Murgh Makhani (Indian Butter Chicken)

This was yummy, but I would recommend a couple things. Use heavy whipping cream instead of half and half. Or, condensed canned milk if you want a lighter dish. In India they never use half and half. For the "cooking oil," use vegetable oil. For the butter, you can make "ghee," which is cooked butter with removed fat. You cook the butter in a pan, and when you see the white coagulation on the top, strain the melted butter through a cheesecloth. You will have the golden goodness of the butter without the other stuff. It tastes nutty and flavorful, and if you're wondering what this stuff is - it's what you get with lobster at a good restaurant! You'll have to use a bit more butter (I use a pound) if you're going to make ghee. A lot will be removed in the straining process. Also, "tomato sauce" may be confusing. Don't use the stuff you use for pasta! (but that might be a big DUH). Use a can of pure tomatoes, diced or whole. Use the juice! And, one more thing. I tend to like more sauce with my rice and meat (I like to slurp it up with garlic naan and jasmine rice!) If you're like me, you'll want to use more heavy cream and yogurt. This will mean a pinch more of spices (careful with the chili powder!) Another tip - add yogurt to the dish slowly, so the rest of the sauce will "accept" it... the yogurt will curdle if too much is added at once. Happy eating!

True to it's description, this is the "simple home version" that I have been looking for without the hassles of grinding cashews, grilling the chicken, etc, etc. The best decision I made was to follow the recipe exactly as it was written even down to the minutes for cooking each layer of ingredients, and that definitely paid off. The only substitution I made was using a tsp of frozen fenugreek leaves instead of dried, but I don't think that hurt it too much. Don't be deterred if you can't find the fenugreek leaves at all...I'm sure it's fine even without them. Will definitely be making this again for many years to come. Thanks so much for submitting this recipe! PS. One small note, if the chicken releases some water when initially browning it, dump it out of the pan before heating the remaining oil and browning the onions.

This is a very good recipe that I will definitely make again. Next time I'll probably add less salt (1/2-3/4 t), and less Indian chili powder (1/8 t) so it's not quite as spicy. I used a combo of condensed milk and half & half and it turned out nicely. I ended up adding extra half & half just to balance out the salt and heat. But we loved this meal served over jasmine rice!

Love this recipe! this was my first foray into Indian cooking and I was pleased to say it was pretty good! I love how everything is more or less scratch, and delicious. I add a bit more garlic (hard to go wrong!) and serve with naan bread and rice. since I can't find fenugreek leaves, I use the powder. I actually did this for my extended family around Christmas, and even for my grandparents whose palettes aren't particularly adventurous, they really enjoyed this meal. yummy! I have also added spinach at the last minute and it was a nice flavour as well with a bit more nutrition :)

I have had butter chicken in many Indian restaurants. This recipe is So easy and So good. I really like spice so I doubled the chilli powder. I used good Indian ingredients from the Indian Market too. I would not change a thing. Next time I am going to double it!!!

Easy recipe that resulted in a very tasty dish. I didn't make it very spicy by not adding very much chili powder. The dish was very flavourful so I didn't have to add very much salt either. I marinated the pieces of chicken thighs overnight and they turned out great. I also doubled the garlic/onion/ginger paste, tomatoes and evaporated milk because I wanted double the amount of sauce. I cooked some mushrooms in the extra sauce and it was delicious. I would make this again because it is a simple recipe with great flavour. I used canned crushed tomatoes this time but next time I might try to puree canned diced tomatoes or fresh ones.

This is such a delicious recipe! I made a couple of adjustments, only because I decided to make this last-minute and didn't have fenugreek or Indian chili powder. Also I used coconut milk instead of half-and-half, which was INCREDIBLE! I've tried it both ways now (half-and-half and coconut milk) and I'm not sure which I like better!

very good. I used lentils instead of chicken since I'm vegetarian and I thought it was delicious.

I used heavy whipping cream instead of Half-n-Half, and I increased the chili powder to 1/2t. Great easy recipe!

I loved it, especially because it leaves a spicy hot taste in the back of the throat. I changed the half and half for half of sour cream. I really liked it.

This was really delicious and got rave reviews from my husband! I was forced to change the recipe, only because I couldn't find some of the ingredients. Instead of FennelGreek leaves I used a few chopped spinach leaves. Instead of half and half I used a mixture of melted butter, flour and 1% milk. Instead of the Tandoori Masala I used a Tikka Masala sauce from a jar. I also put a bit more Garam Masala in it, as well as yogurt. Once done, I topped it with a bit more yogurt. Overall it was very good, with a nice mild curry taste. Will definitely make this again because it was super easy.

Wow, this was a big hit! I did triple all ingredients and used cut-up boneless, skinless chicken breast. I cooked cut-up chicken breast in a non-stick dry grill pan and cooled. Then I marinated it in the yogurt/tandoori masala mixture in a plastic bag in the fridge. I reduced the oil used to about 1 tbsp. that I cooked the onion/ginger/garlic paste in. I was unable to find Indian chili powder and so I used regular chili powder which worked out just fine. Fabulous recipe, great instructions, easy to do.

I feel like I've tried about fifteen different Indian butter chicken recipes, and this one is hands down the best. One quick tip: I've made this four or five times, and it turns out the best when I follow the cooking times outlined in the directions exactly. It really is important in this one! Thanks for adding, DHANO923!

We loved this recipe! Just delicious!

This is the closest to authentic chicken makhani recipe on this website. I probably shouldn't say that, because all indian kitchens have their own way of making makhani. I make mine almost exactly the same, but I do not use onions at all in the sauce. I also prefer to use chicken breasts, although the thighs really make the correct texture. I make this dish for my husband who hates indian food, and hates rice, so I always make this for him and serve NAAN with it.

My family loved this recipe. I prepared it a bit differently, but flexibility is another plus for this recipe. I boiled bone-in chicken thighs, shredded the meat and added it to the sauce which I prepared separately. This lets me set aside plain meat for my toddlers, but lets the adults still eat what they want. I sauteed the onion/ginger/garlic puree in oil for several minutes, then sauteed in the spices, then added the yogurt and the cream. I added the chicken and let everything sit over low heat, covered, for about 40 minutes to let the flavors of the sauce and chicken exchange. It was great. I was able to find tomato sauce without seasoning so I did use tomato sauce, otherwise I would have used tomato puree.

So easy and my kids loved it!

It was good! I didn't have tandoori powder so I used garam masala instead. Also, I don't have fenugreek leaves in my area, so I used 1/2t fenugreek powder and some dried cilantro leaves instead. Other than that, I followed the recipe exactly. Thanks!

This one is really hard to review properly as I was unable to find 3 of the ingredients locally and had to improvise. It is really between 3-4 stars but I am going to err on the side of 3 for now. I have ordered the 3 ingredients I am missing thus I will update my review when I can make it as written. I figure others my have issues finding these ingredients and are wondering how the substitutions found on the web will work which is why I've chosen to review it in this manner. The ingredients I could not get were, Indian chili powder, frnugreek leaves, and tandoori masala. I found a recipe online to make my own tandori but that too called for fenegreek leaves so I just omitted them. in place of indian chili powder I used hungarian hot paprika and I just omitted the fenugreek leaves bc my research told me that they do not all a whole lot to the recipe. The dish was not bad. good enough flavor but nothing that would knock my socks off My husband said he liked it and my 2yr old ate some too without any resistanced. I used sea salt and unfortunately that caused the dish to be a tad too salty so I will cut that back by half next time. I am really looking forward to trying this again with the proper ingredients but you are able to make a passable version with substations if need be.

This is simply delicious!

We really liked this dish!

I have looked for years for a Butter Chicken recipe that could compare to what I get at good local Indian restaurants and this is as close as I have come. Fantastic! The family loves it! Thank you for sharing it!!

Made it with tofu ;-)....Delicious!

This is the first time I've made Butter Chicken and it was divine! Thanks for the amazing recipe. I will be making this again...and again...and again.

So delicious. As good as any you would get in an Indian restaurant. I didn't change a thing.

I will never bother to make another butter chicken...I could drink the sauce...O.k., I do drink the sauce....It's amazing!! I dream about making this recipe again....:) Every person I have made it for is extremely impressed. It rivals or surpasses multiple restaurant butter chickens... I use whipping cream over half and half...

Wonderful - made a substitution of 2 bay leaves for the fenugreek, but otherwise stuck to the recipe exactly. Perfect dish with just the right amount of heat.

This is a really easy and effective recipe. I used milk and left over clotted cream in place of the half and half and tomato puree instead of the tomato sauce. I did have to look up "half and half", where I come from it means half chips half rice. I was confused.

I have made this several times now and it never disappoints. However, I do take two days to make it just because a) I usually have the time and b) It just takes it one notch up on the authentic ladder. I use boneless thighs that I cut into chunks and marinate overnight in a mixture of yogurt, onion, garlic and tandoori spice. The next day I thread the chunks onto BBQ skewers and grill them (you could also spread them on a greased baking sheet in the oven I would imagine) anyway, it gives the meat a slightly charred appearance and the tandoori flavor is amazing. I make the sauce by cooking the dry spices in a little ghee (or oil or butter) until fragrant (minute or two) then the rest of the ingredients. I’m also super crazy about cashews, so I do grind some up and add it as a thickening agent. Then the chicken comes off the skewers and into the sauce to simmer on low for awhile. I add the cream (or yogurt) at the very end. I even had to use a can of coconut milk once and it was fabulous as well. Oh, and I can’t get fresh fenugreek leaves so I use dried/ground and it’s absolutely fine. This recipe as written is amazing as is, but if you DO have the time to grill the chicken ahead with the tandoori flavors it is sooooo worth it!

This was delicious! I forgot the butter and it was still good.

Absolutely delicious! Better than ANY butter chicken we had in India & we had it in several places! Wouldn't change a thing about it... We like it with the naan recipe on allrecipes that has the best rating & with Gulab Jamun for dessert with Masala tea!

This is a fabulous recipe. My boyfriend won’t let me order it from the restaurant anymore. I highly recommend visiting a local Indian supermarket for your spices. There are different types of Indian chili powders and seasoning blends. Don’t be shy about asking the clerk to recommend the best. It will be worth it. This recipe has become a staple in our home. The only change I make is using white meat instead of dark and adding a little sugar to the sauce because my guy prefers it a little sweet. Theses changes are simply for personal preference.

This was delicious! Made a couple of substitutions based on what I had at hand - Coconut milk for half and half, celery leaves for fenugreek leaves. Made my own spice mixtures from recipes on this site. I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts instead of chicken thighs which is what I had on hand. My cooking oil was extra virgin organic coconut oil. Served over brown basmati rice and added some fresh broccoli and green beans during the last 15 mins of cooking. Delicious!

Every bite feels like a hug. Love it!

this is the best recipe for butter chicken. I've tried a few but none of them hit the spot like slurping a bunch of sauce with naan at an Indian buffet, except this one! I make it as written, except I do double the sauce because I really only go to the buffets for sauce and naan. But this tastes better than many of the restaurants and is home made!

Adjusted the oil down some and used whole Chicken Thighs instead of boneless skinless...was delicious.

I used canned tomatoes and canned evaporated milk (I didn't have cream), and it curdled from the yoghurt marinade. Someone said to add yoghurt slowly to avoid curdling, but according to the recipe, I was supposed to brown the meat in a yoghurt marinade before everything else. What did I do wrong?

Delicious!!! My husband thought I heated up take-out for dinner. I'm still not sure he believes I made it... highly recommend.

Loved this. Didn't have the fenugreek. Can't seem to find it anywhere. Used whipping cream because that's what I had and Pepper flakes. Simply delicious. Nice balance of flavors.

I have made this recipe twice for my family and friends, and it turned out as expected. I followed the instructions and measurements without any changes. But, I kept the chicken marinated overnight. Obviously, this depends on how much time you have...For me marinating the chicken in advance saves a lot of time the next day, and the chicken is more tender. Thanks for your recipe, it's easy and delicious!!

I used this recipe mainly as a reference for the spices. I made it with lamb sprinkled with all the salt, garam masala, and tandoori masala - when the lamb was browned and all liquid evaporated, I added the ground ginger, onion, and garlic, and cooked for about 10 minutes. Then I added crushed tomatoes and cooked for about 45 minutes, until lamb was tender, then stirred in the cream. Really really good. Oh, and depending on the spiciness of your tandoori masala, the chili powder may not be necessary.

Definitely in one of my Sunday Dinner rotations.

Very good! But instead of the half & half I used whipping cream and greek yogurt

Easy, quick, flavorful. I start with thighs with bones which are less expensive. I debone the thighs and use skin and bones to make stock while the chicken marinates. Then use the stock to make rice. Both garam masala and tandoori masala are easy to make with most ingredients from the spice cabinet.

This has got to be my favorite Indian recipe!!!! I wouldn't change a thing!!

Forgot to mention in my review, definitely use heavy cream or coconut cream instead of half & half.

Fabulous. I ran out of cream so used sour cream and it was terrific.

This is an amazing recipe! Thank you so much for sharing this! It tastes exactly like the butter chicken I bought at Trader Joe’s and even better! After having butter chicken for the first time, I have always wanted to cook it myself! And your recipe makes that possible.

Tastes just like in a restaurant. I have cooked this multiple times and everybody loves it.

I made this for dinner tonight. It was good, but I have to say I was disappointed... This is the first time I've made Indian food from scratch, its a LOT of work, and the end result was less than amazing. I think some dishes that I have prepared from a jar/paste from the store have turned out tastier. I had a box of frozen chicken that had to be used up which had some freezer burn, so I nuked 12 breasts for a couple minutes then cut off the burnt areas. The chicken was still frozen so I cut it into small chunks and put into a tupperware to marinate overnight in the yogurt mix. I followed the recipe pretty much exactly. I wasn't sure what to use as "tomato sauce" as I didn't want it to taste Italian... so I used a jar of diced tomatoes and a can of tomato paste (maybe that is where things got bland). I also used whipping cream and coconut milk instead of half and half. I made my own tandoori masala and garam masala spice mixes (using recipes on this site) which could also be the source of the problem? This was good Indian food, just not the crazy delicious butter chicken I was hoping for after allllll that work. I will try again with a more flavorful tomato sauce.

We loved it! Didn't buy enough thighs, so am making it a second meal by adding a chicken breast that I'll marinate the same way as the thighs, then add to the sauce I still have and Bingo meal two! Also didn't have heavy cream, so I used half coffee cream and 1% milk, and it worked like a charm. Definitely a keeper!

Prepared this and forgot to marinade the chicken. Didn’t have yogurt or tandoori masala powder. So instead, I used allrecipe.com substitute for the tandoori masala and applied it as a rub to the pan browned skinless thighs (bone left in). Had all the other ingredients and cooked in crockpot on high for about an hour and a half. Used a little cornstarch in water to thicken, no added salt. Everyone enjoyed and asked for recipe. I chose this recipe because it’s the only one that calls for fenugreek leaves and I have a ton of them.

This was amazing! Made it per the recipe other than I used fenugreek seeds ground up. Husband and teenage boys loved it served with naan. Ive made it several times. Enjoy!

Absolutely delicious! I followed the recipe as is.

I also used heavy cream instead of 1/2 & 1/2 and added fresh methi leaves.....delicious for our thanksgiving!

First time making Indian food from scratch and this was AMAZING!!! Family favorite !!!

Really yummy- couldn't find fenugreek, so it might be even better with that, but other than that, it was really easy and super yummy- definitely going to make again.

I absolutely loved this!

This was great good flavor tasted just like you were at an Indiana restaurant.

This was amazing & my husband claimed it was one of the best butter chicken recipes he has ever tasted. He loves Indian food, and says the best one he had was at an authentic restaurant in a big city but this one is runner up! I did make a few changes. I marinated the chicken in full fat greek yogurt (not nonfat yogurt) for 5 or 6 hours. I couldn't find fenugreek, so I omitted it. I used heavy whipping cream instead of half & half, and also added a couple tablespoons of tomato paste, and more chili powder. We had it with naan & rice. We will definitely be making this again!

Loved this recipe. Made recipe as written except for fenugreek leaves. This is the third Butter Chicken recipe I’ve tried, but I’ve found a keeper. I liked the combinations of seasonings in this one, including the tandoori masala and homemade garlic/ginger paste (which I will do from now on). I used Indian chili powder and fenugreek seeds ground up (because I couldn’t find the leaves). Fenugreek is a must to make it take more authentic.

Excellent I'll be making this again and again. Didn't have the cream so I used Coconut milk. Turned out great all the grand-kids loved it said it was better than the restaurant.

This recipe was so delicious. I made it exactly as written. It had the perfect amount of flavor. This taste just as good or even better than when I order this dish at Indian restaurants. This dish will be a staple and I will definitely be making it again.

Better than any restaurant here in town. It was delicious!

Super tasty! I've made it twice. My prep has taken me more than 20 minutes every time I have cooked it. I would also recommend using the food processor instead of the blender.

This dish was fabulous! I made the lighter version and it was so good. My husband who never eats Indian food really enjoyed as well as my 11 year old son.

Made it just like the recipe... it was very good!

I've never cooked Indian food before and I was able to cook this one. I had this dish at a local Indian restaurant and this recipe was as good if not better. Just hot enough, but with a rich creamy taste as well. LOVED it!! I cooked it exactly as the recipe stated. It was gone in one night!

This was every bit as good as the butter chicken served in restaurants, my husband was really impressed with me! I didn't have yogurt for the marinade so I used sour cream, it still worked really well. I'll use this recipe again for sure.

My family loves this. Make it just per the recipe. All ingredients can be found at a local Indian market (i.e., funugreek leaves). Easy and delicious.

This is the first butter chicken I've made from scratch, but easily the best butter chicken I've ever had. So good!

in the indian chicken recipe you mentioned half and half what is that it looks like milk water, thanks

This was AMAZING. My husband and I love Indian food, and this definitely compared to some of our local highly rated Indian restaurants'. I paired this with Aloo Palak (spinach and potatoes), and Basmati Rice and Naan on the side. I took the advice of previous reviews and added the heavy cream in lieu of half & half. My ONLY suggestion is -- double everything to yield a bigger batch. This reheats beautifully and travels well.

I made this for a potluck dinner tonight. I used heavy cream and cut the spices in half to make sure it wasn't too spicy for the kids. The dish was empty at the end of the night and even the little ones enjoyed it. Definitely

Amazing! Amazing! Kids loved it and ate it all without rice or Naan.

love this fairly simple recipe, nice flavours, family enjoyed it thoroughly

I give this recipe 4 stars because it tasted authentic and wholesome, but it seemed to be missing an ingredient. I doubled the recipe, and added heavy whipping cream rather than half and half. I liked it, and will definitely be making it again, but tweaking the recipe for sure :) all in all a good recipe, especially for a beginner!

Great recipe if you have all the ingredients! I didn't have regular plain yogurt, so I used plain Greek yogurt, and substituted a cup of O Organics tomato soup for tomato sauce. I like a less heavy cream, so l combined Light whipping cream with whole milk. Also didn't have fenugreek, so I used a pinch of ground mustard. I added a 1/2 teaspoon of Tikka Masala into the yogurt marinade. Authentic flavor and delicious!

I started making this recipe about 10years ago and it's never failed. I find it better than a lot of the butter chicken take outs you find. Also freezes really well after cooking up a big batch.

Fantastic! Tastes just like what you get in the restaurant. It took about an hour and a half to make, but was super easy. I used heavy whipping cream instead of half n half and it made it a little creamier. Will make this dish again!

Excellent! I doubled the sauce & didn't purée the onion, garlic & ginger as suggested, I just sautéed them together in the butter, but not the oil, then added the other ingredients. I only added about 1/3 teaspoon of salt, too. I also added 3 diced, cooked potatoes at the very end, because of the extra sauce. I usually use coconut milk instead of half and half. Wonderful dish, thank you for the recipe!

I loved this so much I make it weekly now!! The entire family loves it too!

This was delicious! I didn't have fenugreek (but want to buy some for next time) and used cream in place of half n half per other recommendations. We absolutely LOVED it! Next time I'll use only 3/4 t. salt - our preference only.

Amazing. I love this recipe. I've made it more than 10 times now and it's just as delicious every time.

The best butter chicken recipe I’ve found thus far. I doubled the garlic and added a couple tbsp of extra butter. Delish!

Absolutely delicious! This recipe was easy, fun to make and my family loved it! Will definitely continue to make.

So good! I did make a few modifications. I added a couple of bay leaves, couple of green cardamom pods whole, 1/4 teaspoon of Asafetida in with the onion, garlic, ginger purée. I also skipped the marinade altogether and opted to dump some frozen chicken strips in for a quick 30-45min meal. I used Morton and Basset Garam Masala mix. With these modifications this is easily one for my recipe book. Thanks for sharing!

absolutely delicious! if you don't have enough plain yogurt, you can use any acidic milk product such as sour milk, it mainly acts as a softener.

This was delicious! My daughter and I loved it.

We made our own tandoori and garam masala. We doubled the sauce so we could have extra over rice. So darn good! We thought we made enough for left overs but everyone had seconds so no left overs!

I added 1 teaspoon Butter chicken masala into sauce and 1 teaspoon butter chicken masala while frying the chicken. Used sour cream instead of yoghurt as I didn't have any. Turned out super. The corn starch was not required. I did add a bit of water as I found the sauce / gravy a bit thick.

I've used this recipe many times now to much acclaim. I just add an apple to the onion, garlic and ginger before puree-ing. I've left the fenugreek out a few times as well since it is hard to come by where I live. This gives the sauce a slightly thicker and sweeter consistency. Wonderful stuff.

Over all the taste was good, very similar to restaurant we visit. However I used crushed tomatoes,heavy cream,cayenne instead of Indian chili powder and used the left over marinade to cook the chicken instead of discarding it. I like spice in my indian food and this reciepe wasn't spicey. I would highly recommend marinating the chicken longer then an hour and instead of using cream I would use a couple heaping spoons of Indian yogurt next time I make it.

Fantastic! I read the comments and used the suggestions. I used ghee instead of butter, 3/4 cup of heavy cream and 1/2 cup of coconut creamy milk instead of 1/2 and 1/2.

So good! The only thing I would say is it’s a little spicy for me. I would half the cayenne. I also added peas after the rice was cooked to the rice as a vegetable.

I made this with broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms, and carrots. Used more water and almond milk and fat free half and half. Used a little corn starch in the end to thicken the sauce. Served with jasmine rice. It turned out great!