One-Pan Butter Chicken
One-Pan Butter Chicken
Ingredients
For the Marinade
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, cubed
- 1 tablespoon red chili powder, Kashmiri if available
- 1 tablespoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon cayenne, optional
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- 2 teaspoons fresh ginger paste
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
For the Sauce
- 6 tablespoons butter, divided
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 yellow onions, large or 2 small, finely diced
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoons fresh ginger paste
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 tablespoon garam masala
- 2 teaspoons red chili powder, Kashmiri if available
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon white sugar
- 1 1/4 cups passata, tomato sauce
- 1 cup heavy cream, room temperature
- 25 cashews, optional
- 1/4 cup hot water, optional, for thinning
To Finish
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped, as needed
- 2 cups basmati rice, cooked, for serving
- 4 naan, warm, for serving
Instructions
- 1
In a large bowl, combine the cubed chicken thighs with all the marinade ingredients: red chili powder, garam masala, turmeric, salt, black pepper, optional cayenne, Greek yogurt, lemon juice, ginger paste, and minced garlic. Mix thoroughly until the chicken is well coated. Cover the bowl and let the chicken marinate for at least 30 minutes at room temperature, or ideally overnight in the refrigerator for best flavor.
⏱️ 5 min
- 2
Heat 2 tablespoons of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once the butter is melted and shimmering, add the marinated chicken in a single layer (you may need to do this in batches to avoid overcrowding). Cook the chicken until it is golden brown on all sides, about 5-7 minutes per batch. Remove the cooked chicken from the pan and set it aside.
⏱️ 15 min
- 3
In the same pan, reduce the heat to medium and add another 2 tablespoons of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the finely diced yellow onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic, fresh ginger paste, and the sauce spices: cumin, garam masala, red chili powder, ground coriander, salt, and white sugar. Stir well and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant, being careful not to burn the spices.
⏱️ 8 min
- 4
Pour in the passata (tomato sauce) and add the optional cashews to the pan. Stir to combine all ingredients. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and let it cook for 5 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld.
⏱️ 7 min
- 5
Remove the pan from the heat. Carefully blend the sauce directly in the pan using an immersion blender until smooth. Alternatively, transfer the sauce to a regular blender and blend until smooth, then return it to the pan. If the sauce is too thick for your preference, add 1/4 cup of hot water, a little at a time, to adjust the consistency.
⏱️ 5 min
- 6
Return the pan with the blended sauce to low heat. Add the reserved cooked chicken back into the sauce. Stir to coat the chicken evenly. Simmer for an additional 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through and has absorbed the rich flavors of the sauce. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter until melted and incorporated.
⏱️ 15 min
- 7
Serve the butter chicken hot, garnished with a squeeze of fresh lime juice from the wedges and a generous amount of fresh cilantro. It pairs perfectly with basmati rice and warm naan bread.
⏱️ 5 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
One-Pan Butter Chicken
For the Marinade
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, cubed
- 1 tablespoon red chili powder, Kashmiri if available
- 1 tablespoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon cayenne, optional
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- 2 teaspoons fresh ginger paste
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
For the Sauce
- 6 tablespoons butter, divided
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 yellow onions, large or 2 small, finely diced
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoons fresh ginger paste
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 tablespoon garam masala
- 2 teaspoons red chili powder, Kashmiri if available
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon white sugar
- 1 1/4 cups passata, tomato sauce
- 1 cup heavy cream, room temperature
- 25 cashews, optional
- 1/4 cup hot water, optional, for thinning
To Finish
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped, as needed
- 2 cups basmati rice, cooked, for serving
- 4 naan, warm, for serving
Instructions
- 1
In a large bowl, combine the cubed chicken thighs with all the marinade ingredients: red chili powder, garam masala, turmeric, salt, black pepper, optional cayenne, Greek yogurt, lemon juice, ginger paste, and minced garlic. Mix thoroughly until the chicken is well coated. Cover the bowl and let the chicken marinate for at least 30 minutes at room temperature, or ideally overnight in the refrigerator for best flavor.
⏱️ 5 min - 2
Heat 2 tablespoons of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once the butter is melted and shimmering, add the marinated chicken in a single layer (you may need to do this in batches to avoid overcrowding). Cook the chicken until it is golden brown on all sides, about 5-7 minutes per batch. Remove the cooked chicken from the pan and set it aside.
⏱️ 15 min - 3
In the same pan, reduce the heat to medium and add another 2 tablespoons of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the finely diced yellow onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic, fresh ginger paste, and the sauce spices: cumin, garam masala, red chili powder, ground coriander, salt, and white sugar. Stir well and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant, being careful not to burn the spices.
⏱️ 8 min - 4
Pour in the passata (tomato sauce) and add the optional cashews to the pan. Stir to combine all ingredients. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and let it cook for 5 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld.
⏱️ 7 min - 5
Remove the pan from the heat. Carefully blend the sauce directly in the pan using an immersion blender until smooth. Alternatively, transfer the sauce to a regular blender and blend until smooth, then return it to the pan. If the sauce is too thick for your preference, add 1/4 cup of hot water, a little at a time, to adjust the consistency.
⏱️ 5 min - 6
Return the pan with the blended sauce to low heat. Add the reserved cooked chicken back into the sauce. Stir to coat the chicken evenly. Simmer for an additional 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through and has absorbed the rich flavors of the sauce. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter until melted and incorporated.
⏱️ 15 min - 7
Serve the butter chicken hot, garnished with a squeeze of fresh lime juice from the wedges and a generous amount of fresh cilantro. It pairs perfectly with basmati rice and warm naan bread.
⏱️ 5 min