Murgh Makhani (Indian Butter Chicken)

Name: Murgh Makhani (Indian Butter Chicken)
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 2 h
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 0.33333334326744 cup plain nonfat yogurt; 1 tablespoon tandoori masala powder; 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces; 0.5 onion, chopped; 1 (1 inch) piece fresh ginger; 2 tablespoons water; 1 clove garlic; 3 tablespoons cooking oil, divided; 2 teaspoons garam masala; 0.25 teaspoon Indian chili powder; 1 cup tomato sauce; 1 cup half and half; 2 tablespoons butter; 1 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves; 1 teaspoon salt

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Murgh makhani is a creamy Indian curry featuring tandoori-marinated chicken thighs simmered in a tomato and cream sauce with garam masala and fenugreek. The yogurt marinade tenderizes the meat while developing deep spice flavors.

15 Ingredients

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Instructions

1
Stir yogurt and tandoori masala powder in a large bowl until combined; add chicken and toss to coat. Marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Drain and discard excess marinade.
2
Puree onion, ginger, water, and garlic in a blender until it forms a smooth paste; set aside.
3
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and cook until lightly brown, about 5 minutes. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
4
Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in the same skillet. Fry onion paste until moisture is mostly evaporated, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle garam masala and chili powder over mixture; cook for 1 minute more. Add tomato sauce, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook another 5 minutes.
5
Return chicken to the skillet. Add half-and-half and bring to a boil. Add butter, fenugreek leaves, and salt; reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, until chicken is no longer pink in the middle, 15 to 20 minutes.

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Tips & Notes

Pro tips

Toast the garam masala and chili powder in the onion paste for 1 minute to bloom their flavors before adding tomato sauce.
Drain excess marinade after 1 hour to prevent the sauce from becoming too watery; don't skip this step.
Simmer on low heat uncovered for 15–20 minutes; the sauce will reduce and coat the chicken better than a covered simmer.
Stir the onion-spice paste constantly for about 3 minutes until moisture evaporates—this concentrates flavor and prevents burning.

Substitutions

Half-and-half → Heavy cream (richer) or whole milk (lighter)
Tandoori masala → 1.5 teaspoons garam masala + 0.5 teaspoon paprika (less smoky)
Dried fenugreek leaves → Omit entirely, or use methi powder at half the amount

Storage & make-ahead

Cool completely and refrigerate in an airtight container up to 3 days. Reheat gently over medium-low heat, adding a splash of water or cream to restore sauce consistency.