Description:
A rich and flavorful Indian dish featuring tender chicken cooked in a spiced, creamy tomato-based sauce, served with warm, fluffy naan bread. Perfect for those looking to gain weight with delicious, fat-rich meals.
🕒 Total Time: 40 minutes
🍽️ Servings: 2
🔥 Calories per serving: ~680 kcal
🛒 Ingredients
For the Butter Chicken:
- 300g (10 oz) boneless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 tablespoon oil or ghee (clarified butter)
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/2 onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder (adjust to taste)
- 3/4 cup tomato purée (or canned crushed tomatoes)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream (or full-fat coconut milk for dairy-free)
- 1 tablespoon plain yogurt (optional, for tang)
- Salt, to taste
- Fresh cilantro, for garnish
For Serving:
- 2 pieces of naan bread (store-bought or homemade)
- Optional: Extra butter for brushing naan
🍳 Instructions
1. Marinate the Chicken (Optional but Recommended):
- In a bowl, mix chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric, and 1 tablespoon yogurt.
- Let it marinate for at least 15 minutes while you prep other ingredients.
2. Cook the Chicken:
- Heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat.
- Add chicken pieces and sear until lightly golden and nearly cooked (5–6 minutes). Remove and set aside.
3. Make the Sauce:
- In the same pan, reduce heat to medium. Add butter.
- Add onions and sauté until soft and translucent (about 4–5 minutes).
- Stir in garlic and ginger. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add spices: garam masala, cumin, paprika, and chili powder. Stir well to toast the spices (about 30 seconds).
- Pour in the tomato purée and simmer for 5–7 minutes, until the sauce thickens and darkens in color.
4. Add Cream and Chicken:
- Stir in the heavy cream and bring the sauce to a gentle simmer.
- Return the chicken to the pan and cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chicken is fully cooked and tender.
- Taste and adjust salt as needed.
5. Serve:
- Warm naan bread in a pan or oven.
- Spoon butter chicken into a serving dish, garnish with chopped cilantro.
- Serve hot with naan. Brush naan with a bit of melted butter for extra richness.
💡 Tips:
- For more richness, add 1 extra tablespoon of butter to the sauce at the end.
- If you prefer more heat, increase the chili powder or add fresh chopped chili.
- To make it more calorie-dense, serve with basmati rice and naan.