Butter chicken is the dish that turns a Tuesday into a treat: tender chicken in a silky, orange tomato-cream sauce, warm with garam masala and finished with a spoonful of butter. Many recipes call for an overnight yogurt marinade and enough chicken to feed a small party. This one is built for a weeknight and for two people. It uses 12 ounces of boneless chicken thighs, one skillet and about 35 minutes, with the spices toasted right in the pan so the sauce still tastes deep and rounded. Spoon it over rice or tear into warm naan, and you have a restaurant-style dinner at home without a stack of dishes.
Why you’ll like it
- Made for two: 12 ounces of chicken and 1/2 cup of cream make two generous servings, not a week of leftovers.
- No marinade required: the chicken is browned first and finishes cooking in the sauce, so you can start after work.
- One skillet: browning, saucing and simmering all happen in the same pan.
- Mild and creamy: warm spices and a little sugar balance the tomato, with only a gentle heat.
- Pantry-friendly: most of the ingredients are spices and staples you may already own.
What makes it work
Boneless chicken thighs. Thighs have more fat than breasts, so the pieces stay juicy during a simmer in the sauce. They are also forgiving: a minute or two over will not turn them dry.
Browning first. Searing the chicken in butter and oil gives it color and flavor, and the browned bits left in the pan flavor the sauce. The pieces only need to be browned in places, not cooked through, because they finish in the sauce.
Toasting the spices. Garam masala, cumin, chili powder and turmeric spend a minute in the hot fat with the onion, garlic and ginger. That short toast wakes up their aroma and takes away any raw, dusty edge.
Tomato two ways. A spoonful of tomato paste, cooked for a minute, brings depth, and plain tomato sauce gives body. Together they make the sauce taste long-simmered without the wait.
Cream and butter at the end. The cream goes in at a gentle simmer so it stays smooth, and the last tablespoon of butter plus a squeeze of lime makes the sauce glossy and bright.
How it’s sized for two
Most of the popular butter chicken recipes serve three to six people. Halving the chicken and spices from a recipe that serves six lands at 12 ounces of chicken, which is a hearty portion for two, and the sauce is scaled with it: 1/2 cup of tomato sauce, 1/2 cup of cream, 1 tablespoon of tomato paste and 1 1/2 teaspoons of garam masala.
A 10-inch skillet with sides is the right size. A very large pan lets the sauce spread thin and scorch, while a small saucepan crowds the chicken so it steams instead of browning. In the skillet the sauce reduces at just the right pace while the chicken simmers for 10 to 12 minutes.
If you have time to plan ahead, you can toss the chicken with some plain yogurt and the spices and refrigerate it for several hours first. The recipes that use a yogurt marinade do so for 3 to 12 hours. It is a nice extra, but this version does not need it.
Ingredients for butter chicken
Exact amounts are in the recipe card below. Here is how to choose each one.
- Chicken thighs: boneless and skinless, trimmed of any big pieces of fat and cut into 1-inch pieces so they cook evenly.
- Butter and oil: the oil keeps the butter from burning during the sear, and the butter adds richness.
- Onion, garlic and ginger: half a small onion, finely diced, with a clove of garlic and a teaspoon of fresh ginger. Finely diced onion melts into the sauce.
- Spices: garam masala is the star, with ground cumin, chili powder and turmeric. Check that the chili powder is a plain ground chile rather than a seasoned taco blend.
- Tomato paste and tomato sauce: plain tomato sauce or passata with no added herbs or sugar.
- Heavy cream: its fat keeps the sauce from splitting. Half-and-half is thinner and more likely to separate.
- Sugar and lime: a small amount of sugar softens the tomato’s acidity, and a squeeze of lime at the end brightens everything.
- To serve: cooked basmati rice or warm naan.
How to make butter chicken
- Pat the chicken dry and season it with salt and pepper.
- Brown the chicken in butter and oil, then set it aside.
- Cook the onion, then toast the garlic, ginger and spices.
- Cook the tomato paste, add the tomato sauce, then stir in the cream and sugar.
- Return the chicken and simmer gently until the sauce is thick and the chicken is done.
- Swirl in butter and lime and serve with rice or naan.
Step-by-step notes
Browning. Pat the chicken dry so it browns rather than steams, and cook it in one layer for 3 to 4 minutes, turning once. The pieces will look golden in spots and still be raw inside. That is exactly right.
Building the sauce. Cook the onion for 4 minutes until it is soft and translucent, then stir in the garlic, ginger and spices for 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and let it cook for 1 minute so it darkens a shade, then add the tomato sauce and simmer for 2 minutes.
Adding the cream. Pour in the cream and stir in the sugar, then wait for a gentle simmer, with small bubbles around the edges. Avoid a hard boil, which can make the sauce split.
Simmering. Return the chicken and its juices to the skillet and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring now and then. The sauce should turn from pale to a deeper orange and thicken enough to coat the back of a spoon. Use an instant-read thermometer to confirm the thickest piece of chicken reaches 165°F.
Finishing. Off the heat, swirl in the last tablespoon of butter and a squeeze of lime. Taste, and add a pinch of salt if it needs it.
Tips and variations
- Marinate if you can. Tossing the chicken with a few spoonfuls of plain yogurt and the spices for several hours gives extra tenderness and flavor, but it is optional.
- Dial the heat. Increase the chili powder, or add a pinch of cayenne at the end, for a spicier sauce. Reduce it for a milder one.
- Keep the sauce smooth. Cook the cream at a gentle simmer and stir often.
- Thin it out. If the sauce thickens too much, stir in a splash of water or cream.
- Add vegetables. A handful of frozen peas or a few spinach leaves stirred in at the end adds color.
- Use breast meat carefully. If you only have chicken breast, cut it into slightly larger pieces and check it a few minutes early, since it dries out more easily.
What to serve with it
Butter chicken is made for soaking things up.
- Basmati rice: fluffy and fragrant, it is the classic partner for the sauce.
- Warm naan: tear off pieces to scoop up every drop.
- A simple cucumber salad: sliced cucumber with a little lemon juice and salt adds a cool, crisp contrast.
- Steamed or roasted vegetables: broccoli or cauliflower pair well with the creamy sauce.
Finish with a few chopped cilantro leaves if you have them.
Storage and leftover tomato paste
Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in an airtight container and eat them within 3 to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stove until hot throughout, to 165°F, adding a splash of cream or water if the sauce has thickened. Butter chicken tastes even better the next day, once the spices have settled.
The recipe uses only a tablespoon of tomato paste from a larger can. Refrigerate the rest in a covered container, or spoon it onto a tray in tablespoon-size portions, freeze it, and move the frozen portions to a bag for soups, stews and sauces later.
A pan of glossy, fragrant sauce, a pot of rice and the whole evening ahead of you: this is the kind of dinner that feels like more effort than it was.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a simple butter chicken recipe without a marinade?
Yes. This recipe skips the long marinade: the chicken is browned first, then simmered in the sauce, so the flavor comes from toasted spices, tomato paste and cream. You can still add a yogurt marinade if you have several hours to spare.
What are the main ingredients in butter chicken?
Chicken, butter, tomato, cream and a warm spice blend such as garam masala, usually with onion, garlic and ginger. This small version adds cumin, chili powder, turmeric, a little sugar and lime.
How do I keep butter chicken sauce from splitting?
Add the cream once the sauce is at a gentle simmer, use heavy cream, and avoid a hard boil afterward. Stir often and keep the heat at medium or lower.
What should I serve with butter chicken?
Basmati rice and warm naan are the classics. A cucumber salad or simple roasted vegetables add a fresh contrast to the creamy sauce.
Can I use chicken breast instead of thighs?
Yes, but breast meat dries out more easily, so cut it into slightly larger pieces and check the temperature a few minutes early. It is done at 165°F.
Print
Butter Chicken for Two
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings
Description
Weeknight butter chicken for two: browned chicken thighs simmered in a creamy tomato-garam masala sauce, finished with butter and lime.
Ingredients
- 12 ounces boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons butter, divided
- 1/2 small yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- 1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1/2 cup plain tomato sauce or passata
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- a squeeze of lime juice
- cooked basmati rice or warm naan, to serve
Instructions
- Pat the chicken dry and season with the salt and pepper.
- Heat the oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook, turning once, for 3 to 4 minutes, until browned in places but not cooked through. Transfer to a plate.
- Lower the heat to medium. Add the onion to the skillet and cook for 4 minutes, stirring, until soft. Stir in the garlic, ginger, garam masala, cumin, chili powder and turmeric and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, then pour in the tomato sauce and simmer for 2 minutes. Stir in the cream and sugar and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Return the chicken and any juices to the skillet. Simmer gently, uncovered and stirring now and then, for 10 to 12 minutes, until the sauce is thick enough to coat the spoon and the chicken reaches 165°F.
- Turn off the heat and swirl in the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and a squeeze of lime juice. Taste and add salt if needed. Serve over rice or with naan.
Notes
Equipment: 10-inch skillet with sides, wooden spoon, instant-read thermometer
- Boneless thighs stay juicy in the sauce; breast meat dries out more easily.
- Keep the sauce at a gentle simmer after the cream goes in. A hard boil can make it split.
- For deeper flavor, toss the chicken with a few spoonfuls of plain yogurt and the spices and refrigerate for several hours before cooking; the recipes that marinate do so for 3 to 12 hours.
- Leftover tomato paste: refrigerate it covered, or freeze it in tablespoon-size portions to use in soups and sauces.
- Add cayenne at the end for more heat.
- Doneness: The chicken is done when an instant-read thermometer in a thick piece reads 165°F, and the sauce is a rich orange that coats the back of a spoon.
- Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in an airtight container and eat within 3 to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stove to 165°F, adding a splash of cream or water if the sauce has thickened.
- Cook chicken to an internal temperature of 165°F and refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours (USDA FSIS).
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Indian-inspired
