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30 Minute Spicy Indian Butter Chicken…the perfect bowl of warming comfort food that’s incredibly delicious. Indian inspired butter chicken made with plenty of spice and creamy coconut milk for a slight twist. It’s cozy, creamy, a little spicy, and filled with warming Indian flavors. Finish each bowl off with steamed rice and serve with fresh naan. You’ll have the perfect dinner that can be enjoyed any night of the week. Bonus? This is quickly made on the stove, with one skillet, and in just about 30 minutes. And…the leftovers are even more delicious the next day.
I’ve said this before I’m sure, but the reason I love to cook so much is because I really love cooking for others. I find so much enjoyment in creating meals for the people I love most. It’s really what inspires me to keep cooking away every day. There’s nothing I love more than having a friend or family member inspire a recipe.
I love the opportunity to make something for someone with the hope that it will be a dish they’ll truly love…one of those dishes my brothers would say is, “fire”. Those are the words I strive for when creating a recipe, but especially when a recipe is created with a specific person in mind.
That was the case with today’s Butter Chicken. This one was inspired by my oldest brother, Creighton. He’s here in Colorado working remotely right now, and the one thing about Creighton?
He loves to eat…like really loves to eat. And one of his favorites foods? Anything Indian inspired and anything spicy. This leads me right into today’s recipe. With Creighton in town, I excitedly have been testing out a new Butter Chicken recipe, and last week I finally got it just right.
Creighton’s exact words…”it’s fire!”
What Is Butter Chicken?
For any of you who are are not familiar, Butter Chicken it’s one of the most popular Indian curries served around the world. I’ve made a few variations in the past, but aside from the coconut milk, today’s recipe is the most traditional.
Butter chicken is made with spices, tomato, butter, and cream. It’s rich and warming, but the spice blend is really what makes this dish. Using a mix of Garam Masala, turmeric, garlic, and plenty of ginger is key to getting an authentic flavor.
Traditionally, Butter Chicken is marinated for many hours in yogurt and spices, but I’ve adjusted that slightly to create a quicker but still super flavorful recipe!
Here’s how to make this 30 Minute Spicy Indian Butter Chicken.
With such a quick cook time, I’m sure you guessed, but this is pretty simple, quick, and easy.
Start with the chicken. Just like in a traditional butter chicken recipe, we’re first tossing the chicken with yogurt and spices. But instead of marinating overnight, I found that a quick ten-minute soak in the spices really does the trick.
While the chicken is sitting, I like to start in on the prep for everything else, chop the onion, garlic, and ginger, grab that coconut milk and tomato paste and get everything for the remainder of the recipe ready to go.
Once the chicken has had some time to sit, pan-sear it in a skillet until crisp.
To that same skillet, add the onion and all those remaining spices and a whole can of tomato paste. Just like my pasta alla vodka, I like to cook the tomato paste together with the spices for a bit to really help intensify the flavors in the sauce.
Then just stir in the coconut milk, or if you don’t enjoy coconut milk, use cream. Either is truly delicious and just as creamy. But I love the subtle coconut flavor paired with these Indian spices, they’re delicious.
Allow the sauce to simmer and thicken, then just stir in a bit of butter and plenty of fresh chopped cilantro. And that’s it, super simple, so delicious.
As this cooks, the aroma in the kitchen is truly incredible. It’s just like your favorite Indian spot in town…but maybe just a touch better. I always find anything made at home to be even more delicious.
I like to serve my butter chicken over steamed rice with some fresh naan for scooping up the creamy, coconutty sauce. Absolutely DELICIOUS. You can’t skip the naan either. It’s reason enough to make a good butter chicken.
So how are the leftovers?
I swear they taste even better the following day. The flavors have time to mend and the sauce is just that more intense.
I can’t tell you how much I love this recipe and how much Creighton loved this recipe. I already know he’s looking forward to it for dinner tonight. This butter chicken is SO flavorful, SO full of color, and a nice switch up from the usual cheesy December pasta dishes I’m always sharing (don’t worry, they’ll be back soon). The best part, well aside from all the deliciousness, is that this requires only one pot and is ready in just about 30 minutes. Perfect for these crazy busy cold December days.
Looking for other Indian inspired dinners? Here are my favorites:
30 Minute Butter Chicken Meatballs
Super Simple Coconut Chicken Tikka Masala
Gingery Coconut Sweet Potato and Rice Stew with Chili Oil
Lastly, if you make this 30 Minute Spicy Indian Butter Chicken, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
30 Minute Spicy Coconut Butter Chicken
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 561 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite-size chunks
- 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 6 cloves garlic, minced or grated
- 2 tablespoons fresh grated ginger
- 2 teaspoons plus 1 tablespoon garam masala
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1-2 teaspoons cayenne pepper, use to your taste
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 1-2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes, use to your taste
- 1/2 cup tomato paste
- 1 (14 ounce) can full-fat coconut milk (or sub 1 cup cream)
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro roughly, chopped
- steamed rice and naan, for serving
Instructions
- 1. in a bowl, toss together the chicken, yogurt, 3 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoon ginger, 2 teaspoons garam masala, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric, 1/2 – 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, and 1 teaspoon salt. Let sit 5-10 minutes. 2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and sear on both sides until browned, about 2 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon butter and toss to coat the chicken. Remove the chicken from the skillet to a plate. 3. To the skillet, add the onion and cook 5 minutes, until softened. Add 2 tablespoons butter, 3 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoon ginger, 1 tablespoon garam masala, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric, 1/2 – 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, and the chili flakes. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until very fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and continue cooking another 3-4 minutes. 4. Reduce the heat to low. Add 1 cup water and the coconut milk. Stir to combine, bring the sauce to a simmer, cook 5 minutes or until the sauce thickens slightly. Stir in 1 tablespoon butter. If the sauce seems thick, thin with 1/2 to 1 cup additional coconut milk. Add the chicken and any juices on the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the cilantro. Season with salt and pepper.5. Serve the chicken and sauce over bowls of rice with fresh naan. Enjoy!
This post was originally published on December 16, 2020
Id like to make a large batch of this for my friend. Could you tell me if this woild freeze well?
Hey Samra,
Yes, this recipe will freeze nicely for you! Please let me know if you have any other questions!
My go-to recipe! Kids always request this and there’s never any leftovers! I use heavy whipping cream, sometimes ginger/garlic paste, and always use an immersion blender to puree all the onion bits before adding the chicken! Love love love! Thank you!
Hey Nihaya,
Happy Monday!! I appreciate you making this recipe so often and your notes, so glad it is always a winner!
Turns out beautifully every time I make it!
Love to hear this, Natasha! I appreciate you making this recipe so often:) Have a great Sunday!
How do you adjust the recipe using precooked chicken?
Hi Kristie,
I would just make the sauce and then toss with your chicken. I hope this helps!
this was deeelicous!! my daughter who LOVES indian and orders all the time said this was BETTER. THANK YOU
Hey Melissa,
Happy Holidays!🎄 Thanks for your comment and making this recipe, I’m so glad it turned out well for you!
Have a great weekend!
Amazing! I don’t like coconut milk so opted for the cup of heavy cream instead and it turned out incredible – will definitely be a meal in rotation
Hi Madyson,
Fantastic! I appreciate you making this recipe and your comment! So glad it was enjoyed:)
Happy Holidays!
Could you do this in a crockpot? If so, how would you make adjustments?
Hi Cait,
You bet, I would go ahead and follow these instructions:
https://fett-weg.today/easy-healthier-crockpot-butter-chicken/%3C/a%3E%3Cbr /> Please let me know if you have any other questions!
Any tips for doubling the recipe for a larger dinner party? I have a large Dutch oven, should I be mindful of any overcrowding?
This is such an amazing and delicious dish – a staple in my house!
Thanks so much, Ella! I think a large dutch oven will work nicely for you here! Have a great weekend!
If you needed to make this dairy free, would you sub the yogurt for non-dairy or use something else?
Hi Emilie,
You can use a dairy free yogurt. Please let me know if you have any other questions!
Could I sub the chicken for chickpeas? And would I add the seasonings to the chickpeas and roast in a pan to crisp?
Hi there,
I would recommend using this recipe for chickpeas:
https://fett-weg.today/30-minute-indian-pumpkin-butter-chickpeas/%3C/a%3E%3Cbr /> Please let me know if you have any other questions!
I’ve made this tons of times as it’s our go-to butter chicken recipe…and I’m East Indian! Some changes we’ve tried, is replacing the coconut milk with heavy cream and reducing the amount by half – just for a richer version. I also like to sometimes omit the water and half the coconut milk, as I find the curry is already pretty thin itself. If you like it spicy, we add in some green chillies as well.
Hey Dana,
Fantastic! I’m so glad to hear this recipe always turns out well for you!
Thanks for making it so often and your comment! Have a great week ahead!
Made this recipe last night and it was so delicious! Rich and creamy. I toned down the spiciness for our kids by skipping the chile flakes and only using 1/8 tsp cayenne and it was still so flavorful and zesty! I added chopped cauliflower and zucchini along with the onion to up the veggies and they worked great. We can’t wait to enjoy the leftovers! Thanks for another keeper!
Hey Katy,
Happy Friday!🎃 Thanks a bunch for making this recipe and your comment, I’m so glad it was enjoyed!
Awesome recipe, very savoury! I added the juice of 1/2 lemon 🍋 mixed it in and a handful cilantro. 👌🏻 Very nice!
The lemon really elevates the flavours.
Hey Chris,
Love to hear this! Thanks a bunch for making this recipe and your feedback! Have a great day!
I’ve made this butter chicken recipe so many times now. It’s become one of my go-to comfort meals here in the Netherlands! The sauce is always rich and creamy and it fills the kitchen with the most amazing aroma. I do like my food a bit spicier than most Dutch dishes, so I usually add extra chili powder and a few fresh green chilies to give it more kick. It turns out perfect every time. The chicken stays tender and the flavors just get better the next day. I’ve tried other butter chicken recipes, but this one is definitely my favourite. Definitely recommend this one if you love bold, warm spices and a touch of heat!
A little tip: let the sauce simmer a few extra minutes it makes the flavours even deeper and more balanced.
Hey there,
Happy Monday! I appreciate you making this recipe so often and your feedback, love to hear it always turns out well!
If you make this, start with half the amount of spices – you can always add more later! The spices were extremely overpowering and out of balance unfortunately.
Very sorry to hear this, Lisa. Thanks for trying the dish and sharing your feedback!