Murgh Makhani Butter Chicken | Indian Recipes

UK curry lovers can’t seem to get enough of Chicken Tikka Masala; the one thing that gets the appetite going for most Indians undoubtedly has to be ‘Butter Chicken’ or Murgh Makhani.

Most Mughlai and Punjabi restaurants will serve you a plate of this goodness as do dhabas and street vendors. I could devour into an entire dish all by myself. Soft roomali rotis, naan or flaky parathas scooping up the thick spiced gravy of butter chicken along with succulent morsels of tandoori chicken with charred edges brings sheer delight with every mouthful. The heat/ spice of the dish combines with the rich gravy and slight sweetness that make it very hard to resist.

With most dishes that have fond memories it’s the taste that lingers on even years later. Cooking Butter Chicken at home has always for me been about getting the flavours just right and like I knew they should taste. This recipe is one that I can say is an absolute hit every single time with family and friends. There’s no calorie counting here I can tell you that now! There’s a copious quantity of butter (after all it is butter chicken!), cream and honey. But I assure you it’s worth every spoonful.

The chicken is marinated & grilled before adding it to the makhani sauce. Tandoori chicken pieces added to the sauce enhance the flavour of the overall dish. Follow my recipe for Tandoori Chicken and can even be done a few hours in advance. Once the chicken is cooked set aside and proceed to make the makhani sauce below. Fenugreek leaf powder is available at Asian stores or you can even grind dried fenugreek leaves.

Method

Follow my recipe for Tandoori Chicken in the Chicken category. This can even be done a few hours in advance. Once the chicken is cooked set aside and proceed to make the makhani sauce below
Heat a heavy bottom sauce pan and add the butter. Add green cardamom, cinnamon stick and cloves. Fry for 20 seconds, add the onions and sauté for 5-7 mins on medium heat until they take on a light brown colour.
Add the grated ginger and slit green chillies. Fry for a further minute and add the chilli powder, garam masala powder along with the tomato puree. Stir well and cook for a couple of minutes. Now gradually add the double cream stirring continuously to mix all the spices with the cream. Simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes.
At this stage add a splash of water if the curry is too thick. Stir in the honey and the fenugreek powder. Season to taste. Now add the cooked chicken pieces and simmer the curry on a low heat for 8-10 minutes. Garnish with coriander and serve with roti or paratha.

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http://www.canbebribedwithfood.com Carla

I’m completely obsessed with Butter Chicken and really miss not being able to buy it her often. The best I’ve ever had was in Nairobi a few years ago and since then I have been trying recipe after recipe to try and recreate it but to no avail.

I look forward to trying yours now!
Patrick Keville

Cooked this tonight for myself and my wife. Absolutely delicious. Looking forward to trying a few more of your recipes.
Chris Cheesman

I have made this recipe a few times now and it goes down extremely well with family and friends.
Simon

This is more or less how I make Makhani myself. But a pro chef from Punjab said that traditionally they do not add onion to the makhani gravy. Great recipe, I had to water down the tomato pure/paste (half part tomato pure and half part water). If it’s not watered down the whole dish will taste like its tainted with tomato pure.
- maunika
  
  Thank you. As mentioned in the recipe you can add a splash of water to make a thinner gravy. Also the cream helps make for a rich curry whilst diluting the tomato paste.
AZA

Hi, what kind of chicken preparation would be best for this dish and how much chicken please? thanks!
- maunika
  
  Hi, If you read the post theer is a link to my tandoori chicken recipe with all the measurements/ quantities etc. Maunika.
http://www.nellyscupcakes.co.uk Nelly Ritchie

I just have to try this! It looks so delicious.
I *may* have just gone to the Spicery and ordered some spices to give it a go! Will let you know how I get on.
Jane

Had this for supper tonight. Really enjoyed it …… Although 1/2 tbsp of honey was sweet enough for me.
Aruna

I want to try this dish, but am wondering how you got the color without adding food coloring?

Also i am in the US, so dont get Double Cream, can i use Heavy Cream instead?
- maunika
  
  Hi Aruna, Good quality tomato puree will give you that vibrant colour also the marinade in the chicken tikka pieces will enhance it. Yes of course you can substitute double cream for heavy cream. Hope you like it!
Steve wright

I’ve Never cooked I Don’t cook I can’t cook ,
Tried this and it was blooming easy and
Tasty I surprised myself, ps I never comment
On “threads” but this deserved it
- maunika
  
  Thank you so much! Very glad you enjoyed it. Maunika.
Nuurol

What else can I use to substitude Double Cream? Can I use coconut cream?
- maunika
  
  Your looking for a rich consistency and traditional butter chicken doesn’t include coconut although you can of course make it with single cream too.
Zainu

This turned out beyond delicious!!…. Thank you for sharing!
Fana

hello, I noticed that your recipe does not call for fresh tomatoes that needs to be rendered down as shown in other recipes. Will this change the flavours of the dish or will adding only tomato puree suffice?
- maunika
  
  Tomato puree does add the required colour, thickens the gravy and ofcourse is more of a concentrated alternative to fresh tomatoes. Yes it will suffice. Enjoy!
Alistair

Just tried your recipe, loved it and will definitely be making more often, thanks Maunika.
Angela

Hey Maunika,

I watched your demonstration of this butter chicken recipe with Jamie on food tube and would love to give it a go!

A few questions though,
1. Is it ok to swap whole cloves with ground clove because I have ground one in my pantry already but not whole ones? I meant, would it taste differently?
2. Cardamom pods? I have cardamom in my pantry and I am not sure where I can get the pods from. Would it make a huge difference?

Thank you!!
- maunika
  
  Hi Angela, ground clove powder can be quite overpowering for this dish and the same with ground cardamom. The whole spices lend an aromatic flavour to the curry. Most are available in supermarkets or even online. You can check the diary pages of the website for a spice guide with details of stores where you can find the spices.
Sue Maxwell

I was looking for a good butter chicken recipe and saw your demonstration on Jamie’s food tube. I’ve just made it and it is absolutely devine! I will definitely be making this again.
Jennifer

TIP: After watching the video of Maunika cook this dish with Jamie Oliver on Youtube, I realized that the tomato puree in the recipe is actually what Americans consider to be tomato paste. TOMATO PUREE = TOMATO PASTE.

Made this for dinner tonight and it was the best Indian dish I have made (right next to my mother-in-law’s chicken biryani!). My husband loved this dish and he doesn’t even like butter chicken! Will be making this again and again. Thanks Maunika!
http://Maunikagowardhan.co.uk Nat

I made this using the canned tomato paste we have here in america and added almost 2/3 cup of cream. The tomato paste was very over-powering and the dish turned out sour. Did you use crushed tomatoes as I don’t understand how the taste could vary so much.
- maunika
  
  Thanks for your comment! The recipe uses 3 tbsp. of Tomato puree to thicken and add colour to the curry. You might want to check the strength of the canned paste your using if its too strong/ tart that might be far too overpowering for the dish. The measurements for the cream are also in the recipe. So hopefully if you try it again it should turn out great.
Anna

I am very much looking forward to making this lovely dish for 6 people this weekend. How many people does your recipe serve so I know how much to multiply by? Thank you
- maunika
  
  Thank you for your enquiry. This recipe serves between 3-4 people. So its easily multiplied to feed 6. Enjoy!
Christian Jørgensen

Interesting. This is the first butter chicken recipe I have come across that uses tomato puré from a can instead freshly puréd tomatoes. Must make quite the difference in taste.

I guess instead of watering it down, one could just thin the gravy with freshly puréd tomatoes? Or is there a specific reason you don’t use fresh tomatoes in the dish?
- maunika
  
  Thank you for your comments. Tomato puree thickens the gravy and also adds the required colour for butter chicken. If you get a really good colour from fresh tomatoes you can use them instead.
Shweta

Hi maunika.. I came across this recipe through Jamie’s food tube videos and now follow you on Instagram. I have always cooked butter chicken with fresh tomatoes where I fry them first then grind so that it retains the colour… For the first time I followed your method of using purée.. It turned out lovely, so thank you for sharing. I think I added a lot of cream so the colour faded away from the one in your pic.. But overall it’s something that I would def try again.
kangna

Hi Maunika!
I came to know about you from instagram. Then I tried murg tikka and butter chicken. It was so simple and amazing-ly delicious. Thankyou for sharing your wonderful recipes and making cooking more exciting and easy.
Kolsuma

Hi, please can you give me the full recipe for the Butter Chicken. I have never made a curry before and I would to give it a try. I have seen the recipe for the sauce but I don’t know how much chicken thighs to use and the actual recipe for the chicken marinade. Thank you. 🙂
- Maunika Gowardhan
  
  Hi Kolsuma, Thank you for your comments the recipe for the Tandoori chicken is here http://maunikagowardhan.co.uk/cook-in-a-curry/tandoori-chicken-tikka-barbecue-chicken-cooked-in-a-chilli-garlic-marinade/
  And the butter chicken recipe is http://maunikagowardhan.co.uk/cook-in-a-curry/butter-chicken-murgh-makhani-chicken-cooked-in-a-spiced-tomato-gravy/
  
  Hope you enjoy it!
Csoanes

Having eaten Butter Chicken for years, we have found it to be perfect perhaps twice in restaurants and have been trying in vain to find a perfect recipe. This is phenomenal. We BBQ’d the chicken on stakes instead of using the oven and my Indian husband was almost silent in reverence the whole meal ha-ha. Thank you!!! Recommend doubling the curry and laping it up with Naan!
Lindsey

Hi, I made your butter chicken recipe last year and it was amazing. I’m making it again today for a few friends but can’t remember how much it made.. How many was it intended to serve?
- maunika
  
  Its great for 4 so you can easily double up the portions. Hope your friends enjoy it!
Ali

Can’t wait to try this recipe. What kind of chillis do you use please?
Leya

Hi Maunika, just made this after watching you on Jamies’. It turned out to be the BEST murg makhani I have ever made, and so authentic. Thanks heaps!!!
- Maunika Gowardhan
  
  Thank you and so glad you enjoyed it!
Felicity

Hi Maunika,
This looks amazing. I would love to try it, but unfortunately I have to be very careful about eating chilli as my stomach can’t handle it (gastritis). I saw the option to use mild paprika, but wondering if I could also get away with leaving the green chilli out completely?
Also can you please confirm if the tomato puree you’ve mentioned is what us Aussies call puree (simply tomatoes put through a blender) or paste (concentrated and saltier)? Thank you very much.
- Maunika Gowardhan
  
  Yes you can leave the chillies out if you prefer. The paste is thicker and makes the curry richer but if you get good quality tomatoes putting them through a blender and using them would be ideal. Enjoy!
Nad

Hi
i want To know what sort of cream Y ou use
double cream or coconut cream?
thanks
- Katie Egervari
  
  35-39% cream. I think coconut cream would give it a totally different taste, and would start venturing off into other curry types. There isn’t supposed to be a coconut flavour in this dish.
Dwayne Coker

Just made this recipe. It is an exceptionally good recipe.
Jerome Garneau

Can I replace heavy cream by plain greek yogourt ?
- Maunika Gowardhan
  
  You can either use double cream or single cream which will give it a luscious rich gravy. Yoghurt isnt normally used in a dish like this and has touch of sourness which isnt required in Butter chicken. Hope you enjoy the recipe!
Aswathy Nair

Hi Maunika, a Big Thank You for posting this recipe! I made this yesterday for my family and guests. It came out really well and was yummy. Can I double the ingredients if I am making for a larger party?
- Maunika Gowardhan
  
  How fab! So lovely to hear that. And I hope they enjoyed it too. Yes you can double them although add ground spices as per taste rather than just doubling. Enjoy!
Katie Egervari

Hi Maunika!

If I had to make this recipe 4x as large to feed many people, would I just quadruple all of the ingredients and perhaps adjust some cooking times here and there? Would it come out the same in theory, or would I run into problems? I was going to use my Le Creuset 5.2L French Oven as the cooking vessel.

I made your recipe today – without the fenogreek powder (I only have the seeds and cannot buy the actual leaves) and substituting 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne and 3/4 teaspoon of paprika for the chili powder. It was still delicious.

Thanks!
- Maunika Gowardhan
  
  This looks wonderful Katie! So glad you have enjoyed it and I hope your guests enjoyed it too. Thank you again for your comments and the delicious photo. Maunika x
  - Katie Egervari
    
    Hi Maunika ☺ If I were to scale this recipe so that I made 4x the quantities of sauce, do I just quadruple all of the ingredients? What would your recommendations be for whole spices? And then the chili pepper and garam masala afterwards?
    
    Thanks!
    - Katie Egervari
      
      For anyone wondering, I simply did x4 for everything, and it actually worked out totally fine. It was so close to the regular recipe that it would be difficult to make the small adjustments to get it to taste the same as the regular recipe. People at the office all said it was the best butter chicken they ever had, trumping all restaurants in Toronto that they’ve tried. So hats off to your recipe!
  - Katie Egervari
    
    Hi Maunika,
    
    the reason I am asking is that I have to make 4x the quantities of your most delicious dish on the 30th of March for many people at work (including some execs and the CEO), and I won’t really have the ability to make it 2 or 4 times individually – the sauce must be made in one batch. The office only has 1 induction burner that can accomodate my french oven.
    
    If I were quadruple everything in the recipe, will 20 cardamom pods and 16 cloves still work out well if it were made in a Creuset 5.3L French Oven?. And what about 4 teaspoons of chilli powder? There isn’t really a lot of information on-line on how to scale Indian recipes in general, so I’m worried the lunch will be a disaster, despite the fact that I know how to make this dish as the current listed recipe.
    
    If you can please offer some good advice that will help make my lunch successful, I’d really appreciate it. It would really be a bummer if the dish tasted drastically different at 4x compared to how it would be normally. I ideally want it to be similar.
    
    At this point, I guess I’m just going to have to test it at home, and make a bunch of sauce that I will mostly throw out just to see what happens unless you can give me some rough guide as to how many whole spices and target amounts of ground spices to use. I hope you can help.
    
    Thanks Maunika.
    
    Katie
David Rogers

Just wanted to say I decided to make this yesterday for the 1st time and even bbq’d the chicken tikka, I can honestly say it was without a shadow of a doubt the best curry dish I have ever tasted… I am excited already about making it again & again.
What a brilliant website you have thank you ?
- Maunika Gowardhan
  
  Thank you thank you! This is so wonderful to hear:)
Sarah

Hi,I just asked you for this recipe and now I’ve found it lol.
I shall be trying it soon thank you for your continuous authentic recipes .
Deepthi Ranjith

Hi Maunika, I made this yest night along with the tandoori chicken. It turned out really good and was an absolute hit. Better than any butter chicken we have eaten from restaurants. Now this is gonna be one of my signature dishes for friends and family. Thank you so much !! 🙂
- Maunika Gowardhan
  
  Yay! Thank you for your comments and happy to hear this:)
Luke Banchy

Is this essentially the same as Chicken Tikka Masala? I’ve never understood the difference. At any rate, great recipe!
- Maunika Gowardhan
  
  Thanks! Similar to it:)
  - Luke Banchy
    
    Any chance you’re in the mood to make a Tikka Masala recipe? 🙂
Beena

I have never made a better butter chicken! This was delicious but my sauce was a bit too thick even though I added a bit of water. Next time shall I add more water or more cream? I want it to be saucy not watery.
- Maunika Gowardhan
  
  Yes ofcourse you could thin it out either with a little bit of water. If you find cream is too rich you can also opt for milk instead of cream if you prefer.
nara89

Dear Maunika,

thanks a lot for this great recipe. You are really a big Inspiration for me. For the butter chicken I used more Tomatopuree and cream in order to get more Sauce- and 1 tsp. Honey was enough for my taste.
When will your book appear in german language?
Best regards from a German Fan 🙂
- Maunika Gowardhan
  
  So lovely to hear you enjoyed it!:)
Janette Osman

I must be blind…. I can’t see anywhere in the recipe as to how much chicken I need!
- Maunika Gowardhan
  
  The link to the Tandoori chicken is in the introduction where a separate recipe is listed on the website for it including a full list of ingredients and cooking instructions for the chicken. This recipe is for the sauce once the chicken has been cooked. Hope you enjoy it!:)
Weezey40

Oh my goodness what a delicious curry! The flavour is perfect with a little bit of heat to follow. So glad I had a little extra for lunch today ? With Maunika’s Naan bread just delicious.
- Maunika Gowardhan
  
  So FAB to hear this! x
Seth

I really enjoy your recipes. Will your book be available in the US soon?
- Maunika Gowardhan
  
  Yes it will:)
John Sinclair

Would like to make butter chicken but the idea of adding double cream is out of the question as cream doesn’t agree with my wife makes her ill. What are the alternatives please .
- Maunika Gowardhan
  
  Hi John, You could add yoghurt instead if you prefer just make sure to whisk it well before adding. Enjoy!
Dadlani

The above recipe doesn’t have the portion of chicken to be used. Is it 1 kg?
- Maunika Gowardhan
  
  Hello! If you check the notes above the recipe the link for the Tandoori chicken is attached http://maunikagowardhan.co.uk/cook-in-a-curry/tandoori-chicken-tikka-barbecue-chicken-cooked-in-a-chilli-garlic-marinade/
  Hope you enjoy it!
  - Dadlani
    
    Thank you!
    - Dadlani
      
      I made it today and it’s delicious! Best curry I’ve ever made! Thank you so much! I wish I could send you a picture of how it looks :)))
John Sinclair

Maunika,is fenugreek leaf powder the same as fenugreek powder you can buy in Asian shops .
John Sinclair

Hi Maunika can you please tell me if fenugreek leaf powder is the same as fenugreek powder .Am I confusing myself. Thanks.
- Maunika Gowardhan
  
  Fenugreek powder is made from the seeds. For this Butter Chicken recipe you required dried fenugreek leaves which have a different flavour and work really well in lots of Indian curries and stir fries. It is also known as Kasoor Methi. You can find it at Asian stores and online shops too.
John

Hi Maunika,have you cooked Anglo Indian recipes?
- Maunika Gowardhan
  
  We dont have any on the website at the moment! Sorry!
Amena Begum

I made this today! It was a HIT. My FIL who is a retired chef was impressed! Thank you for your recipe! Xxx
- Maunika Gowardhan
  
  Thank is wonderful to hear! So glad you all enjoyed it:)
Payal

this recipe is the best.. I loved it.. It came it to be perfect.. Thank you so much..
- Maunika Gowardhan
  
  Thats so lovely to hear. Thank you so much!
Jon

This was really the best and authentic recipes for butter chicken. In your video you also added coriander powder, did you forget it or was it optional?
- Maunika Gowardhan
  
  Yes ofcourse do add some!
Bryony Hudson

Hi Maunika is it possible to make this curry ahead of time and reheat it? I’m thinking of making it as part of a dinner party and would be great i could make it in the morning. Thanks!
- Maunika Gowardhan
  
  Yes ofcourse! Make ahead and just reheat when your ready to serve. You can also add the chicken or vegetable in advance if you wish. Enjoy!
Jazz Bassi

Hi Maunika, I haven’t cooked this recipe yet but it looks very delicious. I just have a couple of questions.

If I wanted to cook 1kg of chicken, shall I double the quantity of ingredients?

Is there any way to make this without having to use the grill? Like all in one pot?

The tomato puree you used, is it double concentrate or single?

Because I’m a student and I find it easier to cook chicken in bulk with rice and then put them into tubs and freeze them. Normally get 8 days worth of food per 1kg

Many thanks
- Maunika Gowardhan
  
  That depends. I’ve used 450 gms boneless chicken. The gravy recipe also works in similar quantities when I use around a kilo of chicken on the bone and I dont change quantities much unless I need more chilli or cream:) Hope that helps!
Diba Rashid

Hi Maunika
Did you mean tomato paste instead of puree because it looked thick like a paste.
- Maunika Gowardhan
  
  Sold in the UK as tomato puree it is the thicker tomato concentrate used for a rich gravy and also for a lovely colour.
  - Diba Rashid
    
    Thank you for the clarification 🙂 Making this tomorrow.
Peter

Hi Maunika
Made this today and it went down a treat, so full of flavour and easy to make. My wife is intolerant to cows milk so I used a soya based yoghurt, soya cream and goats butter as substitutes for the dairy products. Delicious, thanks.
- Maunika Gowardhan
  
  Wonderful to hear! And so happy you’ve used alternatives which means you can all enjoy the meal:)
Kerrie Anne

Hello please can you share the tandoori chicken link again, I cannot seem to access it.
Freja

Hi Maunika
I really enjoyed making this! It tasted fabulous! I was wondering, if there’s a recipe on the site for the bread in the picture? Thanks heaps!
- Maunika Gowardhan
  
  The bread is called a paratha. You can find the recipe for it in my cookbook Indian Kitchen:)
  - Ima Man-In-Adress
    
    Hi Maunika, what is the difference between a chapati and a paratha?
    - Maunika Gowardhan
      
      Their different breads and so are the techniques of cooking them. Both recipes in my book Indian Kitchen.
sjbthfc2

Hi Maunika, I am cooking this as part of some other dishes and wondered if I can cook the sauce in this recipe ahead of time and keep in the fridge to heat up later?
- Maunika Gowardhan
  
  Yes of course! You can make the gravy and marinate the chicken too. The gravy can be refrigerated or frozen. When you serve reheat the curry and separately cook the tandoori chicken in the oven then once they are cooked add them to the warm gravy. Hope you enjoy it!
Sunita

Hi, You haven’t mentioned How much gram Chicken? Do I whisk the cream then Add to the gravy? Also We get Tomato Paste in our local grocery store? Is Tomato puree and paste same??
Boops

Oh yum. I am trying this recipe!
- Maunika Gowardhan
  
  Happy cooking!
Nabs

Hi. Do you have to make the marinade like in the video? Or can this work with just the sauce?
A. Simonsen

My British / English boyfriend claims that all Indian food today being served in the restaurants in UK is the recipes that English chefs came up with back in the old times (when they were exploiting India I suppose) and the Indian food was nothing but made of rotten meat which was added all those spices to hide the bad taste of the meat! I certainly do not believe this and find it so shameless and arrogant towards Indian and their beloved food. Why are British people so arrogant and brag about their bloody empire? It makes me sick I have lived here in England for a year and I am done with it…I am going back to my beloved sunny /snowy Norway! Indian food is beautiful because they know how to cook. <3
Zahra Nadeem

Hi Maunika! You’re a wonderful teacher, i learnt how to make butter chicken by watching you on the jamie oliver channel. It turned out great and was a hit in my household.
- Maunika Gowardhan
  
  Thank you:)
Rix

Hi

I doubled the recipe and the gravy looks very oily. Any way that I can correct this?

Rix
- Ima Man-In-Adress
  
  I think it’s pretty common for this dish to appear ‘oily.’ It has a lot of fat in it. But it’s delicious!
- Maunika Gowardhan
  
  If you are doubling the recipe try and make sure there isnt too much butter and swap the cream for milk which will make it lighter. Or else the dish can be heavy.
- Steve Johnson
  
  Don’t double the butter (or ghee, which I use)
  - Maunika Gowardhan
    
    Add butter or ghee as per your requirement!
lillian black

can you recommend a vegetable dish with this? 🙂
- Maunika Gowardhan
  
  We love the poriyal which is light and perfect with a rich main course gravy dish. http://maunikagowardhan.co.uk/cook-in-a-curry/tamilian-spinach-poriyal/
Meghna Lakhani

Hi there, will this gravy freeze well for a week? Or would you recommend putting the cream in after defrosting and reheating? Or is it ok to freeze the whole dish with the chicken in it?
- Maunika Gowardhan
  
  Yes freezes well just defrost and reheat as required!
Harprit

Colour on the curry i made is not so red what else did add?
- Maunika Gowardhan
  
  The colour is dependent on a few things- Using the right kind of chilli powder is key and I opt for Kashmiri chilli powder if you cant get hold of it use a paprika which will lend a vibrant gorgeous colour. Also a good quality tomato concentrate helps the gravy colour and consistency.
Jon Liebelt

i agree the color isn’t very strong
- Maunika Gowardhan
  
  As mentioned in our previous response-
  The colour is dependent on a using the right kind of chilli powder is key and I opt for Kashmiri chilli powder if you cant get hold of it use a paprika which will lend a vibrant gorgeous colour. Also a good quality tomato concentrate helps the gravy colour and consistency.
Stephen Morgan

I’m just assembling this fine dish, I personally would say that the flavours are beautifully subtle , nice gentle heat, perhaps slightly too sweet for my own tastes but what a fabulously intricate balance of flavours.
Coupled as suggested with the tandoori chicken does absolutely give it so much extra depth .
Thank you. I love it.
Ooh, and the colour (?!), looks exactly as photographed with the full generous teaspoon of Kashmiri Mirch chilli powder and slightly less cream with a smidge extra water .
You are my new food Goddess x
- Maunika Gowardhan
  
  Thank for this so wonderful to know that you’ve enjoyed it!
Mihir Anand

Can someone assist me here please? As the recipe says add cooked chicken, how should I cook it? An amateur cook here?
- Maunika Gowardhan
  
  Hello! The notes above the recipe give a link to cooking tandoori chicken http://maunikagowardhan.co.uk/cook-in-a-curry/tandoori-chicken-tikka-barbecue-chicken-cooked-in-a-chilli-garlic-marinade/
  
  Enjoy!
MrCalrich

Just wondering how much chicken I should use for this recipe? Thank you
- Maunika Gowardhan
  
  Recipe for the tandoori chicken is in the link in the notes above. Or you can check the category for chicken for the recipe:)
Facebook User

Maunika, I have only recently discovered you and am cooking my way through as many of your recipes as I can. This, along with the Tandoori chicken was my first and the results were incredible – happy husband, happy friends and happy cook. Thank you, all the way from New Zealand. Pippa
- Maunika Gowardhan
  
  Thank you!
Lynz

This looks amazing! Was a regular dish when I lived in Vancouver, must try this 🙂 Do you have the recipe for paratha?
- Maunika Gowardhan
  
  Recipe for buttery parathas in my cookbook Indian Kitchen!
Gordon David

I tried this….. amazing. Really delicious. Full of flavour. Thnks
- Maunika Gowardhan
  
  Thank you so much glad to hear your enjoying the recipes!
Urshita Pankhania

Tried this recipe many times but still can get the color right, used the best tomato pastes and pure Kashmiri chilli powder from the source also added saffron but the color still bordering orange rather than yours unless the photo has been edited!
- Maunika Gowardhan
  
  No image edits here! The recipe uses tomato puree rather than a paste. Although not every tomato paste or chilli powder is universally alike:) The aim with all the recipes on the website is to give you a taste of the recipes Maunika loves. Hope its tasted delicious!
Anna

I loved this so much, so perfectly balanced and the chicken really did stay moist! I will absolutely be making it again because it was so simple but has so much flavor. Thank you Maunika ?
- Maunika Gowardhan
  
  Pleasure and thank you for visiting the website:)
Martita

Tried this recipe and it turned up good but a there was a significant bitterness. I think it wasnt there before the honey. Any idea where this bitterness could come from?
I followed the recipe but I used ginger powder (couldnt buy fresh one).
- Maunika Gowardhan
  
  Thank you for your comment although never heard of this happen before. Perhaps you could swap the honey for sugar if you prefer. Also fresh ginger has a different flavour to dried which can alter the dish slightly.
- Oms
  
  I think you may have added too much of the fenugreek leaf powder as I feel it gives a bitter taste if too much is added. If you added only 1tbsp as mentioned in the recipe maybe the fenugreek leaf powder you have is stronger than the one used in the recipe so you could add even less of it next time.
Lisa Leotta

Hi ,
I made the dish but instead of being creamy it cane out very oily – followed all the steps any suggestions ?
- Maunika Gowardhan
  
  I’m not sure as you havent said if you have altered it in anyway. The key is to cook the gravy for the time mentioned. Any longer the oils in the double cream will yield themselves.
nin

How much chicken is this recipe good for?
- Maunika Gowardhan
  
  Please follow the link for the tandoori chicken recipe!
Chirag Panchal

Made this tonight for my friends and it came out delicious! Only difference is I didn’t add the gram flour in the marinade but it still came out amazing and everyone loved it! Thanks for a great recipe 🙂 https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/c0be3073a0634c07770c4ed08d85531650ed8a32fcbabdd12a7c697774168603.jpg
- Maunika Gowardhan
  
  Lovely to hear this!:)
JughedJones

Anybody know how to double or triple this recipe?

Thanks!
pbozuwa

quiick question – what is the norm with the cinnamon stick, cloves,
and cardamon pods – remove after cooking or leave them in as little surprises for your guests??
- Maunika Gowardhan
  
  Leave in the curry until your ready to serve. The flavour develops over time!
Helen Pierce

Do you know where – in the UK – I can buy ” Spice Delite Butter Chicken Mix ” please
Audrey Lalonde

I’ve been doing this recipe for more than a year now and I’m still crazy about it. I’m not ashamed to claim I’m cooking a better butter chicken than all Indian restaurants in Montreal ! hehehe

I’d like to try this recipe switching chicken for paneer. Would you marinate the paneer the same way than you do with the chicken ?

Thanks for your advice
- Maunika Gowardhan
  
  Yay! So lovely to hear this and thank you for cooking one of my fave dishes:)
Bec Dorrett

Hi Maunika, This is another curry that I love. I have cooked a Vindaloo from scratch and I have been wanting to do a butter chicken. I bought a butter chicken recentlly and I found it was too sweet. I was wondering can I add more chilli powder to this recipe to give it more spice heat? If so how much can I add without over powering the recipe and taking over the other flavours of the recipe?
- Maunika Gowardhan
  
  Thank you! I suggest adding green chillies (leave the seeds in) at the end while simmering rather than chilli powder. Hope you enjoy it!
  - Bec Dorrett
    
    Thank you very much. I will diffently be trying your recipe of the butter chicken.
Ellie Long

Hi there, I am going to make this for 20 people. Would I times all ingredients by 5 or can you advise me please?
Thankyou so much
Richu

I’m half Indian but never try making Indian food at home and this was my first try!
OMG I didn’t know it’s so easy to make and by following your recipe, My butter chicken was definitely better than any Indian restaurants in Japan!
One question, If I don’t really have time to make chicken tikka in the oven, can I just pan fried and add to the gravy? Or even just add uncooked marinaded chicken to the gravy?
- Devansh K. Chopra
  
  Hi Richu.
  Yes you can just pan fry the chicken in a really good amount of butter. But don’t add the uncooked marinaded chicken directly to the gravy as it will take a lot of time and the gravy will lose a lot of its water content in the process and might get reduced to basically nothing.
- Maunika Gowardhan
  
  Pan fried works great too. And once cooked add to the gravy. Thank you so happy to hear your enjoying the recipes!:)
Anu

In the ingredients list on the left hand side, i don’t see see chicken listed. How much chicken is required to make this recipe?
- Maunika Gowardhan
  
  Refer to my notes there is a link for the Tandoori chicken recipe.
Martin Kirwan

Fantastic recipe, so good that it prompted me to order your book! I have been trying for years to find a great butter chicken and this is by far the best. The only thing is that I would like to make this for more people, any tips for increasing the quantities?
- Maunika Gowardhan
  
  Yay! Hope you enjoy the recipe in the book. Yes you can increase quantities although all recipes serve 4-5 in the cookbook.
Sanjukta Glentworth

I had tried two of your other recipes (Khichdi and Aloo Gobi) which both turned out fantastic, prompting me to try your Butter Chicken. Hands down, the best Butter Chicken I have ever had, and more to the point… made!!!!

My husband is raving on about it, and I could have eaten the whole dish myself, it’s finger licking, gobsmackingly good! Your recipes are authentic and the depth of flavours are amazing. Thank you so much, I will definitely be buying your book 🙂 🙂
- Maunika Gowardhan
  
  Thank you so much! So wonderful to hear you’ve enjoyed the recipes. The best part of sharing them is knowing that so many of you are cooking and loving the curries:)
Tanja Sparadis

Hola from Spain with a huge smile in my face. Thank you very much for sharing this great recipe. I love to try new dishes when my husband is away. I chose this one as it is one of my favourites in the reference Indian restaurant here on the island. I made it with 2 chicken breasts and could have easily served 3 people. But no way – I had it all in 24 hours with green Coconut Basmati. Just fry the Basmati with some coconut flakes and green wasabi sesame – I know wasabi isn’t that Indian but it was a perfect match. Will try the Keralan Chertha Kozhi Kari as my last dish as a “grass widow”. Have a great weekend with much love & light
- Maunika Gowardhan
  
  Thank you thank you!! So happy to hear this and delighted to hear your enjoying the recipes:)
legionaire

It says cloves.
Cloves of garlic or ?!
- Wendi Bowron-Weller
  
  I watched the video of this recipe (on the website above) and it’s cloves as in the spice cloves ☺️
- Maunika Gowardhan
  
  It is the whole spice cloves.
Wendi Bowron-Weller

Hi Maunika
I’m making this tonight for 10 guests (also cooking your tadka Dahl) and adding some paneer as half of the guests are vegetarian.
I’d really like to make it ahead of time but am concerned the cream might split – what would you recommend? I’m stressed about the timing!
Thnaks in advance, Wendi ?
- Maunika Gowardhan
  
  Using heavy cream/double cream ensures it doesnt split.Just make sure its simmering over a low heat rather than boiling. You can make the curry in advance, marinate the chicken and the day you are serving. cook the chicken, add it to the gravy and reheat the curry. Enjoy!
Parvez Iqbal

I made this and it was amazingly nice. My father who is elderly asked for seconds.
I recommend this. Easy to make.
Cant wait to make this again.
- Maunika Gowardhan
  
  Yay!:)
Aati

What can I substitute for kasuri methi? Can I use the kasuri seeds or crush them or something?
- Maunika Gowardhan
  
  Not the same flavour although if you cant find any just leave it out!
Amanda

Hi there. What can I substitute the fenugreek leaf powder for? In your you tube video you put in ground coriander but this recipe does not show this? I am going to x4 the recipe and was wondering if I could use a mixture of cream and milk? I love your recipes and can’t wait to try this.
- Maunika Gowardhan
  
  Leave the dried fenugreek out if you dont have any as there isnt a substitute. The video is edited but I do say coriander is optional. If you doubling the recipe then feel free to add milk and cream which will give a little more gravy thats slightly thinner. Enjoy:)
Lena Laine

Hi, can I use the excess marinade in the curry? Seems like a waste.. 🙂
- Maunika Gowardhan
  
  You can pat over the excess marinade onto the chicken while its cooking!
Ravi

This looks quite tasty and amazing. Will try this at home this weekend.

~ Ravi
Sruthi Kumpatla

Hi Maunika! Would you have a substitute for heavy cream if you’re trying to make the dish healthier? Thanks!
- Maunika Gowardhan
  
  Use milk if you prefer although adjust cooking times and quantities you want a creamy gravy so milk might make it a thinner gravy.
Jenny

Is it possible (better or not?) to make this with Ghee instead of butter? Thanks very much.
- Maunika Gowardhan
  
  Yes you can!
Aamir iqbal

I love butter chicken, but I’ve never made it at home before…looks so comforting and delicious!
Regards http://www.mastercakes.com
dana

hi, do you think i could substitute the cream/milk for cashew nuts and how would i do this?
thanks!
- https://www.facebook.com/app_scoped_user_id/YXNpZADpBWEdMNzh5THpJRGlqcURoTlV6dTFJQWpXb09IV1g0Rm1WRldwODc2RWY5SVMzb1lNbHFuei1lVDhScTdRMHQzSUxYX3h5ZAzY4dnpNNWhZAaEd1VHpEaF9sNWVxQ1FCVG5rZAwZDZD/ Katie Cunningham Rodriguez
  
  I would say soak cashews and make a paste from that using a blender/food processor. It would really be more of a korma then though. Perhaps a think, unflavored almond milk coffee creamer would work better.
  - Maunika Gowardhan
    
    Almond milk would be great!
Adarsh Bhat

This is just amazing… I’ve made butter chicken a few times in the past and it involved me slaving in the chicken for hours and it didn’t turn out half as good as this… I’ll definitely be following more recipes from here in the future
John

Hello, I just made the butter chicken gravy and it was delicious. However, some bites were overpowering. I think it may have been some chunks of the cardamon pods as the instructions stated only to crush them lightly. Should “lightly crushed” leave large pieces of cardamon in the gravy? Need some advice on how to smooth out the flavor profile. Perhaps blending more into a puree and/or adding a little sugar or more honey to balance? So delicious, but my first attempt can be even better!
- Maunika Gowardhan
  
  You can discard the cardamom once its all cooked.
http://delfrio.com.pk Daniyal Shamsi

Thanks for such a wonderful Recipe. Will definitely try it.
Rudolf Eduard de Vries

Thanks for the recipe. I am making it for the third time. I watched your video more than once. As the exact amount of ingredients are not entirely clear for me (and the recipe differs from the video), the taste varies a bit from one time to the other. But we love it each time! Greetings from The Netherlands.
- Levendus
  
  HI there, I’ve had the same experience, the recipe differs from the video with Jamie.. and the taste varies too. the video has much more flour/ yogurt, so I wonder if that makes the difference. Trying it again tomorrow (marinading it over night this time)
https://www.facebook.com/app_scoped_user_id/10204890443044820/ Damon Alagich

I cooked this today, it was far superior then my local Indian restaurant’s efforts,who cook for a profit using the cheap hormone grown Ingham’s Chickens who supply KFC and red rooter. I browned the free range, marinated thigh fillets on my home made beer keg wood fired BBQ till they had good char on them but not cooked thru. It was tremendous success and loved by one and all! Keep up the good work Maunika! We will buy a book for sure!
slaven

Not even kidding you. Today was my 30th butter chicken party and it still tastes AMAZING https://media1.giphy.com/media/1BFDSfLETdHDgmG9oD/giphy.gif
Alex Alexander

I have been fortunate enough to travel to India on several occasions & I can safely say that this recipe is as tasty (if not more) than anything I’ve eaten over there – it is absolutely delicious ?
Thank you for bringing us this recipe
- Maunika Gowardhan
  
  Thank you:)
Shana Silver

What did I do wrong? Followed the tandoori recipe and that came out great, but the butter chicken sauce went horribly wrong. Something tasted seriously burnt and no one could eat it. I don’t think I burnt anything while cooking it, was thinking it might have been one of the spices I was unfamiliar with. Ideas?
Jen

Delicious recipe. Can I freeze some if I make a big batch? Or will it ruin the sauce because it has cream in?
- Maunika Gowardhan
  
  Yes absolutely! You can freeze Butter chicken:)
Adrian

My cousin, a curry aficionado, thought this curry was the finest he’s ever tasted. That’ll do for me ?
- Maunika Gowardhan
  
  Thank you!
Mal Timmons

I adore this dish! Just eaten some cold leftovers…thanks Maunika. ?
- Maunika Gowardhan
  
  Welcome!
Mona

Thank you for an incredible recipe. Will have guests over for the holidays and looking to make this warming, hearty dish with chicken and another with paneer. Can I make this ahead of time (2 or 3 days in advance) or does it thicken the longer you keep it in the fridge?
- Maunika Gowardhan
  
  Yes absolutely! This is a great make ahead curry. You can also batch cook and freeze it. It will thicken a tad bit so make sure to add a splash of water to thin it out x
Will

Hey Maunika. I’ve now done a few recipes from your app and they are all fantastic. So good. Keep it up.
- Maunika Gowardhan
  
  Thank you! Glad to hear:)
Amalia

Hi! What ingredient is the outside of the cinnamon in the video at 2:44? I did not manage to catch the name. Thank you.
- Ish Kaba
  
  cassia bark
  - Amalia
    
    Thank you so much for the response and help!
Katherine Irwin

Where can I find the video for this recipe?
- Maunika Gowardhan
  
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKs-cRneTyE
Kara Bryant

Hi, I’ve made this once and it was delicious except for a very bitter aftertaste. Something definitely wasn’t right. I think this may be the fenugreek powder. Did I do something wrong?
Gifford

This is a fantastic recipe. I’ve tried many others, but definitely the best, even better than what you can get at restaurants.
- Maunika Gowardhan
  
  Thank you:)
https://hassanchef.com mobasir hassan

A simple and well informative recipe. What do I need to make Punjabi style murgh makhani recipe in addition to above ingredients and methods.
MyHome Grocers

Nice blog post, it is looking delicious to try.Check-out more about Yummy Indian dishes that u to give a try.
Greg

Is tomato purée the same as tomato paste? The sauce you used in the video looked quite thick.
- Maunika Gowardhan
  
  Yes it is!
Shanaya Hydari

How much chicken should i use if i am cooking this recipe from scratch? It says that i should use cooked chicken.
Ajantha Brabaharan

Hi Maunika I watched your video with Jamie Oliver and you said three heaped tsp of tomato puree, however in this recipe it says 3 tbsp, which one would you recommend 🙂
Julian

I’ve made this a couple of times and it’s by far, the best recipe I’ve found. So delicious!

First time I used tomato paste as I didn’t have tomato puree and it was a bit too acidic. Not sure if it was just the brand I used or what. Added about a 1/4 tsp of baking soda to neutralise it a bit and turned out perfect.

Next time tried it with canned, chopped tomatoes as tomato puree wasn’t in stock during lock-down and just was just lacking a bit of that savoury intensity.

If you can’t get tomato puree, I’d recommend using 1.5-2TBSP of tomato paste.
- Maunika Gowardhan
  
  Good tip!
Courtney Clark

Delicious thankyou!
Why did the yoghurt split when I initially pan fried the chicken (in the tadoori part)?
Is tomato paste a substitute for tomato puree?
Jasmine Sapphire Eastall

Beautiful Have done it with lentils instead of chicken too and still yummy
- Maunika Gowardhan
  
  So glad you like it:)
stuefi

hi, love your recipes! but I’m still searching for a perfect chicken tikka masala, the sauce, like british Indian restaurant style. would be awesome if your tastebuds can replicate this. tried several different recipes but it tastes not like that. also, in Austria it’s not so easy to get british Indian curries. thanks, cheers, stephan
Ling Matthew

Can i use fenugreek seeds instead of fenegreek leaves?
- Maunika Gowardhan
  
  Not the same flavour so would be best to leave it out!
Barry Wilson

Ive just discovered this..it was insanely good. Can i add more cream to create more sauce?(and lower the heat for the kids)
- Maunika Gowardhan
  
  Thank you! Its not a spicy dish at all although you can add a splash of water for a thinner gravy while increasing the quantity of cream. Just make sure its full fat cream or else it might split while simmering.
AJ

Excellent recipe, just made it. I like my Butter Chicken spicy so I added more green chillies and kashmiri chilli powder!
Joann sam

Is the chicken broiled?
- Maunika Gowardhan
  
  The chicken is grilled and then added to the curry!