Butter Chicken

Name: Butter Chicken (Simplified Meal-Prep)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 2 large red onions, thinly sliced; 8 cloves freshly minced garlic; 2 tbsp freshly minced ginger; 2 tsp garam masala; 1-2 tsp red chili powder; 1 tsp cumin; 1/2 tsp coriander; 2 tsp salt; 1/2 cup tomato paste; 1 tbsp ghee; 2 (15 oz) cans tomato sauce; 3 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces; 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream; 3/4 cup whole milk greek yogurt; 1 tbsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasoori methi); 1 tsp chicken bouillon; 1 tbsp coconut sugar; Cooked rice, for serving

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This simplified butter chicken cooks the chicken directly in a creamy tomato and spice sauce with ghee and garam masala, cutting down prep steps while delivering rich, authentic flavor—ideal for meal prep.

🌍Indian 🏷️Butter chicken 🏷️Chicken thighs 🏷️Creamy 🏷️Savory Comfort food

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jackiehartlaubonTikTok

Total

1h 10m

Servings

Recipe Source

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From TikTok · by jackiehartlaub

jackiehartlaubonTikTok

Ingredients

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2 large red onions, thinly sliced
8 cloves freshly minced garlic
2 tbsp freshly minced ginger
2 tsp garam masala
1-2 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp coriander
2 tsp salt
1/2 cup tomato paste
1 tbsp ghee
2 (15 oz) cans tomato sauce
3 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
3/4 cup whole milk greek yogurt
1 tbsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasoori methi)
1 tsp chicken bouillon
1 tbsp coconut sugar
Cooked rice, for servingoptional

18 Ingredients

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Instructions

1
In a large pan over medium heat, sauté the sliced red onions until softened.
2
Add the minced garlic and ginger, and cook for another minute until fragrant.
3
Stir in the garam masala, red chili powder, cumin, coriander, and salt. Toast the spices for about one minute.
4
Add the tomato paste and ghee, stirring to combine and cook for another minute.
5
Pour in the two cans of tomato sauce and stir everything together.
6
Add the chopped chicken thighs to the sauce and stir to coat.
7
Cover the pan, reduce heat, and simmer for about 45 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
8
Turn the heat to low. Stir in the heavy whipping cream until combined.
9
Add the Greek yogurt and mix until fully incorporated.
10
Finish the sauce by adding the dried fenugreek leaves (crushing them between your hands as you add them), chicken bouillon, and coconut sugar. Stir to combine.
11
Serve hot over a bed of cooked rice.

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Tips & Notes

Pro tips

Slice onions thinly and mince garlic and ginger fresh—pre-minced versions lose potency and affect the final flavor depth.
Add chicken directly to the sauce rather than browning separately; this cuts time and lets it poach gently in the creamy base.
Taste and adjust salt and spice after the chicken is cooked, as flavors concentrate slightly during simmering.
Use full-fat tomato paste, not diluted sauce, to achieve the rich, creamy texture without watering down the dish.

Substitutions

Ghee → Butter (1:1 swap; flavor will be slightly less nutty)
Red chili powder → Kashmiri chili powder (milder, adds color without as much heat)
Garam masala → Curry powder (note: different spice profile, works in a pinch)