Butter Chicken with Seared Thighs
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Onion cooks down until golden, tomato melts in, and the blender turns the pot silky. Add the charred chicken, finish with cream and butter, and everyone reaches for the serving spoon at once.
The short version
Marinate thighs in yogurt and spices, sear until charred in spots, then simmer them in a sauce of cooked-down onion and tomato that you blend smooth and finish with cream and butter. About an hour, one skillet plus a pot. Don't skip the blend.
What makes ours better
the tricks Nonna pretends she never taught me
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Marinate in yogurt and lemon. The yogurt's acid tenderizes the thighs and carries the spices into the meat, so the chicken tastes seasoned all the way through, not just coated in sauce. Even 30 minutes helps.
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Sear the chicken before it hits the sauce. The browned, charred edges are the nearest thing to a tandoor you'll get on a stovetop. They add a smoky note the sauce can't get on its own.
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Cook the onion until soft and golden. Slow-cooked onion gives the sauce natural sweetness, so you don't need sugar to balance the tomato.
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Blend the sauce, then finish with butter and dried fenugreek. Blending makes the sauce silky, and butter stirred in at the end gives it gloss and that name. Crushed dried fenugreek leaves add the faint maple-and-celery note you recognize from restaurant versions.
What you need
the cast, in order of appearance
- Boneless skinless chicken thighs2 pounds
- Plain whole-milk yogurt½ cup
- Garlic4 cloves
- Fresh ginger1 tablespoon
- Garam masala2 teaspoons
- Kashmiri chili powder or sweet paprika1 teaspoon
- Crushed tomatoes1 can
- Heavy cream¾ cup
Chicken and marinade
Sauce
read it twice. buy it once.
Steps
nobody opens the oven door. looking at you, Dad.
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Marinate the chicken
In a large bowl, stir together the yogurt, lemon juice, half the garlic, half the ginger, 2 teaspoons garam masala, the chili powder, turmeric and 1½ teaspoons salt. Add the chicken and turn to coat. Let it sit on the counter while you chop, 30 minutes, or refrigerate up to 24 hours.
About 30 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Sear the chicken
Heat the oil in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Lift the chicken out of the marinade, letting the extra drip off, and sear in two batches, 3 to 4 minutes per side, until browned and charred in spots. It doesn't need to cook through. Move it to a plate and keep the marinade bowl.
Crowding steams the chicken instead of browning it. Two batches is worth the extra five minutes.
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Cook the onion
Lower the heat to medium and melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in the same pot, scraping up the browned bits. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring often, 8 to 10 minutes, until soft and golden at the edges. Add the remaining garlic and ginger and stir for 1 minute.
About 10 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Toast the spices
Stir in the cumin, coriander and 1 teaspoon garam masala. Cook for 30 seconds, until it smells toasty and the onions look coated in spice.
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Simmer and blend the sauce
Add the tomatoes, water and 1 teaspoon salt. Simmer over medium-low heat, stirring now and then, 12 to 15 minutes, until darker and thicker. Blend with an immersion blender, or in batches in a blender with the lid vented, until completely smooth.
Blend hot liquids in small batches and hold a towel over the lid. Steam builds fast.
About 12 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Finish the chicken in the sauce
Return the chicken and any juices on the plate to the pot, and scrape the leftover marinade in too. Cover and simmer gently over medium-low heat 10 to 12 minutes, until the thickest piece reads 165°F.
About 10 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Add cream and butter
Turn the heat to low. Stir in the cream, the last tablespoon of butter and the fenugreek, if using. Warm through for 2 minutes without boiling. Taste and add salt or another pinch of garam masala. Top with cilantro and serve over rice or with naan.
Garam masala strength varies a lot by brand. Add the last pinch at the end, once you can taste where the sauce is.
Good to know
read this before somebody asks for seconds
- Thighs stay tender in the sauce. Breasts work, but cut them larger and pull them at 165°F; they dry out fast.
- For a milder sauce, skip the chili powder and use sweet paprika. For more heat, add a pinch of cayenne with the spices.
- Make it a day ahead. The flavor deepens overnight. Add the cream and butter when you reheat if you're making it far ahead.
- To make it dairy-free, use coconut yogurt, oil instead of butter, and full-fat coconut milk instead of cream.
- Storage. Fridge 4 days in an airtight container. Freezer 3 months, best frozen before the cream goes in. Reheat gently on the stove with a splash of water.
Questions, answered
the questions my cousins text me
What is the difference between butter chicken and chicken tikka masala?
Butter chicken is milder, smoother and richer, with a butter-and-cream finish. Tikka masala is more tomato-forward and spiced, with chunkier onion. Our version of that is chicken tikka masala with broiled chicken.
Can I make butter chicken without cream?
Yes. Use full-fat coconut milk or cashew cream, or use half-and-half and add it off the heat. The sauce will be a little thinner and less rich, but still good.
Why is my butter chicken sauce bitter or sour?
Usually undercooked tomato or burned spices. Simmer the tomatoes the full 12 to 15 minutes, keep the spice toasting to 30 seconds, and add a pinch of sugar at the end if the tomatoes are very acidic.
Do I need to marinate the chicken overnight?
No. Thirty minutes covers it, and overnight gives you a little more tenderness. Don't go past 24 hours, since the lemon starts to make the meat mushy.
Can I make it in a slow cooker or Instant Pot?
Yes, but sear the chicken and cook the sauce first on the stove for the best flavor. Then combine them and cook on low for 3 to 4 hours in a slow cooker, or pressure cook for 6 minutes, and add the cream last.
What can I serve with butter chicken?
Basmati rice and warm naan are the usual pair. A cucumber-yogurt salad and a vegetable like roasted cauliflower balance the richness.
From the table
Made it? Tell me how it went, and who went back for seconds when they thought nobody was looking.
Made it?
be honest. I can take it. probably.
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Published October 29, 2026.