Sandra Butter chicken is a classic Indian curry featuring tender chicken thighs marinated in spiced yoghurt and simmered in a creamy, buttery tomato sauce. This rich main course pairs juicy meat with aromatic spices, fresh ginger, single cream, and toasted cashew nuts.
I’ve tried a few versions of butter chicken and this one is the one I keep going back to because it balances the vibrant spices with a silky sauce that coats the meat without tasting heavy. The first time I made this, I rushed the chicken skin and didn’t let the meat char in the pan. Now I always brown the chicken over high heat until dark spots form. That’s the difference between authentic smoky depth and plain boiled poultry.
The cashew nuts are doing more work than you’d think. Without them, the blended tomato sauce lacks the thick, velvety body that defines this restaurant staple. I ground the nuts down with the liquid until completely smooth before passing the mixture through a sieve to trap any grainy pieces. This extra care ensures your sauce stays perfectly glossy when you add the single cream at the end.
Butter Chicken Ingredients
For the Chicken Marinade
- 750g (1lb 10oz) boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 tbsp full-fat yoghurt
- 1 tsp mild chilli powder
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- ½ tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp salt
For the Sauce
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 50g (2oz) butter
- 200ml (7fl oz) single cream
- 1 tsp mild chilli powder
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 2 large tomatoes, chopped
- 30g (1oz) cashew nuts
- 120ml (4fl oz) water
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
For the Naan Bread
- 1 sachet (7g) dried yeast
- 120ml (4fl oz) warm water
- 1 tsp caster sugar
- 240g (8½oz) full-fat yoghurt
- 1½ tsp salt
- 4 tbsp vegetable oil
- 450g (1lb) strong bread flour
- Extra plain flour, for dusting
For the Naan Topping
- 25g (1oz) butter, melted
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 tbsp fresh coriander, finely chopped
How To Make Butter Chicken
- Marinate the chicken: Mix the chicken thighs, full-fat yoghurt, chilli powder, ground ginger, crushed garlic, garam masala, and salt together in a large glass bowl until well coated. Cover with clingfilm and chill in the fridge for at least one hour.
- Start the naan dough: Stir the dried yeast, warm water, and caster sugar together in a small jug and let it sit for ten minutes until a thick foam forms on the top. Pour the yeast liquid into a large mixing bowl with the yoghurt, salt, and vegetable oil, then mix well with a wooden spoon. Add the strong bread flour gradually, work the mixture into a soft dough, and knead on a floured surface for eight minutes until stretchy. Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover with a damp kitchen towel, and let it rise for one hour until doubled in size.
- Cook the flatbreads: Divide the risen naan dough into eight equal balls and use a rolling pin to flatten each piece on a floured surface into an oval shape about half a centimetre thick. Heat a dry frying pan over high heat on the hob, drop one piece of dough inside, and cook for two minutes until large bubbles puff up on top. Flip the flatbread over, cook the other side for another minute until dark brown spots appear, then stack the hot bread under a clean tea towel to keep it soft. Mix the melted butter, crushed garlic, and chopped coriander together in a small bowl, then brush this mixture over both sides of each hot naan.
- Brown the meat: Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat on the hob, drop the marinated chicken pieces inside, and cook for about eight minutes, turning frequently, until the edges char. Remove the cooked chicken chunks from the pan with a slotted spoon and set them aside on a clean plate.
- Build the sauce: Drop the chopped onion and butter into the same pan and fry for five minutes over medium heat until the onion bits turn soft and golden brown. Stir in the chopped tomatoes, crushed garlic, chilli powder, garam masala, ground ginger, cashew nuts, and water, then cover with a lid and simmer gently for 15 minutes.
- Finish the curry: Pour the hot tomato mixture into a food blender, process until completely liquid, and pass it through a fine sieve back into the saucepan. Pour the single cream into the smooth sauce, bring to a gentle simmer on low heat, then slide the browned chicken pieces back into the pan. Simmer the curry uncovered for 15 minutes until the chicken cooks through and the sauce thickens slightly, then serve alongside the warm garlic naan bread.
Recipe Tips
- Char the chicken thoroughly. Keep the pan hot when searing the meat because those dark burnt spots give the curry its classic smoky takeaway flavour.
- Sieve the blended sauce. Make sure you press the hot tomato and cashew mixture through a fine wire mesh to remove the fibrous tomato skins.
- Activate the yeast properly. Use lukewarm water that feels comfortable on your wrist because boiling water kills the yeast and cold water won’t wake it up.
- Keep the flatbreads covered. Wrap the cooked naan bread inside a thick fabric napkin immediately after frying to trap the steam and stop the crust hardening.
- Prepare the marinade early. Leave the chicken thighs in the spiced yoghurt mixture overnight in the fridge because the lactic acid needs time to soften the meat fibres.
What To Serve With Butter Chicken
Serve this rich curry alongside fluffy basmati rice or spiced pilau rice to soak up the creamy tomato sauce. A spoonful of cool cucumber raita and some sweet mango chutney balance the warm spices beautifully.
You can also add a side of crispy onion bhajis or vegetable samosas for extra crunch. A cold bottle of lager or a glass of dry white wine pairs nicely with the buttery texture of the dish.
How To Store Butter Chicken
Fridge
Keep the cooled curry in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. Wrap the leftover naan bread separately in foil and store it at room temperature for 24 hours.
Reheat
Pour the leftover curry into a saucepan with two tablespoons of water and stir constantly over low heat on the hob for ten minutes until steaming. You can use a microwave for two minutes on high power, but stop to stir halfway through so the cream does not split. Warm the naan bread in a dry frying pan for one minute on each side.
Freeze
Freeze the curry inside a plastic container for up to two months, making sure it cools completely before sealing. Defrost the container overnight in the fridge before heating, but do not freeze the cooked naan bread as it turns dry and crumbly.
Butter Chicken Nutrition Facts
Per serving (1 of 4): Calories: 620, Protein: 42g, Fat: 36g, Carbohydrates: 32g, Sugar: 6g, Sodium: 980mg. Estimated. May vary based on ingredients and cooking methods.
FAQs
The hob was likely too hot when you added the dairy or you used single cream that boiled too fast. Always turn the heat down to low before stirring the cream into the tomato base.
Yes, you can use chicken breast, but you must reduce the simmering time in the final step to eight minutes so the white meat does not dry out.
Let the sauce simmer uncovered on low heat for an extra ten minutes so the excess liquid evaporates naturally.
Butter Chicken Recipe
Description
Tender chicken thighs seared until charred and simmered in a smooth, buttery tomato and cashew sauce alongside homemade garlic coriander naan bread.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Mix chicken thighs with 2 tablespoons yoghurt, 1 teaspoon chilli powder, half a teaspoon ginger, 2 crushed garlic cloves, half a teaspoon garam masala, and 1 teaspoon salt, then chill for an hour.
- Whisk dried yeast, warm water, and caster sugar, then mix with remaining yoghurt, salt, oil, and strong bread flour to form a smooth dough and rise for an hour.
- Divide dough into eight balls, roll into flat ovals, and fry in a hot pan for two minutes per side before brushing with melted butter, remaining crushed garlic, and coriander.
- Fry marinated chicken pieces in a hot pan for eight minutes until charred, then remove and set aside on a plate.
- Cook chopped onion and 50g butter for five minutes, add tomatoes, remaining garlic, spices, cashew nuts, and water, then simmer covered for 15 minutes.
- Blend tomato mixture until smooth, pass through a sieve, stir in single cream and cooked chicken, then simmer on low heat for 15 minutes before serving.
