Butter Chicken Curry: India's Creamy Comfort — The MAHA Way

Butter Chicken Curry: India's Creamy Comfort — The MAHA Way

Butter Chicken — known in India as Murgh Makhani — is one of the most beloved dishes on the planet. Velvety tomato-cream sauce. Deeply spiced. Tender chicken. The kind of dish that fills your kitchen with aromas that make everyone wander in asking what's cooking.

Here's the thing: this dish was already MAHA before MAHA was a movement. The original recipe, born in Delhi in the 1950s, is built on real butter, full-fat cream, and hand-toasted spices. No seed oils. No vegetable shortening. No industrial fats. Just ancestral ingredients doing exactly what they've always done.

We're keeping it that way.

This recipe is adapted from Savor Asia: Culinary Treasures of Asia by Savannah Ryan — one of the most comprehensive guides to authentic Asian home cooking available today. Browse the full Savor cookbook series on Amazon.

What Is Butter Chicken?

Murgh Makhani was created in Delhi in the 1950s when leftover tandoori chicken was simmered in a rich, buttery tomato sauce to keep it moist and flavorful. The result was so good it became a legend. Today it's served in Indian restaurants on every continent — though most versions have drifted from the original by cutting butter with cheap oils and using ultra-processed cream substitutes.

We're going back to basics. Real butter. Real cream. Real spices toasted from whole. The MAHA way aligns perfectly with the authentic Indian recipe — because traditional Indian cooking never used seed oils in the first place.

Want to understand why we cook this way? Read our full guide to seed-oil-free cooking on this blog.

Ingredients (Serves 4)

For the Chicken Marinade:

• 1 lb (450g) boneless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into pieces
• 1/2 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

For the Butter Chicken Sauce:

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (the star of the show — never substitute with oil)
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1-inch piece fresh ginger, grated
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder (adjust to taste)
• 1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 cup heavy cream (full-fat — don't skimp)
• 1/4 cup chicken broth or water
• Salt to taste
• Fresh cilantro, for garnish

For Serving:

• Steamed basmati rice or warm naan bread

Instructions

Step 1 — Marinate the Chicken
In a bowl, combine yogurt, lemon juice, garam masala, turmeric, cumin, paprika, chili powder, and salt. Add the chicken pieces and coat thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes — overnight is significantly better. The yogurt's natural acids tenderize the meat while the spices penetrate deep.

Step 2 — Build the Sauce Base
Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet or pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and sauté until golden brown and soft, about 8–10 minutes. Don't rush this step — properly caramelized onions are the foundation of the sauce's depth. Add garlic and ginger, cook for another minute until fragrant.

Step 3 — Toast the Spices
Add turmeric, cumin, garam masala, coriander, and chili powder. Stir and toast for 1–2 minutes. This releases the natural oils in the spices and intensifies their flavor — it's the step most home cooks skip and the reason restaurant curry tastes different from homemade.

Step 4 — Cook the Chicken
In a separate pan, heat 2 tablespoons of butter over medium-high heat. Add the marinated chicken pieces in batches and cook 3–4 minutes per side until browned. Don't overcrowd the pan. Transfer the browned chicken to the sauce base.

Step 5 — Finish the Sauce
Add crushed tomatoes to the sauce base and stir to combine. Pour in the chicken broth. Simmer on low heat for 20–25 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked and the flavors have melded. Stir in the heavy cream and let simmer for another 5 minutes until silky and rich. Taste and adjust salt.

Step 6 — Serve
Garnish with fresh cilantro. Serve hot over steamed basmati rice or with warm naan to soak up every drop of that sauce.

MAHA Tip: Butter Is the Point

Many "healthier" Butter Chicken recipes try to reduce the butter or swap it for olive oil. Don't. The butter is not just a fat — it's a flavor vehicle that carries the spices, coats the chicken, and creates the silky texture that defines this dish. Real butter from grass-fed cows is rich in fat-soluble vitamins and conjugated linoleic acid. It belongs here. It has always belonged here.

If you grow your own ginger and garlic at home, they make an extraordinary difference in this dish. Savannah Ryan's grow-your-own book series includes dedicated guides for both — along with turmeric, microgreens, and more MAHA-friendly ingredients.

Recipe Notes

• Chicken thighs vs. breasts: Thighs stay juicier and more flavorful in a long-simmered sauce. Breasts work but need closer attention to avoid drying out.
• Cream substitute: Full-fat coconut cream works beautifully for a dairy-free version — it's still 100% seed-oil-free and MAHA approved.
• Make it spicier: Add finely chopped green chilies or extra chili powder. Traditional versions in Delhi are much hotter than what's typically served abroad.
• Tandoori variation: For an extra smoky depth, grill the marinated chicken over high heat before adding it to the sauce — this is the original method.

More from The Kitchen Foodie:
→ All Asian Recipes
→ MAHA & Seed-Oil-Free Cooking
→ Ingredient Spotlights

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