Butter Chicken Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the sauce in butter chicken made of? ›

Butter chicken sauce is made of sauteed onions, tomato puree, and lots of spices. It's finished at the end with a smattering of heavy cream and some fenugreek leaves.

You don't have to dash out to the store if you're out of tomato paste; tomato sauce and tomato puree are both an excellent substitute. For every 1 tablespoon of tomato paste needed, use 3 tablespoons of tomato puree or sauce.

Butter Chicken is best served with Jeera rice , Turmeric Rice, plain fluffy Basmati Rice, Tandoori Roti, Naan or Paratha.

Ingredients You'll Need

Chicken – You'll need boneless and skinless chicken breast – cubed. You can sub it with chicken thighs. Yogurt – Plain yogurt or sour cream will work.

I wanted to create a slightly healthier version that still tasted like an authentic butter chicken recipe. First, this recipe only uses 2 tablespoons of butter and a can of evaporated milk instead of heavy cream. You can also use coconut milk, but it will give it a slightly coconut flavor.

Yep, ketchup makes a surprisingly adequate tomato paste alternative! Since ketchup is already quite concentrated, you can substitute from the bottle using a 1:1 ratio (if your recipe calls for one tablespoon of tomato paste, use one tablespoon of ketchup).

If you have a can of tomato paste in your pantry, you are in luck—this is the best substitution for tomato sauce. All you need is the tomato paste and water. Mix together 1 part tomato paste and 1 part water until well blended. Then, season your "sauce" to taste.

For this reason, ketchup is best used as a swap in recipes that already feature a degree of sweetness. Still, in a pinch, it can be used as a 1:1 substitute for tomato sauce in a variety of dishes—just use your judgment and be sure to taste as you go and adjust the seasoning accordingly.

Our meal starter spice mix combines salt, sugar, onion, and garlic with a blend of turmeric and other spices. Leading the charge to butter chicken greatness is Garam Masala, a traditional Indian spice blend of citrusy coriander, black pepper, earthy cumin, floral cardamom, and a suite of sweet spices.

How to thicken butter chicken recipe? ›

It's all about that sauce when it comes to authentic butter chicken. You'll be surprised to find that you only need an onion, a can of crushed tomatoes, garlic and ginger, and some added spices to continue those beautiful flavours in the sauce.

Yes, you can substitute sour cream! Thin it with milk or water to get the right consistency. For each cup of buttermilk needed, use 3/4 cup sour cream and 1/4 cup liquid. Editor's Tip: Sour cream has a higher fat content, so this will result in richer-tasting foods.

The secret to the tender, flavour infused chicken is a spice infused yogurt marinade made with fresh ginger, garlic, lemon juice and spices. The spices in Butter Chicken are turmeric, garam masala, chilli powder and cumin.

Plain, unstrained yogurt is best (You definitely do not want any vanilla in there.). You can use Greek yogurt, but since it contains less moisture, you'll need to loosen it with a little lemon juice or vinegar to properly coat your protein. You can marinate a whole chicken in yogurt.

Butter Chicken has a milder and creamier taste, while Tikka Masala has a spicier, earthy, and tangier taste. Butter Chicken is a buttery and creamy tomato-based sauce. At the same time, Tikka Masala has a slightly sour and tangy tomato-based sauce.

Garam masala is a spice blend widely used in Indian cuisine, from curries and lentil dishes to soups. Whole spices of cinnamon, mace, peppercorns, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, and cardamon pods are toasted in a pan to release their aromatic flavors, then ground to a powder.

Garam masala blends may include coriander seeds, mace, cumin seeds, cloves, whole black pepper, white poppy seeds, bay leaves, star anise, cinnamon sticks, black cardamom pods, and whole nutmeg.

Butter chicken is mildly spiced, whereas tikka masala has more of a kick. Chicken in tikka masala sauce tends to be more tender and juicy than butter chicken due to its marinade-containing yogurt. Butter chicken also tends to have a creamier texture.