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Indian Butter Chicken Recipe

Indian Butter Chicken Recipe
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★★★★★

4.9 from 26 reviews

This authentic Indian Butter Chicken recipe offers a rich, creamy, and flavorful curry made with tender chicken breasts simmered in a spiced tomato sauce. Perfectly balanced with curry powder, garam masala, garlic, ginger, and tangy yogurt, this dish can be prepared using a slow cooker, stovetop, or Instant Pot for convenience. Serve over hot cooked rice or cauliflower rice with naan bread and garnish with fresh cilantro and toasted sesame seeds for a hearty and satisfying meal.

Ingredients

Scale

Vegetables

  • 2 medium yellow onions, peeled, cut in half and sliced (~13 oz)
  • 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
  • 3 medium carrots, diced (5–6 oz)

Chicken

  • 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast, cubed

Tomato Base

  • 1 (15-oz) can tomato sauce
  • 1 (6-oz) can tomato paste
  • Juice of ½ lemon

Spices and Flavors

  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger (~2-inch piece)
  • 3 tablespoons curry powder
  • 2 teaspoons garam masala
  • ½ teaspoon fine salt
  • 1 tablespoon salted butter, chilled and cut into pieces

Dairy

  • ½ cup plain Greek yogurt (whole, low-fat, or fat-free)
  • ½ cup half-and-half

Instructions

  1. Prepare onions: In the bottom of a 6-quart or 8-quart slow cooker, place and layer the sliced onions evenly to form a base for the chicken mixture.
  2. Combine chicken mixture: In a large bowl, combine the cubed boneless chicken breast, diced red bell pepper, diced carrots, tomato sauce, tomato paste, lemon juice, minced garlic, minced ginger, curry powder, garam masala, and salt. Toss until all ingredients are well incorporated and coated.
  3. Layer in slow cooker: Add the prepared chicken and vegetable mixture on top of the sliced onions in the slow cooker, distributing evenly.
  4. Add butter: Dot the chilled pieces of salted butter over the top of the marinated chicken mixture to enhance richness and flavor during cooking.
  5. Cook: Cover the slow cooker with its lid and cook on high for 4 ½ hours or on low for 6 ½ hours, allowing the chicken to become tender and flavors to meld.
  6. Finish slow cooker dish: Once cooking is complete, remove the lid and stir all the ingredients thoroughly so they are well combined. Turn off the slow cooker.
  7. Incorporate dairy: Let the mixture cool for about 5-10 minutes until the liquid stops simmering and steaming to prevent curdling. Then, stir in the Greek yogurt and half-and-half gently until the sauce becomes creamy and consistent.
  8. Serve: Plate the butter chicken over hot cooked rice or cauliflower rice. Optionally, serve with naan bread and garnish with freshly chopped cilantro and toasted sesame seeds for a vibrant finish.
  9. Alternative stovetop method – sauté vegetables: Place a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add 2 teaspoons olive oil. When hot, add sliced onions, diced bell pepper, and carrots. Cook for 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until veggies are tender.
  10. Sauté chicken and spices: Add the cubed chicken, curry powder, garam masala, tomato sauce, tomato paste, and 1 cup water to the pot. Stir well to combine all ingredients.
  11. Add butter and simmer: Dot the butter pieces on top, cover the pot with a lid and reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Cook uncovered for about 20 minutes until chicken is fully cooked.
  12. Finish stovetop dish: Remove the lid, stir the mixture until well combined, and turn off the heat.
  13. Cool and add dairy: Allow the butter chicken to cool for 5-10 minutes until liquid stops simmering, then stir in the yogurt and half-and-half, taking care to avoid curdling.
  14. Serve stovetop version: Serve hot over rice or cauliflower rice with naan and garnished with cilantro and toasted sesame seeds.
  15. Instant Pot preparation – mix ingredients: Place onions, chicken, bell pepper, carrots, tomato sauce, tomato paste, lemon juice, garlic, ginger, curry powder, garam masala, salt, and butter into the Instant Pot’s inner pot. Stir until mixed well.
  16. Add water and stir: Add ½ cup water, stirring again to ensure there is sufficient liquid at the bottom to prevent burning.
  17. Cook under pressure: Secure the Instant Pot lid and cook on high pressure for 10 minutes.
  18. Release pressure: When cooking completes, quickly release pressure, remove the lid, and stir to allow steam to escape from the mixture.
  19. Cool before adding dairy: Let the butter chicken rest in the Instant Pot for 10-15 minutes while stirring occasionally to further release steam and prevent yogurt curdling.
  20. Incorporate yogurt and half-and-half: After cooling, stir in the Greek yogurt and half-and-half until the sauce is creamy and homogeneous.
  21. Serve Instant Pot version: Serve over steamed rice or cauliflower rice with naan bread and garnish with fresh cilantro and toasted sesame seeds.

Notes

  • Allowing the butter chicken mixture to cool before adding yogurt and half-and-half prevents the dairy from curdling.
  • Freshly chopped cilantro and toasted sesame seeds add color, texture, and additional flavor as a garnish.
  • This recipe is versatile and can be cooked in a slow cooker, on the stovetop, or using an Instant Pot to suit your kitchen setup and time constraints.
  • Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheated gently to preserve creaminess.
  • For a richer flavor, use whole milk Greek yogurt and full-fat half-and-half, but low-fat or fat-free versions also work well.

Nutrition

Keywords: Indian butter chicken, slow cooker butter chicken, Instant Pot butter chicken, creamy chicken curry, garam masala chicken, Indian curry recipe

Find it online: https://chefmilacook.com/indian-butter-chicken-recipe/