Recipe Review

This One-Pan Indian Butter Chicken Is the Perfect 30-Minute Meal

Lauren Kodiak
Lauren KodiakCopy Chief
Lauren is the Copy Chief for Kitchn. She lives in Connecticut with her husband and their son.
published Aug 7, 2017
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How to Make Butter Chicken in the Instant Pot (Image credit: Joe Lingeman)

There’s something magical about picking up some spicy Indian takeout and pouring yourself a cold glass of Riesling on a night when you really don’t feel like cooking. But if you are in the mood to spend some time in the kitchen, you can make your own version of your favorite dishes at home. This Indian butter chicken is a great place to start.

The author is careful to note right up front that this isn’t an entirely authentic take on Indian butter chicken, but it’s suited to home cooks who don’t necessarily want to buy a ton of extra spices and have only 30 minutes to spare.

In a large skillet you’ll first brown some cubed chicken breast in butter. Once the chicken is browned and set aside, you melt more butter in the pan and sauté onion, garlic, garam masala, ginger, chili powder, cumin, and cayenne before adding in tomato sauce and then cream. Place the reserved chicken back into the simmering sauce to finish cooking and finish with more butter (this is why it tastes so good!).

With all the fragrant spices, cream, and butter, you really can’t go wrong here. Serve this comforting dish with naan and rice for dinner, and take the leftovers to work tomorrow for lunch. Your coworkers will be supremely jealous.

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Get the Recipe: Indian Butter Chicken from The Kitchen Paper