dinner rotation, this is for you. A big skillet of bright, cozy flavor that makes your kitchen smell like you’re cooking up something really good. This easy butter chicken recipe is the kind of comfort dish that will earn a permanent spot on your dinner rotation.
Butter chicken is a vibrant yet very grounding dish. The blend of warm spices makes this dish super flavorful and colorful, yet it has depth to make each bite incredibly cozy. Tender cubed chicken breast simmers in a pot of sautéed onions and bell peppers, and is tossed in a creamy sauce that is rich with flavor without being heavy or overwhelming. The perfect balance of flavors will make you come back for seconds and dream about the leftovers.
Serve over a bed of fluffy rice and top with fresh cilantro. This recipe makes a large batch, which means leftovers for the week!
Why You’ll Love This Butter Chicken Dish
- Simple Ingredients but Big Flavor! The base of the dish is pretty simple, but a lot of the flavor comes from the spice blend that makes this dish so vibrant.
- It’s a one-pot meal! Who doesn’t love a one-pot dish? It makes cooking and cleaning up so much easier.
- The leftovers are even better! This butter chicken is delicious straight from the stovetop. But we have to say the leftovers are even better! As the butter chicken sits, the flavor becomes stronger and more vibrant.
What You’ll Need
chicken and veg. sautee and sauce
- Chicken breasts
- Red onion
- Ginger root
- Bell pepper
- Carrots
- Garlic cloves
- Tomato paste
- Greek yogurt
- Coconut milk
butter chicken spice blend
- Garam masala
- Cumin
- Turmeric
- Curry powder
- Chili powder
- Smoked paprika
How to Make Butter Chicken, Step by Step
Step 1: Cook the chicken and veggies.
Heat a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook chicken cubes before adding the veggies. Once the chicken is cooked through, remove it from the pan and place it in a bowl to add back in later.
Next, saute chopped onion, carrots, and pepper in the pan. Once the veggies are soft, add in ginger and garlic to simmer until fragrant.
Step 2: Season, make sauce, and simmer.
Next, add in your seasonings. This is when your kitchen will start smelling so delicious!
The butter chicken spice blend is a mixture of spices you should be able to find at your local grocery store. Garam masala, cumin, turmeric, curry powder, chili powder, and smoked paprika add depth and coziness. They will also add so much color and vibrance to the sauce.
After the spices have simmered for a bit, add in the rest of the ingredients for your sauce. This sauce is creamy without being too heavy. Tomato paste adds a savory flavor to the sauce while Greek yogurt and coconut milk add creaminess.
Mix everything together in the pot and let it simmer on low while you make the rice.
Step 3: Make rice and heat naan bread.
Our favorite way to enjoy butter chicken is over a bed of white rice. While your butter chicken is simmering and the flavors are marinating, boil water in a separate pot and cook rice according to the package instructions.
Step 4: Serve hot with a side of rice and naan.
When your rice is done, remove it from the heat and serve the butter chicken over a bed of rice and a side of naan bread. Sprinkle the top with some cilantro leaves for an additional peppery punch.
Tips for Making Butter Chicken
- Create a mise en place. Or set up your cooking station. Chop and measure out all your ingredients before you turn on the stove top. That way, you have everything ready to add to the pot as you cook your butter chicken.
- Don’t be afraid of spice. This dish is very flavorful dish because of the amount of spice you add. And the combination of all the spices together is a magical, cozy blend you don’t want to skimp on.
- Simmer the sauce on low for about 20 minutes. Once the butter chicken sauce is mixed into the chicken and vegetables, let the sauce simmer to deepen the flavors of the dish.
What to Serve with Butter Chicken
Our favorite pairings with butter chicken are white rice and naan. Here are some other pairings that work well with butter chicken:
- Lentils
- Quinoa
- Brown rice
- Couscous
- Other veggies: roasted cauliflower, cauliflower rice, roasted sweet potatoes, steamed broccoli, roasted Brussels sprouts
How to Store Leftover Butter Chicken
First, make sure the butter chicken is completely cooled before you package up leftovers. Store butter chicken in airtight containers in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
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Easy Butter Chicken
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 6–8 servings 1x
Description
A big skillet of bright, cozy flavor that makes your kitchen smell like you’re cooking up something really good. This easy butter chicken recipe is the kind of comfort dish that will earn a permanent spot on your dinner rotation.
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken breasts
- 1 red onion, diced
- 2 -inch piece of ginger root, minced
- 1 bell pepper, diced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 6 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- 1 cup full-fat coconut milk
Butter Chicken Spice Blend
- 1 tbsp garam masala
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1/2 tsp curry powder
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
Extras for serving
- 1–2 cups jasmine rice
- Naan bread
- Fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Start by prepping your ingredients for the butter chicken. This will make the dish come together so much easier. Chop the veggies- onion, bell pepper, and carrots. Mince garlic cloves and ginger root. On a separate cutting board, cut the chicken breasts in thirds lengthwise to make strips, and then cut the strips into cubes.
- In a large pot over medium heat, add 3 tbsp olive oil to the pan and cook chicken cubes for about 4 minutes on each side until they are cooked through and the internal temperature reaches 165ºF. Remove cooked chicken from the pan and set it to the side to add back into the dish later.
- In the same pan, add 3 tbsp of oil and saute onions, carrots, and peppers until soft. Add in minced garlic cloves and ginger, and continue sauteeing for 2 more minutes until fragrant.
- Add the spice blend to the veggies and stir to coat. Let it cook in the pot for a couple more minutes.
- Add in your tomato paste, Greek yogurt, and coconut milk. Stir until the mixture is evenly incorporated.
- Add the chicken back into the pot and stir to coat. Reduce the heat and simmer on low for 20 minutes. The flavor will develop even more as it simmers.
- While the butter chicken is simmering, make the jasmine rice in a separate pot. Bring water to a boil and make according to the package instructions.
- Once the rice is cooked, remove the butter chicken from the heat and serve it over a bed of rice with fresh cilantro and naan.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
