Indian Butter Chicken with Basmati Rice and Homemade Naan
Indian Butter Chicken with Basmati Rice is a delicious, easy Indian recipe. This family favorite makes it simple to cook popular Indian recipes at home.
It features tender chicken in an Indian spiced creamy, tomato based sauce featuring the flavors of garam masala.
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It’s hard to believe that I first posted this recipe 9 years ago.
The other thing that is pretty hard to believe is that Logan turned 14 this month and Kayden turned 12!
There are some recipes here on Good Life Eats that have been more popular with our family over time, and this Indian Butter Chicken is definitely one of them.
We have cooked this easy Indian recipe at home twice this month.
Logan and Kayden both celebrated birthdays in March and they each requested that I make their favorite Butter Chicken Recipe.
Kayden requested it for his birthday last year, too!
It is definitely popular with our crowd – we almost never have leftovers.
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I got smart the second time around and made a big double batch of this recipe so I could stash away a few individual serving containers for lunch for myself.
And I was able to sneak away to my office for a few hours and photograph the leftovers for some pretty, new photos!
Indian Butter Chicken Ingredients
A visit to my regular grocery store easily supplies me with all the necessary ingredients.
So, don’t worry – you shouldn’t have to make a special visit to an ethnic market to make this recipe for Indian Butter Chicken.
Spices in Indian Butter Chicken
My recipe calls for:
- Garam Masala
- Chili Powder
- Cardamom
- Coriander
- Salt
- Pepper
- Bay Leaves
For the complete ingredient list and detailed instructions, scroll to the bottom of this post for the FREE printable recipe card.
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What is Garam Masala?
You might be wondering what Garam Masala is if you haven’t prepared this Indian Chicken recipe at home before.
Garam Masala is a spice blend that is used in Indian cooking.
You can definitely make your own blend, but I find it just as easy (and usually less expensive) to purchase the blend at my grocery store.
Garam masala usually includes: Cumin, Coriander, Cardamom, Cloves, Black Pepper, Cinnamon, and Nutmeg.
But, there are often variations depending on region or family recipes.
Indian Butter Chicken Sauce Ingredients
For the sauce you’ll need:
- Fresh Onion
- Fresh Garlic
- Fresh Ginger
- Jalapeño
- Tomato Paste
- Chicken Broth or Stock (you can use Homemade Stock, too)
- Half and Half or Heavy Cream
- Butter
Besides those two lists, you’ll need olive oil and chicken breasts.
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What Goes With Indian Butter Chicken?
The kids’ absolute favorite thing to serve as a side dish when we cook Indian at home is this recipe for Whole Wheat Indian Naan. Naan is an Indian Flatbread. We like to cook ours on either a very hot griddle over the stove or on the gas grill outside, when weather permits.
Rice is also a great side dish to serve with Indian Butter Chicken because the rice soaks up all of the delicious Butter Chicken Sauce. When I don’t have time to make homemade naan, rice is a great substitute.
If you’re looking for side suggestions to go with this recipe, I recommend a big green salad.
It doesn’t have to be fancy at all. We often use mixed greens, lettuce, cucumber, shredded carrot, and tomato for a basic side salad. Check out these 3 Simple Salad Dressing Recipes to go along with your salad.
If salad isn’t your thing, try this easy recipe for Roasted Broccoli for a vegetable side dish.
Tips for the Best Homemade Naan
Outdoors works great when the weather is nice, but we opt for inside when it is cold or windy. Cold temperatures and wind both prevent the grill from getting and staying hot enough to cook this Naan well.
If you haven’t ever made a yeast based dough before, you’ll want to check out my 5 Tips for Baking with Yeast.
These tips will help you feel more confident in the kitchen and yield more successful results when you make Naan.
What is the Best Rice for Butter Chicken?
The best rice to serve with Indian Butter Chicken is Basmati Rice. Basmati Rice is grown in Indian, making it the traditional rice to serve with Butter Chicken.
Basmati Rice is fragrant – nutty and floral at the same time, perfect to pair with the rich, sauce in this recipe.
I love that its long grains stay individual and don’t get sticky. It makes it so the sauce from Indian Butter Chicken perfectly coats each grain for the absolute best flavor.
If I don’t have time to make the Homemade Naan, I can get away with serving some Basmati Rice.
Personally I like it best when we have rice AND Naan. I love the way the chicken can be scooped up with pieces of naan and the way the rice soaks up any extra sauce from the chicken.
Indian Butter Chicken Garnishes
For garnishes, I like to use fresh cilantro and lime wedges.
The cilantro and lime give a nice pop of flavor to the butter chicken sauce, and add a pretty contrast to your plate!
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Reader Reviews for Indian Butter Chicken
“You may not read this since this is an older post but I’ve now made this at least 4 or 5 times and we LOVE it! It’s become a total staple in our house. Thanks for this recipe!”
“ABSOLUTELY wonderful. I saw this and thought hey, this might help get us out of a rut. OMG did it ever. I am so glad I doubled this. Thank you for sharing.”
“I just made this for dinner and we loved it! My husband could not stop “mmmm”ing throughout the entire meal! Neither of us have had it before but we will definitely be having it regularly now. Thanks for the recipe! I’m excited to see what other amazing recipes you share on the blog.”
“I made this today. I am Indian and I must say this is THE best butter chicken recipe out there. It was DELICIOUS! I made very small modifications but generally stuck to the instructions. It’s as good as the restaurants. I have been looking for a good BC recipe for some time and I finally found it. My picky daughter just LOVED IT and thanked me a couple of times for making a “really tasty” dinner. Its ironic how I found the best BC recipe from a non-Indian website! LOL! Thank You!!“
“Thanks so much for the great recipe! I have never had this before, so I decided to make it last night for dinner. I was a little hesitant as my husband is not terribly adventurous and I do have 1 picky child. But everybody was happy and ate it! Next time I will have to try making the bread to go with it!”
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Indian Butter Chicken with Basmati Rice
Indian Butter Chicken with Basmati Rice is a delicious, Indian recipe featuring tender chicken in an Indian spiced creamy, tomato based sauce featuring the flavors of garam masala.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive or canola oil
- 1 onion (1/2 lb.), peeled and chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, finely chopped
- 1 fresh jalapeño, seeded, and chopped
- 2 teaspoons garam masala
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoon coriander
- 1 can (6 oz.) tomato paste
- 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 cup half and half or heavy cream
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 3/4-inch chunks
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse-ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup (1/8 lb.) butter
Serve With
- Basmati Rice
- Naan
- Fresh Cilantro
- Lime Wedges
Instructions
- Cook rice according to package instructions.
- In a large cast iron pan, add 1 tablespoon of oil and eat over medium heat.
- Add the onion and sauce for 5 minutes. Then, add the garlic, ginger, and fresh jalapeño and sauce for another 5 minutes.
- Stir in the garam masala, chili powder, cardamom, and coriander. Saute for an additional 2 minutes.
- Scrape mixture into a blender or food processor; add tomato paste and chicken broth. Blend until very smooth. Set aside.
- Pat the chicken dry. Mix chicken with salt and pepper. Set pan over high heat (I usually use the same pan; add 1 tablespoon butter and the chicken.
- Stir until chicken is no longer pink on the surface, about 3 minutes. Depending on the size of your pan, it may be best to cook the chicken in batches so that it does not over crowd. If using this method, transfer the cooked chicken to a plate or bowl before working on the next batch.
- Add the sauce from the blender to the pan with all of the cooked chicken, the bay leaves, and the half and half or heavy cream.
- Simmer over medium low heat, stirring often, until chicken is tender and no longer pink in the center (cut to test), about 15 minutes minutes. Cut remaining 3 tablespoons butter into chunks and stir into sauce until melted.
- Spoon chicken and sauce onto rice. Squeeze lime juice over portions and garnish with cilantro. Serve with naan alongside.
Notes
Serve Indian Butter Chicken alongside basmati rice, or, if you have time, I highly recommend making a batch of this Whole Wheat Indian Naan - an Indian flatbread - to serve with the chicken.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 368Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCarbohydrates: 8gFiber: 2gSugar: 4gProtein: 46g
This post has been updated from the archives. The original text follows.
A few years ago I had not even heard of Indian Butter Chicken. Was I living on some other planet?
It kind of seems that must have been the case.
I had this dish for the very first time, our last night living in college town.
My aunt and uncle made it for us and after a week of packing and cleaning with a 2 month old baby.
I thought that it was the best thing I had ever eaten.
The next morning we headed out to our new home in Albuquerque.
My husband was done with his Master’s degree and we were ready to move on to a job and a real life.
I am so grateful we are employed, and have been consistently since leaving college town.
I remember that last night and this meal so well because there were so many emotions going on.
I was sad to leave my comfort zone and sad to leave family members I love behind.
Add to that a mix of post-pregnancy hormones and you’ve really got something going on.
I have often made Indian Butter Chicken since that night.
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It’s still a favorite of ours, proving that it wasn’t my sleep-deprived-stressed-out-post-pregnancy perception about this dish being one of the best things I’d eaten.
I’ve never had authentic Indian restaurant Butter Chicken so I can’t compare it to that.
I do know I love this recipe.
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Hi! I made this last night and it was DELICIOUS!!! Thanks so much for a great recipe that was easy to follow for a not super experienced home cook lol!! Just one question tho, after I laid out all my ingredients I was left with 2 bay leaves that I didn’t know what to do with lol! Where & how do I add those little green leaves?! Nonetheless without the little bay leaves this recipe was the BOMB!
I’m so glad you liked it!!! I always love to hear when my recipes are accessible to the home cook AND delicious. I’ll make sure to update on the bay leaves, but they should have gone in the sauce while simmering. Sorry about the oversight!
@Katie, Hi! Ok awesome so to confirm they go in at step #9!! Got it! Well like I said it came out soooooo yummy! I was pretty proud of myself lol! I made it with basmati rice and the whole family practically licked their plates clean lol! Thanks again!!
Hey Katie,
I just noticed this recipe calls for one Jalapeno, seeded and chopped, but in the directions I cannot find a trace of when or where to put the Jalapeno in? Maybe I’m blind? I plan on making this tomorrow and was wondering if you can clear this up for me 🙂
Add it in when you add the garlic. 🙂
This was so delicious, so many flavors and yet so fresh! It made for me about 3 big portions because of the amount of chicken, but the sauce was plenty
thanks a lot!
You may not read this since this is an older post but I’ve now made this at least 4 or 5 times and we LOVE it! It’s become a total staple in our house. Thanks for this recipe!
So glad you love it! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Looks wonderful. For how many people is this recipe?
6-8
ABSOLUTELY wonderful. I saw this and thought hey, this might help get us out of a rut. OMG did it ever. I am so glad I doubled this. Thank you for sharing.
Valerie
Hi Katie,
This looks amazing and hope to be able to make it!
I have a question though; is this recipe able to be made without using cream and tomato paste? I am allergic to dairy and have an intolerance to tomatoes, do you think coconut milk would work as an alternative to the cream? and is tomato paste necessary?
Hope to hear a reply! Thanks 🙂
I can’t say that I’ve ever tried to make this with those limitations. Are there any non-dairy cream alternatives? I don’t think the taste of coconut milk would do well even if it was unsweetened. If you could find something thick like heavy cream but without a taste that would distract from the recipe then that would help but I don’t know about leaving the tomato paste out. Sorry I’m not more help with this. Let me know if you try anything and how it works.
I just made this for dinner and we loved it! My husband could not stop “mmmm”ing throughout the entire meal! Neither of us have had it before but we will definitely be having it regularly now. Thanks for the recipe! I’m excited to see what other amazing recipes you share on the blog. By the way, I don’t know if you’ll remember me from Houston… Does Bankhead ring a bell? 🙂
Yumi! Of course I remember your family. 🙂 It is good to hear from you and I’m glad you liked the recipe.
I’m SURE this has got to be AMAZING because I tried making this just now with about 1/3 of the ingredients and it is SO GOOD! I don’t know if I’ve been able to actually make something that tasted so good. I tried to stick to the recipe and use the amounts listed. I mostly just didn’t have all the spices and, unfortunetly, no cream available. -still yummy. I hope to make it with EVERYTHING sometime!!
Made this tonight and it turned out great! Thanks!
I make this, but with yoghurt instead of cream 🙂
I made this today. I am Indian and I must say this is THE best butter chicken recipe out there. It was DELICIOUS! I made very small modifications but generally stuck to the instructions. It’s as good as the restaurants. I have been looking for a good BC recipe for some time and I finally found it. My picky daughter just LOVED IT and thanked me a couple of times for making a “really tasty” dinner. Its ironic how I found the best BC recipe from a non-Indian website! LOL! Thank You!!
I make a similar recipe to yours. One of the differences is that I add ground up cashews to the dish at the end to thicken it up. I cannot wait to try your version. Indian Butter Chicken is one of my favorite meals ever!
Thanks for your recipe. I marinated my chicken in yogurt w/ginger & garlic for a couple of hours first; and subbed cumin, coriander, and extra spices for the chili powder. Oh and an extra jalepeno & cardomom because we love them. Otherwise, I stayed pretty true to your recipe (a marvel for me). Very good, and pretty easy and quick. Kids said I’m a great Indian cook ;). Thanks again for sharing and for the beautiful site!
May I ask, did you make it in the same pan that you display it in? I’ve seen these pans at Cost Plus and wondered how they worked because they look almost too pretty to cook in.
The pan is from Cost Plus, but I did not prepare it in the pan just served it in the pan. They are small, about the size of a soup bowl.
Thanks for this! We’ve made it in the crockpot (courtesy of crockpot365.blogspot.com) but never “normally”. Reminds me to make it again! 😀
Albuquerque? Have you ever eaten at Monroe’s, on Osuna or Lomas? My aunt Kathy and uncle Miguel own them! My grandparents and other aunt and uncle are out there too. 🙂
I had never heard of your blog till Jamie(my baking addiction) mentioned it. I am so glad to find another recipe /food blog. The pics make it all the better. Thanks for this recipe my granddaughter is getting ready to move into her first house and needs lots of fast ,easy recipes.And best yet, her boyfriend is Indian.I will be checking in regularly.do you have any crockpot recipes.She goes to school and works 2 jobs. Time to cook is short.Thank you.
Thanks so much for the great recipe! I have never had this before, so I decided to make it last night for dinner. I was a little hesitant as my husband is not terribly adventurous and I do have 1 picky child. But everybody was happy and ate it! Next time I will have to try making the bread to go with it!
Hmmm… i have had this before and didn’t know that it was called Indian Butter Chicken. I had a neighbor who was Indian and she would always knock on my door for random stuff like an egg, a cup of sugar, etc. So one day, she comes knocking at my door for this tasty chicken meal that my husband and I devoured. Just looking at the recipe reminded me of the flavors that were in the dish my neighbor brought to me. 🙂 I can’t wait to try this!!! 🙂
This was so delicious! I cooked it last week and my husband is already asking when we’ll have it again. Thanks!
Used StumbleUpon and ‘liked’ your entry on Butter Chicken + Basmati rice! (link: http://www.goodlifeeats.com/2010/02/indian-butter-chicken-with-basmati-rice.html)
This was a delicious recipe and loved by my hubby. It’s in the rotation!!
Wow, this butter chicken dish looks absolutely scrumptious!!! Love the pics too!
This sounds fab! I’ve never had it before, but after seeing your drool worthy photos, it’s a recipe soon to grace my table. Thanks!
The ingredient list is almost identical to my Chicken Tikka Masala recipe, but with half the effort. I will definitely keep this one in mind for weeknights.
Ohh looks fabulous! And although it is very much like tikka masala, there are enough subtle differences in seasoning/texture that would make for a different taste. Plus, well…butter. ‘Nuff said. I know my husband will want to try this!
I’ve been dying to try this, but where on earth can I find the garam masala and cardamom?
I’ve purchased both at my regular grocery store. I shop at Smith’s (Kroger). It was in the McCormick section of the spice isle.
This recipe looks fabulous! I can’t wait to try it out, as I’ve been on a huge Indian kick lately! Quick question, the little spice jars in the first photo are adorable – I’ve been searching unsuccessfully to find something like this. Would you mind sharing your source? Thanks! 🙂
Got them at Cost Plus World Market. Enjoy! 🙂
I have a bag of cardamom pods from the first (& only) time I made Chicken Makhani (Indian Butter Chicken). The recipe called for threading the pods together for ease of removal post-cooking. It also used plain yogurt instead of cream. I have a taste for butter chicken again now! Yum!!!
Is the final product spicy? I’d love to make this (hubby & I LOVE butter chicken) but the girls don’t handle a lot of spice well. Thanks!
I am sensitive to spice and I don’t consider this spicy. It just tastes rich with flavor, if that makes sense. If you are concerned you could take out the jalapeno without side affect to the flavor of the dish. I’ve made it without before when I didn’t have it.
OMG – just made this today. Needed a tasty make ahead dinner for the husband this week, and decided to make him a batch of this.
I doubled up on the chilli powder, and dumped a PILE of cilantro in at the end – so so so so good.
It was supposed to be in the fridge….. for the husband….. but I tasted it, and we ate it for lunch!
GREAT recipe. Thanks for posting!!!!
I LOVE Indian Butter Chicken! NOM.Thank you for reminding!
One awesome recipe for sure! Try using fenugreek seeds and Kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves) while making this for an authentic flavor.
This looks wonderful, for some (dumb) reason I only eat Indian at restaurants. But the blogosphere is teaching me I can do Indian at home! GREG
What I would give to have Grumpy be willing to eat Indian food! This looks soooo good!
This is an amazing recipe… I have never heard of it before. I made it and reviewed it on my blog, I also linked back to you. Your pictures are amazing and inspiring.
Talk about a hit! After making a few Indian dishes last week, I was feeling a bit discouraged at my ability to dip my feet into the cuisine, but you've given me new hope for which I am grateful. Just had to give you a shout out here and on my blog!
This sounds so delicious and hearty-what a perfect meal to make during these chilly winter nights!
Sounds authentic as far as I can tell. thanks for sharing- full fat and all. (much tastier IMO)
this was so good – thanks for sharing. I subbed in plain fat free yogurt for the cream, so I kept the thickness and flavour without the extra calories and fat.
That looks really good!
this looks so amazing. i'm such a huge fan of indian food…and this looks as good as it gets.
This is my favorite indian dish but I have always been too scared to try it myself, lest it loose its authenticity. But this looks perfect!
I tried this today for lunch! we both liked it. I didn't have garam masala or cardamom so I just kinda winged it. Very soupy because i used skim milk instead of cream and didn't really simmer down for thickness. Otherwise, we had it with brown rice and asparagus on the side. Very yummy flavorful meal.
This looks amazing, definitely something I'm going to make. I just discovered your blog through twitter and #FF, and am loving it already! Gorgeous photography. 🙂
that looks so delicious!! i love that your recipes are recipes that i could actually see myself making. and not totally screwing up. 😉
wonderful dish! I'm normally not crazy about Indian food but this looks delicious!
This looks great! Thanks for sharing. I just found your blog… I love it! I will check back often. I also like your photos! I'll try this recipe and I'll be sure to check back with you after I make it. Thanks!
Looks very tasty, I haven't made Indian food in awhile, might be the nudge I need!
I've been wanting to make butter chicken for the longest time. I find it interesting that you didn't use fenugreek leaves and cashew paste, which are usually requisite ingredients in this dish (I had to make a special trip to get those ingredients, so I remember that all too well haha). Anyway, your dish looks amazing. I love the dish you used for the photos.
There is nothing here that I wouldn't like. Butter, what more do you have to say? I have never had this dish in a restaurant either. From the sound of it, the homemade one is probably a lot better. Gosh, this must have been extra tasty with sleepless nights and a newborn. I was soooo hungry back then!!
OH i love butter chicken and make it many a times for many a party and am asked to make it too for friends and yeah i too love it with basmati rice or plain rotis with loads of onion ,lemon salad and indian dahi….Love ur pics so so so much…love ur set of measuring spoons ,can i ask ya from where u got 'em or what brand they are…very neat and cute too!!!!
OK, I've never heard of Indian butter chicken (is it the same thing as Chicken Korma? It looks kind of like Tikka Masala. And it looks fantastic.)Definitely going on my list.:)
This looks SO yummy…I love Indian food, tomato cream sauces, Basmati rice, and basically every other ingredient in this recipe. Must try it soon!
I don't think I've ever had butter chicken too. I've had something similar though – I'm totally in love with the flavor combos here.
awesome katie. i always enjoy a good butter chicken. funny thing is in my family it was never made at home but rather a dish we enjoyed at restaurants. i broke that tradition LOL and make it often at home. there's a nice recipe on my blog too, which you might enjoy.