Murgh Makhani (Butter Chicken)
Yogurt-marinated chicken in a tomato-cashew-butter sauce, finished with cream and kasuri methi.
Ingredients
- 800 g Chicken thighs
- 150 g Yogurt
- 30 g Ginger
- 6 cloves Garlic
- 1 Lime
- 1½ tsp Kashmiri chili powder
- ½ tsp Ground turmeric
- 2 tsp Garam masala
- 1 tin San Marzano tomatoes (DOP)
- 50 g Cashews
- 80 g Butter
- 150 ml Heavy cream
- 2 tsp Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
- 2 tbsp Neutral oil
- 1½ tsp Salt
- 240 g Basmati rice
- 1 tsp Sugar (optional)
- 2 tbsp Cilantro (optional)
Method
- Rinse the basmati rice until the water runs clear, then cook it in twice its volume of water, covered, until tender and the water is absorbed, about 15 minutes.
- Grate the ginger and garlic into a paste (or use a microplane).
- Whisk the yogurt smooth. Stir in half the ginger-garlic paste, half the Kashmiri chili, the turmeric, half the garam masala, the lime juice, and a good pinch of salt to make the marinade. Cut the chicken into 4 cm pieces and fold them through the marinade, then cover and rest at least 30 minutes, or refrigerate overnight for deeper flavour.
- Heat a film of oil in a wide pan over high heat. Sear the marinated chicken in batches until charred on the outside, then lift to a plate (it finishes cooking in the sauce later).
- While the chicken sears, soak the cashews in just-boiled water until softened.
- Wipe the pan. Melt half the butter over medium heat. Add the remaining ginger-garlic paste and cook until the raw smell is gone.
- Add the tomatoes, crushing them by hand, with the remaining Kashmiri chili, the sugar, and a splash of water. Simmer until reduced and the oil pools at the edges.
- Tip the cashews with their soaking water and the tomato sauce into the blender. Blitz silky-smooth, then pass through a sieve back into the pan.
- Bring the sauce back to a gentle simmer. Slide in the seared chicken with any resting juices and cook until the chicken is just done.
- Off the heat, stir in the cream and remaining butter. Crush the kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) between your palms over the pot. Stir in the rest of the garam masala and taste for salt.
- Spoon into bowls. Scatter the cilantro on top. Serve with naan or basmati rice.
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About Murgh Makhani (Butter Chicken)
Murgh makhani, better known as butter chicken, is one of North India's most famous restaurant dishes, a Delhi creation built around tender chicken in a smooth, buttery tomato gravy. It begins with chicken thighs marinated in yogurt spiced with Kashmiri chili, turmeric, and garam masala, which both tenderizes the meat and gives it the tang and color that make the dish sing before it ever meets the sauce.
The gravy is what defines this version: San Marzano tomatoes and cashews cooked down and enriched with butter and cream into a velvety, mildly sweet sauce, finished with a crush of kasuri methi whose dried-fenugreek aroma is the unmistakable signature of good butter chicken. Searing the marinated chicken hard before it finishes in the sauce adds a charred, tandoori-like depth. Rich and comforting rather than fiery, it's made to be scooped up with naan or spooned over basmati rice, and it's a natural centerpiece for a celebratory meal.
Murgh Makhani (Butter Chicken): frequently asked questions
How many calories are in Murgh Makhani (Butter Chicken)?
A serving has about 1152 calories — 44.5g protein, 67.6g carbs, 78.5g fat, 5.1g fiber. Figures are estimated from the ingredient amounts and will shift with your portions and brands.
Is it high in protein?
Each serving has about 44.5g of protein, roughly 15% of its calories.
Is Murgh Makhani (Butter Chicken) gluten-free?
Based on its ingredients, Murgh Makhani (Butter Chicken) has no gluten-containing components, so it's naturally gluten-free — as always, check that any packaged ingredients you use are certified gluten-free to be safe.
Is Murgh Makhani (Butter Chicken) dairy-free?
Not as written — it uses Yogurt, Butter, Heavy cream. Swapping those for a plant-based alternative makes it dairy-free.
Do I need every ingredient to make Murgh Makhani (Butter Chicken)?
The core ingredients are essential, but you can leave out sugar, cilantro — they're optional and mainly there for extra flavor or finish.
How many servings does Murgh Makhani (Butter Chicken) make?
This recipe makes 4 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.