{“@context”:”https://schema.org”,”@type”:”Recipe”,”name”:”Butter Chicken”,”description”:”Neetu Sirigiri shares her smoky, restaurant-style Butter Chicken recipe with a tandoori-style grilled chicken base, charcoal smoke infusion, and a rich tomato-butter gravy that is easy to make at home.”,”author”:{“@type”:”Person”,”name”:”Neetu”,”url”:”https://www.bakewithneetu.com”},”datePublished”:”2026-07-08″,”prepTime”:”PT15M”,”recipeYield”:”2 servings”,”recipeCategory”:”No Bake”,”keywords”:”butter chicken recipe, homemade butter chicken, Indian chicken curry, murgh makhani, easy butter chicken gravy”}
Butter Chicken
🥄 Prep: 15 min
🔥 Cook: 10 min
🍽 Serves: 2 servings
A restaurant-style smoky Butter Chicken made right in your own kitchen with real, wholesome ingredients.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Butter Chicken is one of those soul-warming dishes that brings the whole family together around the table, and Neetu Sirigiri is here to show you how to make it perfectly at home. This recipe gives you tender, smoky grilled chicken pieces cooked in a rich, velvety tomato butter gravy that is absolutely irresistible.
Made with protein-packed boneless chicken breast and wholesome spices like turmeric, cumin, and coriander, this dish nourishes your body while satisfying your taste buds. The use of hung curd in the marinade not only tenderizes the chicken but also adds a good dose of probiotics and calcium to your meal.
- ✅ High in lean protein from boneless chicken breast, making it a filling and muscle-supporting meal for the whole family.
- ✅ The dhungar charcoal smoking technique gives you that authentic tandoor-style depth of flavor without any special equipment.
- ✅ Honey is used as a natural sweetener in place of refined sugar, keeping the dish wholesome and free from unnecessary additives.
- ✅ Packed with anti-inflammatory spices like garam masala, turmeric, and kasuri methi that do wonders for your gut and overall wellbeing.
Ingredients You’ll Need
(Full measurements in the recipe card below)
Marinade
- • 400g boneless chicken breast — slit for deeper flavor
- • 1/2 cup hung curd — tenderizes chicken
- • 1.5 tbsp red chilli powder — color and heat
- • 1 tbsp garam masala — warm spice base
- • 1 tbsp besan — binds marinade
- • 1.5 tbsp ginger garlic paste — core flavor
- • 1 tbsp mustard oil — authentic smoky note
Butter Sauce
- • 3 tbsp unsalted butter — rich base
- • 5-6 tomatoes pureed — tangy body
- • 2.5 tbsp red chilli powder — deep color
- • 1 tbsp honey — balances acidity
- • 1 tsp kasuri methi — signature finish
- • fresh cream to taste — creamy texture
Substitutions
| Ingredient | Swap |
|---|---|
| hung curd | thick Greek yogurt strained overnight |
| mustard oil | any neutral oil with a drop of sesame oil |
| honey | maple syrup for refined sugar free version |
How to Make It — Step by Step
Marinate the Chicken
Slit chicken breasts and mix all marinade ingredients into a smooth paste. Coat chicken thoroughly and rest for at least 30 minutes.
Grill the Chicken
Drizzle oil on a grill pan or non-stick pan. Cook marinated chicken on each side until well charred and cooked through, then cut into bite size pieces.
Smoke with Charcoal
Place chicken in a wide bowl. Put a burning charcoal piece in a small steel bowl in the center, pour 1 tbsp ghee over it, and cover immediately for 10 minutes to infuse smoky flavor.
Build the Sauce
Heat oil and butter in a kadai. Fry ginger garlic paste until raw smell goes away. Add tomato puree and all masalas including leftover marinade. Cook until oil separates.
Finish and Serve
Add smoked chicken and cream, cook 10 minutes. Stir in honey and cook 5 more minutes. Finish with kasuri methi and fresh coriander. Serve hot.
Tips for the Best Result
For the juiciest and most flavorful butter chicken, marinate the chicken for at least 1 hour or overnight in the fridge. The longer the marination, the deeper the flavor will be.
Do not skip the charcoal smoking step. It gives the butter chicken that authentic dhaba-style smoky flavor that makes this dish truly special. Even 5 to 10 minutes of smoking makes a huge difference.
Cook the tomato gravy on low to medium heat until the oil separates from the masala. This is the key step that ensures a rich, deep, and restaurant-quality butter chicken sauce.
How to Store
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, chicken thighs work wonderfully and stay even juicier than breast. Just adjust the cooking time as thighs take a little longer to cook through.
Absolutely. A regular non-stick pan works just fine. You can also cook the marinated chicken in an oven or air fryer at 200 degrees C for about 20 minutes.
You can make hung curd at home by straining regular thick yogurt through a muslin cloth for 1 to 2 hours to remove excess water. Greek yogurt is also a great ready-to-use substitute.
Yes, this butter chicken recipe is naturally gluten-free. Besan or chickpea flour is used in the marinade, which is completely gluten-free.
Nutrition Per Serving
| Nutrient | Per Serving (2 servings) |
|---|---|
| Calories | — |
| Protein | — |
| Carbohydrates | — |
| Fiber | — |
| Fat | — |
| Sugar | — |
Estimates only — values vary with exact brands used.
Ingredients
- → Step1
- → 400 grams boneless chicken breast
- → 1/2 cup hung curd
- → 1+1/2 tablespoon red chilli powder
- → 1 tablespoon garam masala powder
- → Salt as per your taste
- → 1 tablespoon besan/ chick pea flour
- → 1+1/2 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
- → 1/2 tablespoon coriander powder
- → 1/4 teaspoon black salt
- → 1/2 tablespoon cumin powder
- → 1 tablespoon mustard oil/ sarson oil
- → Step 2
- → Piece of charcoal
- → 1 tablespoon of ghee or clarified butter
- → Onions sliced
- → Step 3
- → 3 tablespoon unsalted butter
- → 2+1/2 tablespoon red chilli powder
- → 5-6 tomato puree
- → 1 tablespoon of Honey
- → 2 tablespoon oil
- → Salt as per your taste
- → 1 teaspoon garam masala
- → Kasuri methi powder
- → Fresh coriander leaves
- → Left out marination
- → Ginger garlic paste
- → 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
Instructions
- 1. Slit chicken breasts and mix all marinade ingredients into a smooth paste. Coat chicken thoroughly and rest for at least 30 minutes.
- 2. Drizzle oil on a grill pan or non-stick pan. Cook marinated chicken on each side until well charred and cooked through, then cut into bite size pieces.
- 3. Place chicken in a wide bowl. Put a burning charcoal piece in a small steel bowl in the center, pour 1 tbsp ghee over it, and cover immediately for 10 minutes to infuse smoky flavor.
- 4. Heat oil and butter in a kadai. Fry ginger garlic paste until raw smell goes away. Add tomato puree and all masalas including leftover marinade. Cook until oil separates.
- 5. Add smoked chicken and cream, cook 10 minutes. Stir in honey and cook 5 more minutes. Finish with kasuri methi and fresh coriander. Serve hot.
▶ Watch Me Make It
See every step in action.
MasterChef India contestant turned healthy baking creator. I specialise in eggless, no-oven, and gluten free recipes made with real ingredients — no protein powder, no shortcuts. Subscribe on YouTube for a new recipe every week!
Enjoyed this recipe?
Follow me for new healthy baking recipes every week!
Give this smoky, creamy Butter Chicken a try at home and let the rich flavors speak for themselves. Tag us on Instagram at bakewithneetu so we can celebrate your delicious creation with you!
//600?”block”:”none”;};})();
//]]>