Butter Chicken (Indian Chicken Makhani)
Before cooking
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Steps as written in the recipe card.
23 steps7 min
Ingredient prep checklist
- Chili Powder: ½ to ¾ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder ( (or paprika adjust to taste, reduce for kids))
- Salt: ¼ to ⅓ teaspoon salt ( (adjust to taste))
- Ginger Garlic Paste: ¾ tablespoon ginger garlic paste ((or ½ tbsp fine grated ginger + ½ tbsp fine grated garlic))
- Turmeric: ⅛ teaspoon turmeric ((haldi, optional))
- Garam Masala: ¾ to 1 teaspoon garam masala ((adjust to taste))
- Cumin Powder: ½ teaspoon cumin powder ((optional))
- Coriander Powder: 1 teaspoon coriander powder ((optional))
- Kasuri Methi: 1 teaspoon kasuri methi ((optional, dried fenugreek leaves))
- Butter: 2 to 3 tablespoons butter (or ghee (divided))
- Cinnamon: 2 inch cinnamon (piece (optional, for extra flavor))
- Green Cardamoms: 2 to 4 green cardamoms ((optional, for added flavor))
- Cloves: 2 to 4 cloves ((optional))
- Onion: 1½ cups (130 grams) onions (sliced (optional, *updated, cuts down acidity from tomatoes))
- Ginger Garlic Paste: ¾ tablespoon ginger garlic paste ((or ½ tbsp each fine grated ginger and garlic))
- Green Chilies: 1 to 2 green chilies ( (optional, deseed, slit or chop))
- Raw Cashews: 28 (42 grams,⅓ cup) whole raw cashews ( (soaked in hot water, sub with ¼ to ⅓ cup heavy cream))
- Chili Powder: 1 to 2 teaspoons Kashmiri chili powder ((reduce for kids, adjust to taste))
- Garam Masala: 1 to 1½ teaspoons garam masala ((divided, adjust to taste))
- Coriander Powder: 1 to 1½ teaspoon coriander powder ((optional, adjust to taste))
- Cumin Powder: ½ teaspoon cumin powder ( (optional, adjust to taste))
- Salt: ½ to ¾ teaspoon salt ( (adjust to taste))
- Hot Water: 1½ cups hot water (to make gravy (cut down to 1 cup if omitting cashews))
- Heavy Cream: ⅓ cup (80 to 100 ml) heavy cream ( or whipping cream (divided))
- Coriander Leaves: 2 tablespoons coriander leaves ((fine chopped to garnish))
Here are the other ingredients required to marinate the chicken: ¾ to 1 tablespoon lemon juice ¼ to ⅓ teaspoon salt ½ to ¾ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder (or paprika adjust to taste, reduce for kids) ¾ to 1 teaspoon garam masala (adjust to taste) 1 teaspoon kasuri methi (optional, dried fenugreek leaves) ⅛ teaspoon turmeric (haldi, optional) ½ teaspoon cumin powder (optional) 1 teaspoon coriander powder (optional) ¾ to 1 tablespoon oil ¾ tablespoon ginger garlic paste (or ½ tbsp very fine grated ginger + ½ tbsp fine pressed/grated garlic) ⅓ cup Greek yogurt or hung curd (read my pro tips)
References
This step uses
- ½ kg (1.1 lbs) boneless chicken ( (cut to 1 inch pieces))
- ½ to ¾ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder ( (or paprika adjust to taste, reduce for kids))
- ¼ to ⅓ teaspoon salt ( (adjust to taste))
- ¾ to 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ⅓ cup Greek yogurt ((hung curd/thick curd, refer notes))
- ¾ tablespoon ginger garlic paste ((or ½ tbsp fine grated ginger + ½ tbsp fine grated garlic))
- ⅛ teaspoon turmeric ((haldi, optional))
- ¾ to 1 teaspoon garam masala ((adjust to taste))
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder ((optional))
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder ((optional))
- 1 teaspoon kasuri methi ((optional, dried fenugreek leaves))
- ¾ to 1 tablespoon oil
- ¾ tablespoon ginger garlic paste ((or ½ tbsp each fine grated ginger and garlic))
- 1 to 2 teaspoons Kashmiri chili powder ((reduce for kids, adjust to taste))
- 1 to 1½ teaspoons garam masala ((divided, adjust to taste))
- 1 to 1½ teaspoon coriander powder ((optional, adjust to taste))
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder ( (optional, adjust to taste))
- ½ to ¾ teaspoon salt ( (adjust to taste))
- ½ tablespoon Kasuri methi ((dried fenugreek leaves))
- 2 tablespoons coriander leaves ((fine chopped to garnish))
Full ingredient reference
- ½ kg (1.1 lbs) boneless chicken ( (cut to 1 inch pieces))
- ½ to ¾ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder ( (or paprika adjust to taste, reduce for kids))
- ¼ to ⅓ teaspoon salt ( (adjust to taste))
- ¾ to 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ⅓ cup Greek yogurt ((hung curd/thick curd, refer notes))
- ¾ tablespoon ginger garlic paste ((or ½ tbsp fine grated ginger + ½ tbsp fine grated garlic))
- ⅛ teaspoon turmeric ((haldi, optional))
- ¾ to 1 teaspoon garam masala ((adjust to taste))
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder ((optional))
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder ((optional))
- 1 teaspoon kasuri methi ((optional, dried fenugreek leaves))
- ¾ to 1 tablespoon oil
- 2 to 3 tablespoons butter (or ghee (divided))
- 2 inch cinnamon (piece (optional, for extra flavor))
- 2 to 4 green cardamoms ((optional, for added flavor))
- 2 to 4 cloves ((optional))
- 1½ cups (130 grams) onions (sliced (optional, *updated, cuts down acidity from tomatoes))
- 600 grams (1.3 lbs.) fresh tomatoes ((or 1 cup passata/canned tomato puree or ⅓ cup double concentrate tomato paste - for 1x))
- ¾ tablespoon ginger garlic paste ((or ½ tbsp each fine grated ginger and garlic))
- 1 to 2 green chilies ( (optional, deseed, slit or chop))
- 28 (42 grams,⅓ cup) whole raw cashews ( (soaked in hot water, sub with ¼ to ⅓ cup heavy cream))
- ½ cup water (to blend (more if required))
- 1 to 2 teaspoons Kashmiri chili powder ((reduce for kids, adjust to taste))
- 1 to 1½ teaspoons garam masala ((divided, adjust to taste))
- 1 to 1½ teaspoon coriander powder ((optional, adjust to taste))
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder ( (optional, adjust to taste))
- ½ to ¾ teaspoon salt ( (adjust to taste))
- 1 teaspoon sugar ( (to balance the flavors))
- ½ tablespoon Kasuri methi ((dried fenugreek leaves))
- 1½ cups hot water (to make gravy (cut down to 1 cup if omitting cashews))
- ⅓ cup (80 to 100 ml) heavy cream ( or whipping cream (divided))
- 2 tablespoons coriander leaves ((fine chopped to garnish))