Learn how to make authentic butter chicken at home with complete ingredients, step-by-step instructions, and expert tips to avoid common mistakes.

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How To Prepare Butter Chicken At Home

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Introduction

How to Prepare Butter Chicken at Home. A little introduction to butter chicken: it is one of the most sought-after dishes in Indian cuisine and adored by many people around the world. Butter chicken, also known as murgh makhani, is one of India’s most beloved dishes. This creamy, aromatic curry combines marinated chicken with a rich tomato-based gravy infused with butter, cream, and Indian spices. Learning how to prepare authentic butter chicken at home allows you to recreate restaurant-quality flavors while controlling ingredients and customizing spice levels. This guide covers everything you need to make delicious butter chicken at home.

How To Prepare Butter Chicken At Home
Indian butter chicken in black bowl on wooden table

Selecting the Right Ingredients

The foundation of exceptional butter chicken begins with choosing the correct chicken cut. Use chicken thighs instead of boneless breasts—thighs contain more fat and connective tissue, making them juicier and more forgiving during cooking.

History of Butter Chicken

History about the making of butter chicken, or Murgh Makhani.

The early years of the 1950s were undertaken to find out how it came.

Later on, most part of the evolutionary process had almost accomplished and in return it could convert itself as a must-have dish in all the restaurants of India, which is currently operating worldwide

Complete Ingredients List

For Marinade:

  • 1.5 pounds chicken thighs, cut into pieces
  • 3/4 cup Greek yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon ginger, grated
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

For Sauce:

  • 5 tablespoons butter
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 onion, sliced
  • 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
  • 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
  • 1 cup tomato puree
  • 50 grams cashew paste
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon kasuri methi
  • Salt to taste
  • Fresh cilantro for garnish
How To Prepare Butter Chicken At Home

Some of the necessary ingredients

Chicken

Butter

Cream

Tomatoes

Garam masala along with a number of other spices and cumin powder, in addition to coriander powder, among all

Any old or new ingredient that makes the dish unique should be identified.

Preparation Recipe Step-By-Step Instructions

Step 1: First Marination (20 minutes)
Pat chicken completely dry. Combine chicken with lemon juice, Kashmiri chili powder, and salt. Mix thoroughly and rest for 15-20 minutes. This season the chicken internally and begin tenderizing.

Step 2: Second Marination (4-6 hours minimum, preferably overnight)
Add yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, turmeric, cumin, coriander, garam masala, and oil. Mix thoroughly so every piece is coated. Cover and refrigerate. Overnight marination develops tender chicken with deeply infused flavors.

Step 3: Cook the Chicken
Remove chicken from refrigerator 15-20 minutes before cooking. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Pan-fry chicken in batches until golden-brown on all sides. This Maillard reaction creates deep, complex flavors. Transfer to a separate bowl.

Step 4: Make the Sauce
Heat butter in the same pan. Add sliced onions and cook 2-3 minutes until softened. Stir in ginger-garlic paste and cook 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Add Kashmiri chili powder and garam masala, stirring constantly for 15-20 seconds to bloom the spices.

Step 5: Build the Sauce
Add tomato puree and cook uncovered for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. When oil visibly separates on the surface, strain the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve. Add 1-2 tablespoons of butter and cashew paste, mixing thoroughly.

Step 6: Combine and Finish
Add hot water to reach desired consistency. Return cooked chicken to sauce and simmer gently for 5-7 minutes. Stir in heavy cream slowly while stirring constantly. Add kasuri methi and sugar. Taste and adjust salt and spices. Rest for 2-3 minutes before serving.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Use chicken thighs, not breasts. Marinate at least 4 hours. Don’t skip the charring step. Add cream sparingly at the end. Cook tomato puree until oil separates. Don’t forget kasuri methi—this distinctive ingredient sets authentic butter chicken apart. Use fresh spices. Add sugar to balance tomato acidity. Strain the sauce for a silky texture. Cook sauce in butter, not just oil.

This is how butter chicken is prepared step by step.

  1. Marinate the chicken in yogurt and spices

  2. Cooking of the chicken until done.

  3. Making the creamy tomato sauce.

4. Bring it to a simmer, infusion of flavor

5. Serve over naan or rice.

Conclusion

-That recently ground spices should be used with it.

– It needs to be a little more time-consuming while taking it out to be consumed. That way, all flavors are fused. How to Prepare Butter Chicken at Home.

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