Simple Homemade Butter Chicken Curry

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Creamy, fragrant and rich, this simple homemade butter chicken curry has been a staple in our house for the longest time. Made entirely from scratch, it is perfect with fluffy rice and a side helping of naan bread.

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I love a good curry and this simple homemade butter chicken curry is top of my list.

Nothing beats an authentic dish from your local Indian restaurant. Nooothing. This curry, however, comes close and when you’re looking for a homemade meal, can’t be beaten.

The recipe is not mine. It comes from Jennifer over at the amazing Foodess. I’ve made it so many times now that I don’t even need to follow a recipe and it is my absolute trusted go-to meal.

Because I’ve made this recipe so often, there have been times when I’ve deviated from the original. Times when I was rushed and didn’t marinate the chicken. Days when I used coconut milk instead of cream. Occasions when I replaced the chicken with prawns or just vegetables.

It didn’t matter what I did or how I tweaked it, the dish stood tall. I think it’s because the base of the meal, the thick, delish sauce, is what makes it. Tonnes of sautéed onions and garlic pureed together with tomatoes and cream to create the most divine curry sauce, ever. Give it a go, you won’t be disappointed.

What can you serve with homemade butter chicken curry?

Rice. Absolutely. I think that’s a given. You need plenty of fluffy rice to soak up the wonderful sauce. Another thing I need (yes need) with a curry is my pillowy spelt garlic naan bread. However, there are many other wonderful Indian side dishes you can serve with curry, such as:

Crunchy poppadoms
Homemade roti
Bombay aloo (potatoes)
Crispy onion bhajis
Recipe Tin Eat’s pakora (Indian fritters)

If you like this simple homemade butter chicken curry, be sure to check out my 30 minute garlic coconut chicken curry.

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Simple Homemade Butter Chicken

Course Dinner

Cuisine Indian

Ingredients

Marinade:

1kg (2¼ pounds) chicken breast, cut into slices or cubes (see note 1)
2 tbs lemon juice
2 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
1 tbs garam masala
1 tsp sea salt

Sauce:

4 tbs vegetable oil
2 large onions (sliced)
2 tbs garlic (chopped)
2 tbs garam masala
2 tsp paprika
¼ tsp cinnamon
2 tsp sea salt (or to taste)
400g (14 oz) tinned tomatoes
200ml (¾ cup + 1 tbsp) whipping cream (or coconut milk/cream)
2 tbs butter
chopped coriander to garnish (optional)

Instructions

Marindade:

Using a bowl or plastic bag, combine all of the marinade ingredients together. Give them a good stir (or squish) to make sure everything is well combined.
Although it isn't necessary, for better results, leave the marinade in the fridge for a few hours (or even overnight).

Sauce & Assembly:

Heat the oil in a fairly large pan.
Add the sliced onions and cook until they are starting to caramelize. This is not a quick process, and will take at least 20-30 minutes. However, this is an integral flavour of the curry and shouldn't be missed.
When the onions are ready add the garlic and cook for a further minute.
Add the spices and seasoning and cook for one more minute.
Add in the tinned tomatoes and cook for a couple of minutes.
Puree or blend the sauce (you may need to do this in a couple of batches, depending on how big your machine is), and then return to the pan.
Add the cream and stir through.
Remove the chicken from the marinade bag and add to the sauce.
Cook for about 12-15 minutes, just until the chicken is cooked. Serve immediately and eat with rice and/or naan bread.