Butter Chicken (Murgh Makhani) is a creamy tomato-based Indian curry featuring double-marinated, charred chicken thighs simmered in a silky sauce made with roasted cashew paste, butter, and cream. This recipe recreates the legendary 1948 Moti Mahal original by Kundan Lal Gujral.
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Rub chicken pieces with lemon juice, red chili powder and salt. Cover and rest for 15–20 minutes to season the meat to the bone.
Whisk together Greek yogurt, Kashmiri chili paste, ginger garlic paste, red chili powder, cumin, garam masala, turmeric, lemon juice and oil into a thick masala. Coat chicken thoroughly and refrigerate 30–40 minutes or overnight.
Bring marinated chicken to room temperature. Sear on a hot non-stick pan in medium flame until golden and charred, flipping once. Alternatively, grill in oven at 240°C (464°F) for 15–20 minutes.
Boil roughly chopped tomatoes for 6–8 minutes. Blend smooth and strain through a fine-mesh sieve to remove skins and seeds — this is the key to a restaurant-style silky sauce.
Soak cashew nuts (and optional melon seeds) in warm water for 20 minutes. Blend into a fine, smooth paste.
Melt butter in a pan. Add whole spices (cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, bay leaf). Sauté ginger garlic paste until raw smell vanishes. Add Kashmiri chili paste, then strained tomato puree. Cook 3–4 minutes. Add cashew paste, garam masala, red chili powder, coriander powder, kasuri methi, pinch of sugar and salt. Simmer until oil separates and sauce thickens.
Add roasted chicken pieces to the sauce and cook 1 minute. Stir in butter. Temper the cream before adding (mix 2 tbsp hot gravy into cold cream, then stir into pan). Garnish with butter, cream and crushed kasuri methi. Serve hot.
Store leftover butter chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop over low–medium heat, stirring occasionally; add a splash of water or cream if the sauce has thickened too much. Do not microwave, as it risks separating the cream and butter.
fine-mesh sieve (for straining tomato puree) · non-stick pan or grill (for searing chicken) · blender (for cashew paste and tomato puree)
Thighs stay juicier and more forgiving during the double marinade and searing, but chicken breast will work if you avoid overcooking. Reduce the final simmering time in the sauce by 1–2 minutes.
Substitute 1/2 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder mixed with 1 tsp oil, or use standard red chili paste. You'll lose some of the mild fruity heat and deep color.
The sauce is done when oil visibly separates on the surface and it coats the back of a spoon. This typically takes 8–10 minutes of simmering after adding the cashew paste.
Yes. Prepare the chicken through step 3 (searing) up to 8 hours ahead. Make the sauce separately and refrigerate. Combine and reheat gently on the stovetop, adding cream just before serving.
Straining through a fine-mesh sieve removes skins and seeds, creating the smooth, restaurant-quality silky texture that is the hallmark of authentic butter chicken.
