CookinCityRecipes & Articles For Better Cooking At Home

Chicken Makhani (Indian Butter Chicken)

Quick answerMakes 6 servings, ready in about 4 hours, Indian cuisine.
By Jaron Kimhi··👁 590 views
Butter chicken
There is something about Chicken Makhani that pushes me to find a piece of bread to wipe the pan until the sauce disappears completely. This is one of my favorite Indian dishes and, more importantly, one of my kids' favorites. I guess it has to do with the fact that this dish is very versatile and can be adjusted to match any style. It can be mild or hot — we can use cream and add more butter for a silkier, smoother texture, or we can adjust it to be dairy-free by thickening the sauce with just a cashew paste. Chicken Makhani (Murgh Makhani) originates from the north of India, from the Punjab to be exact, and it's one of the most popular dishes to come out of India, with many variations. There are a few guidelines that will make this dish work in your kitchen as well.
  • Keep an overnight marinade for the chicken with the yogurt and spices — it'll result in much juicier, more tender, flavor-packed chicken pieces.
  • Cook the onions and tomatoes well, until they're close to caramelization. This gives the dish its semi-sweet flavor naturally.
  • Add raw cashew nuts — when blended into the sauce, they thicken it into a silky paste with a nice body.
butter chicken

So why should I make Chicken Makhani?

It's true that this dish takes some time to prepare and there are easier Indian meals, but Murgh Makhani is one of those dishes that'll make your guests say "wow, give me the recipe for this amazing chicken." Even people who aren't into Indian food will love this Chicken Makhani — it's the most western-friendly Indian cuisine out there. With that silky, buttery sauce and tender chicken, everyone will be asking for more. Murgh Makhani keeps well in the fridge and tastes just as good the next day, so get your chapati ready to wipe out all the sauce left on the plate and enjoy.

Method

  1. 1

    Marinade the chicken· minimum of 4 hours

    put all the marinade ingredients in a bowl, mix and leave overnight in the fridge for the chicken to absorb all the flavors

    butter chicken
  2. 2

    cook the chicken· 5 minutes

    take the chicken out of the fridge 30 minutes before preparation. set a pan on high heat, add the oil. when simmering add the chicken and cook half way for about 5 minutes. take out into the same bowl of the marinadde

    butter chickenbutter chicken
  3. 3

    make the sauce· 25 minutes

    in the same pan (no need to clean it) add 1 tbsp of the butter and saute the onions for 3 minutes until transparent, add the garlic and ginger and cook for another 2 minutes, throw the tomatoes and cashew, cook for another 5 minutes until they dissolve and get all the sugars out. add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, salt and water, cook for another 15 minutes.

    butter chickenbutter chickenbutter chickenbutter chicken
  4. 4

    Blend the sauce· 3 minutes

    pour the pan content into a blender and grind the souce into a silky smooth puree. set the pan on medium-low heat and pour the sauce inside, cook for another 3 minutes

    butter chickenbutter chicken
  5. 5

    finishing the dish· 5 minutes

    add all the butter that was left and pour in the cream. season with paprika and garam masala and add the chicken along with all the liquid in the bowl, adjust seasoning if needed. cook for another 7 minutes and serve with rice

    butter chickenbutter chickenbutter chicken
Recipe by

Jaron Kimhi

Jaron Kimhi — self-taught home cook from Tel Aviv, writing and cooking every recipe on this site himself. 20+ years of tinkering in the kitchen, leaning toward slow cooking, classic technique, and honest ingredients.

More recipes by Jaron →

You might also like

Coconut curry chicken wings
Indian

Coconut Curry south Indian Chicken Wings

⏱ 2 hours 30 minutes👁 651
Chopped Liver
Jewish

Traditional Jewish Chopped Liver

⏱ 50 Minutes👁 1.7K
chicken roast with potatoes
Mediterranean

Grandma's Chicken Roast Revisited

⏱ 3.5 Hours👁 308
Pan roasted chicken
USA

40 minutes full roasted chicken

⏱ 70 minutes👁 578
Categories
Chicken
Cuisines
Indian
Features
Gluten Freechicken
Tags
chickenindianbutter chickenChicken Makhani

Questions & answers

Can I skip the overnight marinade if I'm short on time?
You can, but don't — the overnight soak is what makes the chicken tender and deeply flavored. If you're really pressed, aim for at least a few hours minimum.
Can I use chicken breast instead of chicken thighs?
The recipe calls for thighs, and for good reason — they stay juicy through the long cook. Breast will work but risks drying out, so keep a close eye on it.
I don't have a blender. Can I still make the sauce?
You need something to get that silky smooth texture — a hand/immersion blender works perfectly fine right in the pan. A food processor is your next best option.
Can I leave out the cashews or swap them for something else?
The cashews are doing real work here — they thicken the sauce and add a creamy richness when blended. Don't skip them without a plan, and the recipe doesn't suggest a substitute.
What do you serve this with?
Rice, exactly like Jaron says — it's the move. You want something to soak up all that buttery sauce.

Nutrition per serving

150g
serving size
260
Calories
24g
Total Fat
7g
Saturated Fat
94mg
Cholesterol