Butter chicken or Murg makhani
This delicious butter chicken was on my to-do list for a long time. I think this is one of the staples of Indian restaurants outside India. I have eaten in atleast 10 different Indian restaurants in last 2 years and each and every one had this on the menu. That may be the reason, this is known to all non-Indians over here. Last month, we had been to a lunch party and one of my colleagues said his favorite Indian dish is butter chicken. That itself speaks its popularity. I love butter chicken too, but some restaurants really mess it up.
Butter chicken is called as Murgh makhani in Hindi. There are many different recipes for this dish. Everyone seems to follow their own recipe for it. I followed my favorite chef Sanjeev Kapoor’s simple makhani gravy recipe and changed few things. I had very little hopes of getting a perfect butter chicken. But when it got ready, it was so delicious, I could not believe I actually had prepared it. Kasoori methi really gives it a very great flavor to it.
Some other recipes from different blogs for butter chicken here.
Marination:
1/4 kg boneless chicken pieces
1/4 cup thick yogurt
1/4 tea spn ginger paste
1/4 tea spn garlic paste
A pinch turmeric
Salt
Apply all the ingredients to chicken pieces and keep aside for about 1hr.
For Gravy:
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 tbl spn ginger paste
1/4 tea spn garlic paste
1 cup tomato paste (Cook 2 big tomatoes in water and then grind them to smooth paste)
1 tbl spn cashews ground into smooth paste (optional)
1 tea spn kasoori methi
1 tea spn garam masala
1/2 tea spn chili powder
1/4 cup fresh cream
2 tbl spns butter
2-3 strands coriander leaves
Salt
Method:
Heat 1 tbl spn butter and fry the marinated chicken till it is 3/4th done. Take out on a plate and keep aside.
Heat remaining butter and add onions, ginger, garlic, fry till onions turn translucent. Add chili powder, garam masala and kasoori methi (slightly roast the methi to make it crisp, crush the kasoori methi using palms to make a powder). Add tomato paste, salt, cashew paste, chicken pieces. Cover and cook till the gravy thickens. Pour cream and cook for 1-2mins. Serve hot garnished with coriander leaves.
Serves : 2-3
Preparation time : 40mins
I got chicken yesterday to make coorg chicken curry, and you posted another one. Very very fast shilpa. I have made paneer butter masala in a similar way with trial and errors. Adding Kasoori methi, cashews and cream makes a lot of difference in these punjabi dishes. Thanks for the tip of roasting kasoori methi before adding.
this should taste good!!! any tips on how to make the gravy redder like in restaurants?
Shilpa: There are 3 things you can try
1) Use kashmiri red chili powder which gives a bright color
2) Some of the recipes call for Tandoori masala. You can try adding it.
3) Use food color.
you too succumbed to the butter flutter nutter temptation? yours looks better than the restaurant stuff.
Shilpa: Thats a nice name Bee. May be you can add splatter also… It took quite a long time to clean up after making this
.
yes, my version has an addition of cream and its red in colour. ur looks yummy!
Hi Shilpa,
The recipe sounds delicious and will try out soon. A question though – is it 1/4 tsp of ginger paste and not 1/4 cup?
Shilpa: Thanks Sri for pointing out. Updated now.
Hey Shilpa,
The butter chicken looks really yumm..Yes, I love to use kasuri methi even in egg and paneer butter masala ..Gives a very nice flavour..Nice post
As soon as this dish was discovered by both my ex and my current b/f, it became what they would order always- without exception- each time we dined at an Indian restaurant. I like to have just a bite or two, as I am well aware of how much butter is usually added to the gravy in the restaurants.
This recipe looks quite good, and yours came out quite beautifully, especially I like the drizzle of cream!
. I am happy that finally the picture is looking good.
Shilpa: Actually I tried to create a nice pattern with cream, but it got spread
See this one has very less butter, so u can try it at home. I am sure you will love it.
Delicious you can serve me this anytime. My daughter loves this dish
Oh!1Thge joys of butter chicken! Your’s looks sinfully tempting
Shilpa..this recipe coming from you has made an entry into the must make list now!I had last eaten best tasting butter chicken in a restaurant in Andheri East near my office!Here they mess it up and its far frm BC!!Tks for posting..am gathering the ingr. for this right away!
Hi,
Butter chicken is my son’s favorite dish.
Thanks for this recipe.
Hey
I can’t wait to make it , but am short of fresh cream, need to make a trip to safeway! 
wow another yummy recipe with even yummier photos. Though I am a vegetarian and will try this recipe with Paneer
Hi Shilpa Thanks for your delicious recipes. Just wondering if 1/4 lb. chicken would be enough to serve 2-3 as mentioned or did you mean 1/4 kg.chicken.
Neville
Shilpa: Neville, you are right. Thanks for pointing out. Updated now.
yumm always and everybodys favvvv butter chicken gravy looks deleciouss
oh YUM! this looks so delicious!
Hmm do you think I can use a little milk instead of the cream?
Shilpa: Rutu, yes you can add milk, it wont be very cream, but still be good.
Well, we’re so glad that you are able to tick it off your to-do-list and share it with us
Looks delish.
Wow Shilpa..Amazing recipie again for Chiken..!! lately I wanted to cook chicken gravy but somthng different frm our Maharashtrian one..So here is d perfect new recipie.. N gr8 thing is that it dosnt require coconut..(I somtimes dnt like using much of coconut in my gravies..)
So,M trying this recipie rgt away..
Thnks alot.
Meenal.
Hi shilpa,
This looks so yuuummmyyy….i m gonna try it.But i have a question I am new to kitchen..and i stay in US..where can i get readymade cream or can u suggest any substitute?
Thanks.
Shilpa: Cream is available in dairy isles of any store. It comes in some pack like this. It is kept along with yogurt and milk. I usually buy smallest pack and finish off soon.
Hi Shilpa,i made ths recipie for dinner yestrday n its absolutely delicious
Moreover it luks gr8….like d typical one served in Punjabi restaurants..n tastes even better than that.. 
I liked d idea of fryng chiken till 3/4th in Butter..I guess that imparts a rich buttery taste ofcourse with all othr thngs..Thnks alot dear..:-)
Best regards,
Meenal.
I made Murg Makhani on New Years eve and my guests said it was absolutely delicious. They were hard core non vegetarians and said it is like a restaurant gravy. They were amazed how can a vegetarian cook chicken so well.
I made panner makhani last evening in the same way after marinating panner and frying in butter before adding.
The blanching of tomatoes made the gravy smoother. Thanks Shilpa for trying and posting the delicious recipe.
Shilpa,
your shailpik chicken butter masala isawesome.This is the second time i am preparing this and my husbend waitng eagerly when it will be served.thanks a lot.
hi,
i tried your recipie today for my brother who is visiting from sunnyvale.He loved it and me too.
the only change i made to it was instead of frying the chicken i roasted it first covered in the oven and then put it under the broiler,it turned out just as good.
thanks for your recipie and look forward for more.
Prepared this dish on Sunday. The taste was really close to the dish we get in the Indian Restaurants here, absolutely amazing
. Everyone at home loved it. Thanks for sharing the lovely recipe!
I tried this recipe on saturday and boy my hubby loved. However there were two things I did a little different. First, I added 1 tsp honey. Secondly, in chicken marination, I added tandoori masala and did not put ginger/garlic paste. In the end I also a little color, so it was exact orange restaurant color.
It was exactly like restaurant. My hubby was impressed
We tried the Murgh Makhani without the kasoori methi and it came out great. We couldn’t find the methi leaves or cashew nut pieces. But still it was a good curry.
Thanks for the Recipie
Made this tonight and it was a great recipe! Not too hard either. I was unable to find kasoori methi so I used an equal amount of dried coriander.
I also used tinned crushed tomatoes in place of tomato puree. It was an absolute hit! Thanks so much!
Shilpa,
I have just attempted your recipe with some capsicum and Onion (cut in larger pieces like shells instead of finely chopd) The chicken is marinating right now…hope it turns out well. Will let u know
thanks
Hi Shilpa,
Tried this for dinner yesterday! Wow, it was so delicious!!
I have tried a number of chicken dishes from ur site succesfully.. My hubby loved almost all dishes.. But yesterday, he says “This is the best chicken dish till date. Pls remember this recipe and make it again.”
I didnt have kasuri methi and cashew paste. So added whole milk and heavy cream.. Also, used chicken drumsticks..The gravy was very silky and smooth..Thanks a lot for this absolutely flavorful recipe..
I had made this for my hubby’s birthday and oh Boy, i am so pleased to see him eat so happily..Thanks Shilpa..
Hi Shilpa,
Garam masala which you have mentioned in list above is it the red one or black one.
I have 2 masalas at my place one is red one which contains red chilies+other garam masala ingredients like pepper,lavang etc.
The other one is black one.
Can you suggest
Shilpa: Red one
please send me this butter chicken recipes on email i want this
please send me butter chicken recipes my email id is ramizama@yahoo.com