
Quick butter chicken
Chicken thigh simmered in a silky tomato, butter and cream sauce built from scratch with garam masala and warm spices. Serve with microwave rice or naan.
- Prep
- 5 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Serves
- 2
- Per serve
- 980 kcal
Ingredients
Method
Melt the butter in a large deep skillet over medium heat. Add the onion with a pinch of salt and cook, stirring, until soft and turning golden. Cut the chicken while it cooks.
Turn the heat to medium-high, add the chicken and cook, turning, until it's sealed and opaque on all sides.
Add the garlic, ginger, garam masala, cumin, paprika, turmeric, chili powder and tomato paste. Stir for a minute until it smells toasty and coats the chicken.
Pour in the tomato puree, water and sugar and add 1/2 tsp salt. Bring to a bubble, then simmer, stirring now and then, until the sauce thickens and the chicken is cooked through with no pink inside.
Stir in the cream and simmer for 1 minute more. Meanwhile, heat the rice in the microwave according to the package, about 90 seconds (or warm the naan).
Taste and add more salt or a pinch of sugar if the tomato is sharp. Serve over the rice, scattered with cilantro.
Tips
- For a richer, more takeout-style finish, stir an extra pat of butter through the sauce right at the end.
- Cut the chicken into even pieces no bigger than 1 inch so it cooks through in the simmer time.
- Check your garam masala and rice are gluten-free if that matters to you; naan is not.


