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Indian Butter Chicken (Murgh Makhani)
[मुर्ग मखनी]

Indian Butter Chicken (Murgh Makhani) [मुर्ग मखनी]

By Denis Elas The Chef
Print Recipe
Indian Butter Chicken is a traditional Indian dish which features tender, marinated chicken cooked in a rich, silky, and warmly spiced tomato and cream-based sauce.

Dedicated to my parents

Svetlana and Oleg ❤️

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Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Prep: 30 minutes
Cook: 40 minutes
Marinate: 30 minutes
Total: 1 hour 40 minutes

Equipments

Mixing bowl
Frying pan
Immersion blender Or standard blender
Cooking Scale
Digital scale
Measuring Tools
Measuring tools
High-quality cooking knives For professional-grade prep

Ingredients

The Chicken Marinade

  • 600 g chicken thighs boneless and skinless, cut into bite-size pieces
  • 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
  • 1 Tbsp. garlic minced
  • 2 tsp. ginger minced
  • 2 tsp. garam masala
  • 1 tsp. turmeric
  • 1 tsp. cumin
  • 1 tsp. Kashmiri red chili powder adjust to taste
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil

The Butter Chicken Sauce

  • 6 Tbsp. ghee divided
  • 1 yellow onion sliced
  • 1 Tbsp. garlic minced
  • 2 tsp. ginger minced
  • 2 tsp. Garam Masala
  • 1 tsp. cumin
  • 400 g Strained tomatoes (Passata) canned
  • 1 tsp. Kashmiri red chili powder
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 Tbsp. sugar
  • 1 tsp. Dried fenugreek leaves (Kasuri Methi)
4 servings

Cook Mode

To prevent your phone from sleeping (screen turning off)

Instructions
 

The Marinade

  1. Finely grate your 1 Tbsp. garlic and 2 tsp. ginger.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt, 1 Tbsp. lemon juice, 1 Tbsp. garlic, 2 tsp. ginger, 2 tsp. garam masala, 1 tsp. turmeric, 1 tsp. cumin, 1 tsp. Kashmiri red chili powder, 1 tsp. salt, and 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil.
  3. Cut into bite-size pieces your 600 g chicken thighs and add it to the mix and coat well.
  4. Cover and let marinate for at least 30 minutes, or overnight in the refrigerator for best results.

The Chicken

  1. Preheat your oven's broiler to high. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and place a wire cooking rack on top. Arrange the marinated 600 g chicken thighs pieces in a single layer on the rack. Broil for 8 to 10 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the edges catch and char slightly. The chicken doesn't need to be fully cooked yet. Set aside on a plate to keep warm.

The Sauce

  1. In a cooking pot, melt half of the 6 Tbsp. ghee (3 Tbsp.) over medium heat. Toss in the 1 yellow onion and cook for 5 to 7 minutes.
  2. Add the 1 Tbsp. garlic, 2 tsp. ginger, 1 tsp. cumin, and 2 tsp. Garam Masala. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
  3. Stir in the 400 g Strained tomatoes (Passata), 1 tsp. Kashmiri red chili powder, 1 tsp. salt. Bring the mixture to a slight simmer and cook for about 10 to 15 minutes, until the mixture turns a deep red color and thickens slightly.
  4. Transfer the mixture to a blender or use an immersion blender to process the sauce until incredibly smooth and silky.

The Assembly

  1. Lightly toast your 1 tsp. Dried fenugreek leaves (Kasuri Methi) in a separate dry pan for 30 seconds, then crush them between your palms directly into the sauce. This releases oils that dramatically enhance the signature butter chicken aroma.
  2. Pour the blended sauce back into the skillet over low-medium heat. Gradually stir in the 1 cup heavy cream, 1 Tbsp. sugar, and the toasted 1 tsp. Dried fenugreek leaves (Kasuri Methi).
  3. Add the browned chicken and any resting juices back into the sauce. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for another 5-10 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and tender. Finally, stir in the remaining 3 Tbsp. of the 6 Tbsp. ghee and let it melt into the sauce for extra richness.

The Serving

  1. Serve hot with freshly cooked basmati rice and warm naan bread. Enjoy your Indian Butter Chicken [Murgh Makhani]!

Nutrition

Serving: 1 portion | Calories: 471 kcal (24%) | Carbohydrates: 12 g (4%) | Protein: 21 g (42%) | Fat: 39 g (60%) | Sodium: 1008 mg (44%) | Fiber: 2 g (8%) | Sugar: 5 g (6%)

Elasdenis.com is written and produced for informational purposes only. While I do my best to provide nutritional information as a general guideline to our readers, I am not a certified nutritionists, and the values provided should be considered estimates. Factors such as brands purchased, natural variations in fresh ingredients, etc. will change the nutritional information in any recipe. Various online calculators also provide different results, depending on their sources. To obtain accurate nutritional information for a recipe, use your preferred nutrition calculator to determine nutritional information with the actual ingredients and quantities used.

My own adaption of

Ultimate recipe inspired by various authentic Indian sources.

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