This butter chicken skips the overnight marinade, so it suits a Diwali dinner or a Friday night in. Pieces of chicken thigh are tossed in yoghurt and spices while the onion softens in butter, then simmer in passata until tender. Cream and a last knob of butter turn the sauce smooth, orange and mild. It takes 30 minutes in one pan, and rice cooks in the same time.
Why this works
Most versions marinate the chicken for hours. Here the thigh pieces cook through in the sauce itself, so they take on its flavour as they simmer, and thigh stays juicy for the 12 minutes it needs where breast would start to dry out.
The spices fry in butter for a minute before the passata goes in, which takes away their raw edge. Passata gives a smooth sauce with no blending, and the cream and final knob of butter soften the sharpness of the tomato.
Key ingredients
- Chicken thighs. Boneless and skinless. They stay tender through the simmer. Breast works if cut larger and checked early.
- Garam masala. A warm spice blend. Half goes on the chicken and half into the finished sauce, where its aroma stays fresh.
- Passata. Sieved tomatoes. They give a smooth, bright sauce in minutes.
- Butter and cream. The butter carries the spices and the cream softens the tomato. Double cream can simmer without splitting.
Amounts for 2 to 12 people are in the recipe card below, in grams or cups.
Method
- 01
Soften the onion
Melt half the butter in a large, deep frying pan over a medium heat. Cook the onion for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring now and then, until soft and golden.
- 02
Coat the chicken
As soon as the onion is in, cut the chicken into bite sized pieces and toss in a bowl with the yoghurt, half the garam masala, the turmeric, cumin, chilli powder and a pinch of salt.
- 03
Chop the garlic
While the onion cooks, peel the garlic, drop the cloves into the chopper and roll it on the worktop until fine.
Rolling Garlic Chopper - 04
Grate the ginger
Grate the ginger on the rasp, which leaves the stringy fibres behind. Stir the garlic and ginger into the onion and cook for 1 minute.
Rasp Zester and Fine Grater - 05
Cook the chicken
Add the chicken with all its coating and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring, until white all over.
- 06
Simmer
Stir in the passata and sugar. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 12 minutes, stirring now and then, until the sauce has thickened and the chicken is cooked through to 75掳C.
- 07
Finish with cream
Stir in the cream, the rest of the butter and the rest of the garam masala, and simmer for 2 minutes. Season with salt. Serve with a swirl of cream, coriander leaves, rice and naan.
What to serve it with
With basmati rice and warm garlic naan, as in the photo. For another fakeaway night, try the chicken katsu curry.
Storing and reheating
- Fridge
- Cool quickly, cover and eat within 2 days. Keep leftover rice separately and eat it within 1 day.
- Freezer
- Freeze in portions for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight.
- Reheat
- In a pan over a low heat, stirring, until piping hot all the way through. Reheat rice once only.
Questions
No. Tossing it in yoghurt and spices while the onion cooks gives it plenty of flavour in 30 minutes. If you have time, cover it and leave it in the fridge for a few hours first.
Yes. Cut it into larger pieces and start checking it after 8 minutes of simmering, as breast dries out sooner than thigh.
Butter chicken has a milder, sweeter sauce rich with butter and cream. Tikka masala is usually spicier, with more onion in the sauce.
Yes, for up to 3 months. Cool it quickly, freeze it in portions and defrost it in the fridge overnight before reheating until piping hot.
Recipe
Butter chicken in 30 minutes
Chicken thighs simmered in a buttery, spiced tomato and cream sauce, with no marinating. On the table in 30 minutes. By Tom Reid.
- Prep
- 5 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 30 min
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
Method
- 01Melt half the butter in a large, deep frying pan over a medium heat. Cook the onion for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring now and then, until soft and golden.
- 02As soon as the onion is in, cut the chicken into bite sized pieces and toss in a bowl with the yoghurt, half the garam masala, the turmeric, cumin, chilli powder and a pinch of salt.
- 03While the onion cooks, peel the garlic, drop the cloves into the chopper and roll it on the worktop until fine.
- 04Grate the ginger on the rasp, which leaves the stringy fibres behind. Stir the garlic and ginger into the onion and cook for 1 minute.
- 05Add the chicken with all its coating and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring, until white all over.
- 06Stir in the passata and sugar. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 12 minutes, stirring now and then, until the sauce has thickened and the chicken is cooked through to 75掳C.
- 07Stir in the cream, the rest of the butter and the rest of the garam masala, and simmer for 2 minutes. Season with salt. Serve with a swirl of cream, coriander leaves, rice and naan.
