A creamy tomato-based chicken curry associated with twentieth-century Delhi restaurant cooking.
Marinate chicken with yogurt, lemon juice and half the spices
Brown the chicken and set aside
Cook onion in butter until soft
Add garlic, ginger and remaining spices
Add tomatoes and simmer for 15 minutes
Blend the sauce if a smoother texture is desired
Return the chicken and cook through
Stir in cream and heat gently
Butter chicken, widely known as murgh makhani, is associated with Delhi and the rise of twentieth-century North Indian restaurant cuisine. It became internationally famous because it combines familiar roasted chicken with a smooth, rich tomato sauce.
The dish is commonly linked to restaurant cooks finding a way to serve tandoori chicken in a moist sauce. The exact details of that origin story are repeated in many forms, but the Delhi restaurant tradition is central to the dish's identity.
Tomato provides acidity, butter and cream soften the sauce, and spices create warmth rather than overwhelming heat. The result is balanced, aromatic and well suited to rice or bread.
Some versions are sweeter, others more smoky or tangy. Traditional restaurant versions may rely on tandoor-roasted chicken, while this recipe browns the chicken in a pan for home convenience.
Butter chicken is now one of the dishes through which many diners first encounter North Indian restaurant flavors. Its global popularity has also produced countless adaptations.
4 servings