Chicken & Poultry

Serving

Butter Chicken (Murgh Makhani)

Name: Butter Chicken (Murgh Makhani)
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Chicken & Poultry
Ingredients: 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into chunks; 1 cup plain yogurt; 2 tablespoons lemon juice; 2 teaspoons ground cumin; 2 teaspoons paprika; 1 teaspoon garam masala; 1 teaspoon turmeric; 1 tablespoon minced garlic; 1 tablespoon grated ginger; 4 tablespoons unsalted butter; 1 onion, finely chopped; 1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes; 1 cup heavy cream; 1 teaspoon sugar; 1 teaspoon salt; 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Tender marinated chicken simmered in a rich, spiced tomato-butter cream sauce, a beloved Indian restaurant classic.

50 minutes

Serves 6

Dinner

18 min prep

28 min cook

Contains common allergens

Dairy

In the app, Listahan checks these against your household automatically.

Instructions

7 steps

1
In a bowl, combine yogurt, lemon juice, cumin, paprika, garam masala, turmeric, garlic, and ginger; add chicken and marinate at least 30 minutes.
2
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat; cook marinated chicken until browned and mostly cooked through, about 8 minutes. Remove and set aside.
3
Melt remaining butter in the same skillet; cook onion until soft, about 5 minutes.
4
Add crushed tomatoes, sugar, and salt; simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5
Blend or puree the sauce until smooth, then return to the skillet.
6
Stir in heavy cream and return chicken to the sauce; simmer 10 minutes until chicken is cooked through.
7
Garnish with cilantro and serve over rice.

Butter Chicken (Murgh Makhani) — plated and served — Serving moment. How Butter Chicken (Murgh Makhani) looks plated and ready to eat — a representative photo, not a step in the recipe.

Listahan Family Score™

65/100

Works for many families

Allergen-friendly 90

Kid-friendly 55

Weeknight-easy 48

Budget-friendly 74

Great leftovers 87

Pantry-friendly 25

Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.

Nutrition

per serving

570

Calories

45 g

Protein

8 g

Carbs

39 g

Fat

Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.

Listahan cooking guide

Chef notes & practical guide

Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.

Cultural context

Murgh makhani is closely tied to post-partition Delhi restaurant cooking, especially the habit of reviving cooked tandoori chicken in a tomato, butter, and cream sauce. The dish became a North Indian restaurant standard because it keeps the charred-spice flavor of chicken tikka while adding enough sauce for rice or bread.

Listahan note

This version uses a skillet path instead of a tandoor, so it puts the flavor work into the yogurt marinade, browning the chicken well, and blending the tomato-onion base smooth before the cream goes in.

Technique cues

Use chicken thighs rather than breast if you want the most forgiving texture. They stay tender through browning, simmering, and reheating.
Brown the marinated chicken in a hot pan without crowding it. A little caramelized yogurt and spice on the skillet gives the sauce more depth once the tomatoes go in.
Add the cream after the tomato sauce has simmered and been blended. Cream added too early can taste flat and can dull the brighter tomato-spice base.

Kitchen flow

Parallel prep: Start basmati rice while the chicken marinates, then chop the onion and cilantro before heating the skillet.
Make-ahead: Marinate the chicken in the morning or the night before, then cook the sauce and chicken close to serving.
Leftover move: Spoon leftover chicken and sauce into a warm flatbread with sliced cucumber and cilantro for a quick wrap.
Cleanup rhythm: Rinse the blender right after pureeing the tomato sauce, then let the skillet soak while you eat.

Ingredient brief

Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.

Boneless skinless chicken thighs

Main protein

Purpose: Thighs stay juicy and take well to the yogurt-spice marinade.

Handling: Cut into even chunks so the pieces brown and finish cooking at the same pace.

Adaptation: Chicken breast works for a leaner texture; cut it slightly larger and simmer gently so it does not toughen.

Plain yogurt

Marinade base

Purpose: Yogurt helps the spices cling to the chicken and gives the browned pieces a lightly tangy edge.

Handling: Stir it thoroughly with the lemon juice, spices, garlic, and ginger before adding the chicken.

Adaptation: A thicker plain yogurt gives a richer coating; a looser yogurt works too but may release more liquid in the pan.

Garam masala, cumin, paprika, and turmeric

Spice foundation

Purpose: This mix gives the dish warmth, color, and the familiar restaurant-style aroma without requiring whole spices.

Handling: Mix the ground spices into the yogurt first so they hydrate evenly before cooking.

Adaptation: Kashmiri chili powder can replace some or all of the paprika for deeper color and gentle heat.

Garlic and ginger

Aromatic backbone

Purpose: Together they keep the rich sauce from tasting only like tomato and cream.

Handling: Mince and grate finely so they melt into the marinade and sauce instead of staying in sharp pieces.

Adaptation: Garlic-ginger paste can stand in for both; use a similar total amount and watch the salt if the paste is seasoned.

Crushed tomatoes

Sauce body

Purpose: They provide the acidity and thickness that balance the butter and cream.

Handling: Simmer before blending so the onion softens fully and the tomato flavor rounds out.

Adaptation: Tomato puree gives a smoother sauce from the start; simmer it a few minutes longer to avoid a raw tomato taste.

Heavy cream and unsalted butter

Rich finish

Purpose: They soften the tomato acidity and give the sauce its glossy, restaurant-style texture.

Handling: Use unsalted butter so the salt level stays easier to control, and stir cream in over moderate heat.

Adaptation: Full-fat coconut milk changes the sauce toward a lighter, slightly sweeter finish.

Technique notes

Scrape the browned bits from the skillet into the onions and tomatoes; they carry a lot of the marinade flavor.
Blend the sauce until truly smooth if you want the classic butter chicken texture. A chunky sauce will still taste good, but it will feel more like a tomato curry.
Keep the final simmer gentle after the cream goes in. A hard boil can make the sauce look broken instead of glossy.

Ingredient swaps

Chicken breast timing: Use chicken breast chunks and reduce the final simmer by a few minutes, checking early so the meat stays tender.
Coconut milk path: Use full-fat coconut milk in place of heavy cream; the sauce will taste slightly sweeter and less buttery.
Heat adjustment: Add a pinch of cayenne or Kashmiri chili powder with the ground spices if you want more warmth without changing the method.
Texture shortcut: Use tomato puree instead of crushed tomatoes when you want a smoother sauce with less blending time.

Serve alongside

Steamed basmati rice
Jeera rice
Garlic naan
Cucumber raita
Mango lassi
Nimbu pani
Light lager

Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.

Storage & reheating

Refrigerate leftovers with plenty of sauce in a sealed container for up to 4 days.
Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat, adding a splash of water or cream if the sauce has thickened.
Freeze in a sealed container for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator and warm slowly so the sauce comes back together.

Equipment

Large skillet or saute pan
Mixing bowl for marinating
Blender or immersion blender
Wooden spoon or silicone spatula

Make this household-aware

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