Butter Chicken Curry is one of those dishes you try once – and never forget. This Indian-style chicken curry with coconut milk has become a true family favorite at our house. We make it at least once a month because it’s creamy, flavorful, easy to make, and doesn’t require any cream.
If you’re looking for an authentic Butter Chicken recipe without cream, this version hits the spot – full of rich flavor, yet simple enough for a weeknight dinner.
My first Butter Chicken – and why I’ll never forget it
My very first Butter Chicken? I had it in Sydney, Australia – during my time at the Hilton. Our head chef didn’t hand out favors easily, but after a particularly grueling service, there was sometimes this one magical line:
“There’s still some Butter Chicken for you.” Jackpot.
That dish was pure comfort. Creamy, spicy, perfectly balanced – and impossible to forget. For years, no other Butter Chicken lived up to it. Until I started testing and developing my own version.
Here you will find my recipe for this super tasty Butter Chicken Curry, further below I do have some handy tips for you.
Butter Chicken Curry- a great curry for the whole family
Just a heads up: I use grams and Celsius degrees in all my recipes, as I’m based in Germany.
Equipment
- 1 pan
- 1 mixer if you do not like pieces of tomatoes
- 1 immersion blender
Ingredients
Marinade for the chicken
- 100 g plain yoghurt
- 10 g ginger peeled
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 0.5 tsp cumin
- 1 Tbsp tandoori paste
- 0.5 tsp Turmeric
- Salt
- 500 g Chicken breast you can also use chicken thighs
Sauce
- 3 Tbsp ghee substitute with sunflower oil or coconut oil
- 10 g ginger
- 1 clove of garlic
- 1 tbsp garam masala
- 0.5 tsp cumin
- 1 Tsp ground coriander seeds
- 2 sprigs fresh coriander cilantro
- 1 piece onion cut in small cubes
- 400 g crushed tomatoes (1 can, if you have no blender, use tomato passata
- 400 ml coconut milk 1 can
- 0.5 tsp salt
- pepper
Basmati rice
- 300 g Basmati rice
Instructions
- Make the marinade:In a large bowl, mix yogurt with crushed garlic, cumin, garam masala, turmeric powder, and tandoori paste.
- Add the ginger: For extra flavor, grate fresh ginger directly into the yogurt. If you prefer it milder, simply dice it finely and stir it in.
- Marinate the chicken:Cut the chicken breast into small cubes. Season lightly with salt and pepper, then add to the yogurt marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes – 1 hour is ideal.
- Prep the vegetables and herbs: Finely dice the onion, slice garlic and ginger thinly, and roughly chop the coriander.
- Sear the chicken:Heat 20 g of ghee in a large pan. Sear the marinated chicken in batches until golden brown. Set aside.
- Build the sauce base:In the same pan, heat 1 teaspoon of ghee. Sauté the diced onion until golden, then add the sliced ginger, garlic, and half of the coriander. Let it cook for a minute or two.
- Add spices and tomatoes:Stir in your spices (like cumin, turmeric, garam masala, ground coriander, salt) and briefly toast them. Add the crushed tomatoes and let everything simmer for 3–5 minutes.
- Cook the rice:While the sauce gets the flavour, cook the basmati rice according to the package instructions.
- Add the coconut milk:Pour in the coconut milk and let the sauce gently simmer for about 10 minutes over low heat.
- Blend the sauce:Carefully purée the sauce with an immersion blender or in a stand blender until smooth. Caution: the sauce is hot!
- Return the chicken:Add the seared chicken back into the sauce. Stir well and let it simmer for a few more minutes on low heat.
- Serve:Sprinkle with fresh coriander and serve hot with fluffy basmati rice or warm naan bread.
Notes
Nutrition
The nutritional values are automatically calculated – I use them as a rough guide myself when I want to keep track.
Disclaimer
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A Butter Chicken that actually works – and tastes amazing
After trying countless recipes, reading food blogs, and experimenting with spice combos, I finally landed on the version I love most:
A rich, creamy Butter Chicken made with coconut milk, not cream. Juicy chicken, silky sauce, and all the depth of Indian flavors – without the heavy feel.
And the best part? The ingredients are easy to find. You’ll need:
- Plain yogurt
- Canned chopped tomatoes
- Coconut milk
- And a handful of essential Indian spices: cumin, garam masala, ground coriander, and turmeric.
Plus a bit of ghee or butter, some fresh coriander – and that’s it! You’re ready to make your own kitchen magic.
My top tips for the perfect Butter Chicken Curry
To make sure your Butter Chicken turns out just right, here are my tried-and-tested tips:
- Marinate the chicken in yogurt – it makes it super tender and flavorful.
- Sear the chicken first before making the sauce.
- Cook the sauce separately, blend it until smooth, and then return the chicken to it.
- Serve it with basmati rice or naan bread.
- Add a spoonful of mango chutney on the side – it gives a lovely sweet contrast to the rich curry.
Want it spicy? Add a chili or a pinch of chili powder – works wonders!
I hope you love this easy Butter Chicken recipe as much as we do! My son asks for it at least once a month – and honestly, I’m happy to oblige. If you want to explore more, try my vegan chickpea curry next!
love
Sabrina 💛
And if you are looking for an alternative Curry, why not try out my chickpea curry? Or a beautiful Chicken curry with pineapple?
Looking for some other recipes?
- Swiss Sausage Salad – A Classic Summer Dish from Southern Germany
- Classic Venison Roast – just like Grandma used to make
- Pasta all `Amatriciana- dangerously good and easy!
