Description
This Indian Butter Chicken recipe is a comforting and flavorful dish made with tender chicken breast simmered in a spiced tomato-based sauce enriched with butter, yogurt, and half-and-half. It can be prepared using a slow cooker, stovetop, or Instant Pot, making it versatile and easy to fit into any cooking schedule. Serve it over rice or with naan bread, garnished with fresh cilantro and toasted sesame seeds for an authentic touch.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 2 medium yellow onions, peeled, cut in half and sliced (~13 oz)
- 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
- 3 medium carrots, diced (5-6 oz)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger (~2-inch piece)
Chicken and Dairy
- 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast, cubed
- 1 tablespoon salted butter, chilled and cut into pieces
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt (whole, low-fat, or fat-free)
- ½ cup half-and-half
Tomato and Spices
- 1 (15-oz) can tomato sauce
- 1 (6-oz) can tomato paste
- Juice of ½ lemon
- 3 tablespoons curry powder
- 2 teaspoons garam masala
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
Instructions
- Prepare the Base: Slice the onions and layer them at the bottom of your cooking vessel (6-quart or 8-quart slow cooker, large pot for stovetop, or Instant Pot inner pot).
- Mix the Chicken and Vegetables: In a large bowl, combine cubed chicken, diced bell pepper, diced carrots, tomato sauce, tomato paste, lemon juice, minced garlic, minced ginger, curry powder, garam masala, and salt. Toss everything until well coated.
- Assemble: Add the chicken mixture on top of the sliced onions in the slow cooker or pot. Dot the top with pieces of chilled butter.
- Cooking Options: Slow Cooker: Cover and cook on high for 4 ½ hours or on low for 6 ½ hours. Stovetop: Heat 2 teaspoons olive oil over medium-high heat, cook onions, bell pepper, and carrots for 7-8 minutes until tender, then add chicken mixture, dot with butter, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes until chicken is cooked through. Instant Pot: Add all ingredients and ½ cup water to the Instant Pot, stir to combine, seal the lid and cook on high pressure for 10 minutes, then quick release.
- Finish the Sauce: After cooking, remove the lid and stir everything to combine well. Allow the mixture to cool for 5-10 minutes for stovetop and slow cooker; for Instant Pot, cool for 10-15 minutes with stirring to prevent yogurt from curdling.
- Add Dairy: Stir in the Greek yogurt and half-and-half carefully to the warm, cooled chicken mixture.
- Serve: Serve the butter chicken hot over cooked rice or cauliflower rice, accompanied by naan bread, garnished with chopped fresh cilantro and toasted sesame seeds.
Notes
- Allow the dish to cool slightly before adding yogurt and half-and-half to prevent curdling.
- You can use any fat content Greek yogurt depending on preference (whole, low-fat, or fat-free).
- Butter chicken pairs excellently with basmati rice or cauliflower rice for a low-carb option.
- Fresh cilantro and toasted sesame seeds add a lovely fresh and nutty garnish.
- Adjust spice levels by modifying curry powder and garam masala to taste.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 of the recipe (1 1/3 cups)
- Calories: 298 kcal
- Sugar: 13 g
- Sodium: 415 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 21 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 99 mg
