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Butter Chicken servido con arroz basmati y naan, cubierto con salsa cremosa y hojas de cilantro por encima.

Print recipe: Butter Chicken (Murg Makhani): India’s Creamiest Chicken Recipe

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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Marination time 8 hours
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 5
Cuisine: India
Calories: 165
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the chicken marinade:
For the sauce:
  • 1 large onion, finely diced
  • 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
  • 300 g crushed tomatoes
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste (optional)
  • 60 g raw cashews
  • 150 ml cooking cream
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 60 g butter
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 300 ml water
Whole spices:
Ground spices:
  • 1 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 ½ tsp ground cumin
  • 1 ½ tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp chili powder or Kashmiri chili powder
For the garnish:
  • 1 tsp Kasuri Methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
  • 1 tsp Garam Masala

Method
 

Marinate the chicken:
  1. Cut the chicken thighs into pieces about 3 cm thick.
  2. In a bowl, mix the chicken with the marinade ingredients. Combine well by hand, cover, and store in the refrigerator overnight (or at least 4 hours if short on time).
Cook the marinated chicken:
  1. Heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat. When hot, fry the marinated chicken pieces until golden on both sides. Remove and set aside.
Prepare the sauce:
  1. Lower the heat to medium and add half of the butter to the same pan. Once melted, add the bay leaves, cinnamon, and cardamoms.
  2. Add the onion and a pinch of salt. When softened, stir in the ginger-garlic paste. Cook briefly, then add the ground spices. Immediately add a splash of water.
  3. Sauté until the oil separates from the spices.
  4. Add the tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, cashews, salt, and sugar. Cook over medium heat until the cashews are soft and the oil separates again.
  5. Remove the cinnamon and bay leaves. Transfer everything to a blender or a food processor, add water, and blend until smooth and creamy.
  6. Return the sauce to the pan and stir in, adding the remaining butter.
  7. Add the fried chicken pieces and mix gently. Cover and cook on low heat for 8–10 minutes, until the chicken is tender and the sauce thickens.
  8. Uncover, pour in the cream, sprinkle with Garam Masala, and crush the Kasuri Methi between your hands before adding it. Mix, cover, and turn off the heat. Let it rest for 10 minutes before serving.
  9. Serve with Basmati rice and Naan bread.

Notes

  • You can use plain yogurt instead of Greek yogurt—just strain it through a cloth to remove excess liquid (takes about 1 hour).
  • If using tomato purée, the cooking time is shorter—around 5–6 minutes. I recommend using homemade-style tomato purée for the best flavor.