Curry · indian cuisine
Creamy Butter Chicken (Murgh Makhani)
Marinate, char, strain the gravy. The velvet texture is technique, not just cream.
From my kitchen notebook
I char the marinated chicken under a grill first — without that edge, the gravy tastes sweet but flat. Kasuri methi goes in off the heat.
Recipe card
Why this recipe works
Butter chicken became famous for a reason: it is comfort with polish. The sauce should taste of slow tomatoes and warm spice, not ketchup. I roast or pan-char the marinated chicken so the edges catch, then fold it into a strained gravy that feels expensive even on a Tuesday.
Straining is the restaurant move people skip. It turns a homemade sauce into something that coats the spoon like velvet. Kasuri methi at the end is the perfume — I crush it between my palms right over the pan.
Cream goes in last, on low heat. Boil it hard and the sauce can split. I want silk, not scrambled dairy.
What I watch in the pan
- Char on the chicken — pale boiled pieces taste flat in makhani gravy.
- Strain the blended tomato-cashew base; that is the silk.
- A pinch of sugar if the tomatoes are sharp; taste before cream.
- Kasuri methi and cream only at the end, off a rolling boil.
Ingredients
- 600g boneless chicken, cubed
- 1 cup yoghurt
- 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
- 1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 4 large tomatoes, pureed
- 2 onions, sliced
- 3 tbsp butter
- ½ cup cashews
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp sugar
- Salt to taste
- Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek) for garnish
Step-by-step method
Marinate chicken in yoghurt, ginger-garlic paste, chilli powder, garam masala, and salt for 30 min.- Grill or pan-fry chicken until charred on the edges. Set aside.
- In a separate pan, melt butter. Fry onions until brown. Add tomatoes and cashews, cook 15 min.
Cool the sauce, then blend to a smooth paste. Strain through a sieve for a silky texture.- Return the strained sauce to the pan. Add chilli powder, garam masala, sugar and salt.
- Add the cooked chicken pieces. Simmer 10 minutes on low heat.
Pour in cream, add crushed kasuri methi. Stir and cook 3 more minutes. Serve with naan.
Estimated nutrition
About 420 calories per serving (based on 4 servings). Values are estimates for home cooks and vary by brands, oil used, and portion size — not lab-analysed.
Bowl and leftovers
I ladle it into a wide bowl with soft naan or jeera rice. A little gravy on the plate for mopping is half the point.
Leftovers keep overnight in the fridge and often taste rounder the next day. Reheat gently with a splash of water or cream so it does not seize. Freeze the gravy alone if you want a head start for another batch of chicken.
Butter chicken questions
No cashews?
Blanched almonds work, or a spoon of cream and a knob of butter for body. The sauce will be a touch less nutty, still good.
Skip straining?
You can, if you blend very smooth. I still strain when I want restaurant silk — skins and cashew grit disappear through the sieve.
Bone-in?
Yes. Thighs on the bone take longer to cook through after charring. Simmer in the gravy until tender; the flavour is deeper.
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