Go Back
–+ servings
A serving of butter chicken with white basmati rice and garlic cilantro naan on the side.
Print Recipe
5 from 2 votes

Murgh Makhani (Indian Butter Chicken)

An incredibly popular Indian curry dish, Murgh Makhani (aka Butter Chicken) features succulent bites of chicken marinated in yogurt and a myriad of warm spices. It's finished in a creamy, silky-smooth tomato sauce enriched with butter, ginger and garlic.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Marinating Time2 hours
Total Time2 hours 35 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 278kcal
Author: Victoria

Ingredients

Chicken Marinade:

  • ½ cup plain full-fat yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon crushed or finely minced garlic (or garlic puree)
  • 1 tablespoon grated or minced fresh ginger (or ginger puree)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
  • ½ teaspoon kashmiri chili powder or cayenne pepper
  • 1 ½ pounds (680 grams) skinless, boneless chicken breasts, tenders, or thighs cut into bite-size pieces

Butter Chicken:

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter or ghee
  • 1 tablespoon crushed or finely minced garlic (or garlic puree)
  • 1 tablespoon grated or minced fresh ginger (or ginger puree)
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • ½ teaspoon ground coriander
  • ¼ to ½ teaspoon kashmiri chili powder or cayenne pepper or to taste
  • 2 ¾ cups (One 24-ounce/690 gram bottle) tomato passata (tomato puree)
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt (preferably Diamond Crystal brand, or use ¾ teaspoon Morton’s brand)
  • 1 teaspoon sugar or honey (or more if desired)
  • Chopped cilantro for garnish (optional)

Instructions

  • To marinate the chicken, combine the yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, ginger, and spices in a medium bowl or large ziploc bag and then add the chicken, stirring to coat evenly. Cover the bowl or seal the bag and refrigerate for at least 2 hours but preferably overnight (12 to 24 hours).
  • Remove the chicken from the fridge 30 minutes before you plan to cook it (to take some of the chill off). Preheat the oven to 425°F. Grease a baking sheet or line it with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
  • Arrange the chicken pieces on the baking sheet, leaving some space in between the pieces. You don't need to wipe the marinade off the chicken, but also don’t add the remaining marinade to the baking sheet. You can discard the rest.
  • Roast for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until the chicken pieces are cooked through (dark meat will take longer than white meat). They may not brown, but that's ok.
  • Meanwhile, in a medium-large pot over medium heat, melt the butter and add the garlic and ginger, cooking for about 1 minute. Add the spices and cook for another 15 to 30 seconds until fragrant.
  • Stir in the tomato passata, cream, salt and sugar. (Tip: Add about ¼ cup water to the empty passata jar, screw on the lid, give it a couple of shakes and then pour out the last of the diluted passata into the pot--no waste!). Once it starts bubbling, lower the heat and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes.
  • Add the roasted chicken pieces, leaving behind any accumulated juices, and continue to simmer on low heat another few minutes until the sauce is thick and velvety and nicely coats the chicken. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
  • Serve topped with chopped cilantro, if desired, with basmati rice and/or naan.

Notes

  • Store leftover butter chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave or in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring regularly.
  • I love how saucy my murgh makhani recipe is! There's a lot of delicious sauce for soaking into your basmati rice or scooping up with naan. That being said, you could definitely bump up the amount of chicken to 1 ¾ to 2 pounds and still have ample sauce. But you may need to slightly increase the amount of marinade if you do.
  • Tomato passata is a tomato puree and works great in this murgh makhani recipe since it’s already velvety smooth.
    • If you use something chunkier like crushed tomatoes, add them to a food processor or blender before using to yield the silkiest sauce. Your resulting sauce may still end up thicker than if you used tomato passata as the recipe recommends. You may need to thin it out a little.
    • You could also make your own tomato puree with fresh tomatoes, however it will take a lot longer to cook it down to evaporate enough water and get the desired thickness. You'll also need to strain out the seeds. This is why I love the shortcut of store-bought tomato passata!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 278kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 95mg | Sodium: 803mg | Potassium: 272mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g