Old Delhi-style butter chicken
Prep
50 mins
Cook
1 hr
Servings
6
Difficulty
Hard
This is my go to recipe for a restaurant quality butter chicken that's actually quite straightforward to make at home. The beauty of this Old Delhi style version is that you marinate the chicken while you prepare the tomato sauce, so there's minimal active cooking time. Greek yogurt in the marinade not only tenderizes the meat beautifully but also adds protein and probiotics that aid digestion. Once everything comes together, you'll have that rich, creamy, deeply flavored sauce that tastes like it took all day to prepare, yet comes together in just over an hour from start to finish.
Ella x
Ingredients
- 800 gboneless and skinless chicken thighs(cut into bite-sized pieces)
- 1coriander leaves(finely sliced red onion, sliced green or red chilli, naan bread or basmati rice, and chutney, to serve)
- 120 ggreek yogurt
- 1thumb-sized piece ginger grated
- 14-5 garlic cloves crushed
- 1 tbspvegetable or coconut oil
- 11 lemon juiced
- 3 tspmild chilli powder
- 1 tspground cumin
- ½ tspgaram masala
- ½ tspturmeric
- 1 kgripe vine or plum tomatoes
- 1thumb-sized piece ginger peeled(half grated and half finely chopped)
- 14 garlic cloves crushed
- 14 green cardamom pods
- 2 cloves2 cloves
- 11 bay leaf
- 11-2 tsp chilli powder
- 80 gbutter diced
- 12 green chillies cut lengthways
- 75 mlsingle cream plus a drizzle to serve
- 15-6 dried fenugreek leaves(crushed between your fingers (optional)
- 1 tbspsugar or xylitol
- 3 tbspghee(see below) or butter)
- 2 tspblack mustard seeds
- 11 dried whole kashmiri chilli
- 16-8 dried curry leaves
Detail level
Instructions
- 1
Mix all of the marinade ingredients together in a large mixing bowl with 1½ tsp salt. Add the chicken pieces and mix together until well-coated, then cover the bowl and chill for 1 hr or overnight in the fridge.
- 2
Heat the oven to 240C/220C fan/gas 9. Transfer the chicken pieces to a large baking tray (discard any remaining marinade), and cook for 10-15 mins. Turn the pieces after 10 mins so they colour evenly on both sides. The chicken doesn’t need to be completely cooked through at this point as it will cook for a few more mins in the sauce.
- 3
Meanwhile, for the sauce, slice the tomatoes in half and put in a large pan in a single layer with 125ml water, the grated ginger, garlic, cardamom, cloves and bay leaf. Simmer, covered, until the tomatoes have completely disintegrated, about 20-25 mins. Remove the whole spices and blend the tomato mixture with a stick blender, then pass it through a sieve to make a smooth purée. Return to a clean pan, add the chilli powder and simmer for 12-15 mins. It should slowly begin to thicken. When the sauce turns glossy, add the chicken pieces and any of the reserved roasting juices from the tray.
- 4
Slowly stir in the butter, a couple of pieces at a time, and simmer for 6-8 mins until the chicken is cooked through. Add the chopped ginger, green chillies and cream, then simmer for a min or two longer, taking care that the sauce doesn’t split. Stir in 1 tsp salt, fenugreek leaves, if using, and the garam masala, then check the seasoning, adjust if necessary, then add the sugar. In a separate pan, warm all the ingredients for the spiced butter, if using, until the seeds start to pop (see below). Spoon over the curry, scatter with the coriander, onion, chilli, and a drizzle more cream, if using. Serve with naan, pilau rice and chutney or keto bread for a keto-friendly version.
Recipe Variations
Get AI-powered ingredient substitution suggestions.
You Might Also Like
Butter bean curry
This butter bean curry is one of my go to weeknight dinners when I want something satisfying but don't have hours to spend cooking. The whole thing comes together in under an hour, and butter beans are incredibly affordable and packed with fiber, keeping you full for ages. I love how versatile it is too, with the warming spices and creamy beans balanced by fresh coriander and a zingy banana and cucumber raita on the side. It's genuinely delicious, feels a bit fancy, but honestly couldn't be simpler.
Campfire stew
Nothing beats a hearty campfire stew when you're feeding a crowd, and this one's become my go to recipe because it's so straightforward to throw together. The beauty of this dish is that most of the work happens while you're relaxing by the fire, letting everything simmer away for hours. Gammon gives it a wonderfully smoky flavor, while the haricot beans pack in fiber and protein to keep everyone satisfied. It's the kind of rustic, warming meal that tastes even better outdoors, and honestly, it costs very little to make while feeding plenty of people.
Bread in four easy steps
Making your own bread doesn't have to be intimidating. This granary loaf comes together in just four straightforward steps, ready to eat in under an hour. Granary flour is packed with whole grains and fiber, which means you're getting real nutritional value with every slice. What I love most is how simple and budget friendly this recipe is. You probably have most of these ingredients in your kitchen already, and the fast action yeast does all the hard work for you. Trust me, once you taste homemade bread warm from the oven, you'll be making this constantly.
Reviews
Sign in to write a review.