Butter chicken
Marinated chicken in a creamy spiced tomato sauce. The big one. Makes 4.
- Hands-on
- 35 min
- Total time
98 min, show breakdown
- Prep 50 min
- Cook 40 min
- Clean up 8 min
- Pans
- 1
- Ingredients
- 15
- Cost/serving
- $3.59
Per serving
- Calories
- 608
- Protein
- 40 g
- Fiber
- 4 g
- Net carbs
- 48 g
- Fat
- 27 g
High in (% Daily Value per serving): Selenium 89%, Niacin (B3) 74%, Vitamin B6 60%, Vitamin B12 48%, Riboflavin (B2) 41%, Folate 39%, Thiamin (B1) 38%, Zinc 34%, Vitamin A 30%, Iron 28%, Magnesium 21%
Whole recipe (): . Full nutrition facts, vitamins and minerals. All nutrition is estimated; check your own labels.
Everything else is scaled from this.
Nutrition per serving is the whole batch divided by this.
Already egg-free, gluten-free, nut-free, soy-free.
Ingredients for 4
Tap an ingredient for other units and forms.
You changed this recipe. Nutrition and cost include your changes. This combination hasn't been tested.
600 g chicken thighs, boneless skinless
Same amount as: 1.3 lb, about 5 thighs.
½ cup plain Greek yogurt, 2% (122 g)
Same amount as: 120 mL.
1 tbsp lemon juice (15 g)
Same amount as: 15 mL, ¼ lemon squeezed from fresh lemons.
3 tsp garam masala (6 g)
Same amount as: 15 mL.
½ tsp ground turmeric (1.5 g)
Same amount as: 2 mL.
1 tsp chili powder (2.7 g)
Same amount as: 5 mL.
2 tsp paprika (4.6 g)
Same amount as: 10 mL.
4 cloves garlic, smashed (12 g)
Same amount as: 4 tsp fresh minced garlic, 2 tsp jarred minced garlic, ½ tsp garlic powder.
1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated (6 g)
Same amount as: 15 mL, ¼ tsp ground ginger.
3 tbsp butter (42 g)
Same amount as: 45 mL, about ¼ stick.
- 1 medium onion (110 g)
½ can canned crushed tomatoes (397 g)
Same amount as: about 1¾ cups.
½ cup heavy cream (119 g)
Same amount as: 120 mL.
1 tsp honey (7 g)
Same amount as: 5 mL.
- salt, to taste
2 pouches cooked white rice (microwave pouch) (500 g)
Same amount as: about 3¼ cups.
Use the menu next to each ingredient to skip it, halve it or add more. Nutrition updates as you go. The main ingredient changes with servings instead.
Amount for everything you're cooking. Missing an ingredient? Ask for it.
Healthier swaps
Optional. Nutrition and cost update as you choose; the recipe was written with the original.
- butter
- olive oil: Much less saturated fat. Uses a little less, since oil is all fat. Best for cooking, not baking.
- honey
- sugar-free honey: Honey flavor and texture with almost no sugar or calories. Allulose browns faster than honey, so watch glazes.
- allulose: No sugar and almost no calories. Adjust to taste; dissolve it in a splash of water for sauces.
- cooked white rice (microwave pouch)
- cauliflower: Riced cauliflower has about 80% fewer carbs and calories, plus vitamin C.
- shirataki (konjac) rice: Konjac rice has almost no calories or carbs. Rinse it well.
Optional
Adds about 0 kcal per serving.
Quantities are for 4 servings. Prep includes 30 minutes of marinating. Marinate up to 24 hours for more flavor. Keeps 4 days in the fridge.
Nutrition Facts
4 servings per recipe
Serving size 1 plate (487 g raw)
| Nutrient | Per serving | % DV* | Whole recipe |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | 608 | ||
| Total fat | 27 g | 34% | |
| Saturated fat | 14 g | 72% | |
| Cholesterol | 200 mg | 67% | |
| Sodium | 866 mg | 38% | |
| Total carbohydrate | 52 g | 19% | |
| Dietary fiber | 4 g | 14% | |
| Total sugars | 9.4 g | ||
| Net carbs† | 48 g | ||
| Protein | 40 g | 79% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.78 mcg | 4% | |
| Calcium | 141 mg | 11% | |
| Iron | 5.1 mg | 28% | |
| Potassium | 885 mg | 19% | |
| Vitamin A | 267 mcg | 30% | |
| Vitamin C | 14 mg | 15% | |
| Vitamin E | 2.8 mg | 19% | |
| Vitamin K | 10 mcg | 9% | |
| Thiamin (B1) | 0.46 mg | 38% | |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.54 mg | 41% | |
| Niacin (B3) | 12 mg | 74% | |
| Vitamin B6 | 1 mg | 60% | |
| Folate | 156 mcg | 39% | |
| Vitamin B12 | 1.1 mcg | 48% | |
| Magnesium | 88 mg | 21% | |
| Zinc | 3.8 mg | 34% | |
| Selenium | 49 mcg | 89% |
Estimated, not verified. These numbers are calculated from typical ingredient data and haven't been checked against a lab or your brands. Check the labels of what you buy and confirm anything that matters to you, especially sodium, sugar and allergens.
* % Daily Value shows how much one serving adds to a 2,000-calorie day. † Net carbs is not on US labels; it is total carbs minus fiber, allulose, erythritol and half of other sugar alcohols. "To taste" amounts are counted as written. Counted items (eggs, cloves, spoons) use the rounded amount shown in the ingredient list. Vitamins and minerals are from raw ingredients; cooking lowers some, especially vitamin C and folate. How this is calculated.
Steps
Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces. Dice the onion. Mince the garlic and grate the ginger.
In a bowl, mix the yogurt, lemon juice, 1 tsp garam masala, the turmeric, chili powder, half the garlic and ginger, and half the salt. Stir in the chicken. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes (up to 24 hours).
Done looks like: Every piece coated. Melt 1 tbsp butter in the pan on medium-high. Shake extra marinade off the chicken and cook it in one layer, in two rounds, 3 minutes a side. Move to a plate. It finishes in the sauce.
Done looks like: Browned in spots, not cooked through yet. Turn the heat to medium. Melt another 1 tbsp butter and cook the onion 8 minutes until golden.
Add the rest of the garlic and ginger, 2 tsp garam masala and the paprika. Stir 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and honey and simmer 10 minutes.
If you want a smooth sauce, blend it now. Stir in the cream and the chicken. Simmer gently 8–10 minutes.
Done looks like: Chicken reads 74 °C / 165 °F. Sauce thick and orange. Stir in the last 1 tbsp butter and salt to taste. Heat the rice and serve.
Equipment
Large frying pan or skillet, 30 cm (12 in) $25–60
What to look for
- Wide flat base so food cooks in one layer
- Stainless steel or cast iron for high heat
Skip: Woks on flat electric stoves; they do not heat evenly there.
Silicone spatula $5–12
What to look for
- One-piece (no seam where the head meets the handle)
- Stiff enough to scrape, safe on non-stick
Skip: Wooden spatulas for non-stick pans; they work but do not scrape as cleanly.
Chef's knife, 20 cm (8 in) $15–50
What to look for
- Comfortable handle that does not slip when wet
- Blade you can sharpen, or a cheap one you replace every few years
Skip: Knife blocks with 12 knives. A chef's knife and a small paring knife cover almost everything.
Cutting board $10–30
What to look for
- At least 30 × 40 cm (12 × 16 in), so food stays on it
- Wood or plastic; plastic goes in the dishwasher
Skip: Glass or stone boards. They dull knives fast.
Instant-read digital thermometer $10–30
What to look for
- Reads in 5 seconds or less
- Thin probe tip
- Shows °C and °F
Skip: Dial thermometers that take 20+ seconds.
What goes wrong
| What | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Grainy, split sauce | Boiled hard after the cream went in. | Keep it at a low simmer. A splash of cream stirred in off the heat can bring it back. |
| Marinade burns in the pan | Too much marinade clinging, or heat too high. | Shake off the extra and use medium-high, not high. |
| Flat taste | Needs salt and acid. | Add salt a pinch at a time and a squeeze of lemon. |
Versions
| Version | Changes | Per serving |
|---|---|---|
| Original | As written. Hands-on 35 min, total 98 min. | 608 kcal 40 g protein 4 g fiber 48 g net carbs 27 g fat |
| Vegan | Firm tofu instead of chicken thighs, coconut oil instead of butter, coconut milk instead of cream, maple syrup instead of honey, no yogurt. Also vegetarian, dairy-free. Hands-on 35 min, total 73 min. | 569 kcal 32 g protein 7.5 g fiber 47 g net carbs 28 g fat |
Notes
Allergies: removing an allergen from the recipe does not remove it from your kitchen or from other products. Check labels for "may contain" warnings.
Pregnancy: Cook chicken to at least 74 °C / 165 °F.