Description
This Old Delhi-style butter chicken recipe features tender chicken thighs marinated in a spiced yogurt blend, baked to juicy perfection, and simmered in a rich, creamy tomato sauce infused with aromatic spices. Finished with a fragrant tarka of mustard seeds, dried chillies, and curry leaves, this classic Indian dish pairs beautifully with naan bread or basmati rice for a comforting and authentic meal.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Chicken Marinade
- 800g boneless and skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 120g Greek yogurt
- Thumb-sized piece ginger, grated
- 4–5 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 3 tsp mild chilli powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp garam masala
- ½ tsp turmeric
- 1½ tsp salt
For the Tomato Sauce
- 1kg ripe vine or plum tomatoes, sliced in half
- 125ml water
- Thumb-sized piece ginger, half grated and half finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 4 green cardamom pods
- 2 cloves
- 1 bay leaf
- 1–2 tsp chilli powder
- 80g butter, diced
- 2 green chillies, cut lengthways
- 75ml single cream, plus a drizzle to serve
- 5–6 dried fenugreek leaves, crushed (optional)
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 tbsp sugar
For the Spiced Butter (Tarka)
- 3 tbsp ghee or butter
- 2 tsp black mustard seeds
- 1 dried whole Kashmiri chilli
- 6–8 dried curry leaves
To Serve
- Coriander leaves, finely sliced
- Red onion, sliced
- Green or red chilli, sliced
- Naan bread or basmati rice
- Chutney
Instructions
- Marinate the Chicken: In a large mixing bowl, combine Greek yogurt, grated ginger, crushed garlic, vegetable oil, lemon juice, mild chilli powder, ground cumin, garam masala, turmeric, and 1½ tsp salt. Add the chicken thigh pieces and thoroughly coat them with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight for deeper flavor.
- Roast the Chicken: Preheat the oven to 240°C (220°C fan)/Gas mark 9. Arrange the marinated chicken pieces on a large baking tray, discarding leftover marinade. Roast for 10-15 minutes, turning after 10 minutes to ensure even browning. The chicken will not be fully cooked at this stage as it will finish cooking in the sauce.
- Prepare the Tomato Sauce: While the chicken roasts, place the halved tomatoes in a large pan in a single layer along with 125ml water, grated ginger, crushed garlic, green cardamom pods, cloves, and bay leaf. Cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes, until tomatoes break down completely.
- Blend and Strain Sauce: Remove whole spices from the tomato mixture. Blend with a stick blender until smooth, then pass through a sieve to achieve a silky purée. Return the purée to a clean pan.
- Simmer Sauce: Add chili powder and simmer for 12-15 minutes until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy. Then add the roasted chicken pieces and any juices from the baking tray.
- Add Butter and Cook: Gradually stir in diced butter, a few pieces at a time, and simmer for 6-8 minutes until the chicken cooks through.
- Finish the Sauce: Stir in the chopped ginger, green chillies, and single cream, simmering gently for 1-2 minutes to combine without splitting the sauce.
- Season and Sweeten: Add 1 tsp salt, crushed fenugreek leaves (if using), garam masala, and sugar. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Make the Spiced Butter (Tarka): In a separate small pan, warm ghee or butter with black mustard seeds, dried Kashmiri chilli, and curry leaves over medium heat until mustard seeds pop and curry leaves darken slightly. Remove from heat.
- Serve: Spoon the tarka over the butter chicken, then garnish with coriander leaves, sliced red onion, and sliced green or red chillies. Drizzle extra cream if desired. Serve hot with naan bread or basmati rice and chutney on the side.
Notes
- For best flavor, marinate the chicken overnight.
- If ghee is unavailable, clarified butter or unsalted butter can be used for the tarka.
- The tarka adds a fragrant richness; do not skip this step if possible.
- You may substitute chicken breasts, but thighs give a juicier result.
- The sauce should be smooth and thick, simmer gently to prevent splitting when adding cream.
- Adjust chilli intensity by varying the amount of mild chilli powder and fresh chillies.
- Serve with naan or fragrant basmati rice and a cooling chutney for a complete meal.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Indian
Keywords: butter chicken, Old Delhi butter chicken, Indian chicken curry, baked butter chicken, creamy tomato chicken curry
