This post may contain affiliate links, please see our privacy policy for details.
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.
Half Baked Harvest At Home
20+ new recipes for wholesome comfort food made with everyday ingredients. Pre-order today! HBH At Home will be released on Tuesday, February 23rd!
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
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!
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
I’ve been searching for ages for an easy and flavorful butter chicken recipe and this is perfect!! I actually can’t believe how amazing it tastes! Thank you, Tieghan!🫶🏼
Hi Lexie,
Amazing!! I’m so glad to hear this recipe turned out well for you, thanks so much for making it! Have a great weekend! xT
I made this for my husband & I so many times- we love it! I made a vegetarian version by roasting cauliflower and baby potatoes and then adding to the sauce & it tasted great!
Hey Jenn,
Happy Friday!! Thanks so much for making this recipe so often, I love to hear that it always turns out well for you! xx
Excellent!
Thanks so much Camille!
I love this recipe so much! It is a staple in our house and always a hit whenever anyone tries it. The only change we make is we don’t sear the chicken. We marinate it and then broil it in the oven and it’s a game changer- it’s tender and cleaner than searing on the stove top.
Hey Irma,
Perfect!! I appreciate you making this recipe so often and your comment, so glad to hear that it always turns out nicely for you! Xx
I love this recipe! We make it often and it’s become a staple in our house. A few notes: I never cook my chicken fully through on the pan, I just sear all sides and set aside. When you make the sauce, after letting it simmer, blend it and it becomes that authentic smooth sauce. I don’t love all the onion, garlic, and ginger chunks. I then add the chicken back into the smooth sauce and let it simmer until fully cooked.
Hey Sydney,
Fantastic!! I love to hear that this recipe always turns out well for you and appreciate you making it so often! Xx
Amazing! I didn’t have garam masala so I substituted curry powder and all spice. Served it with brown rice and roasted broccoli. Honestly, I made this a few days ago and have been enjoying leftovers all week! Definitely adding into regular rotation.
Hi Amy,
Thanks a lot for trying this recipe and your comment, so glad to hear it turned out well! Happy Saturday! Xx
This dish was absolutely incredible! Would make 1000x again
Hi Morgan,
Wonderful!! I love to hear that this recipe turned out nicely for you, thanks for making it! xT
I found the recipe flavorful. However, it did not look appetizing. There was too much tomato paste and garam Marsala, I believe. So the sauce looked more like brown gravy. I thought it would look more like curried chicken. I would not serve it to guests without modifying the recipe.
Hi Donna,
Thanks for trying this recipe and sharing your feedback, sorry to hear you did not like the color of the dish. Please let me know if there is anything that I can help with! xx
There are so many ads popping up in this recipe that I can’t even read it! Very frustrating.
So sorry to hear this Elle! Please let me know how I can help! xx
I made it with whole milk instead of coconut milk
It was a really good butter chicken!! and I’m indian and it really tasted similiar to restaurant butter chicken.
Hi Harveen,
Amazing!! Thanks so much for making this recipe, so glad to hear it turned out well for you! Thanks for your comment! xx
Elle, add COOKED.WIKI/ ahead of any recipe (cooked.wiki/https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/butter-chicken/) It’ll convert to an ad-free, wiki-style page! Way better than dealing with excessive ads on food blogs.
Could you marinate the chicken overnight in the refrigerator?
Hi Melanie,
Of course, that will work well for you! I hope you love this dish! xT
I’m not sure why I hadn’t tried this yet since it’s all about the flavors we like, but it was delicious and just the perfect level of heat. My daughter has been making it on rotation for a long time, but I had not yet tried it. The sauce developed so beautifully with a creamy texture and was just a perfect dish!
Hey Lucy,
Thanks so much for making this dish and sharing your comment, so glad to hear it turned out well for you! xT
Is there a substitute for the garam marsala?
Hi Michele,
You could try using a combo of all spice and cumin, but the garam masala really adds great flavor here. Please let me know if you have any other questions! Xx
I made the 30 Minute Spicy Coconut Butter Chicken for may family tonight and it was a big hit! Thank you, Tieghan, for all the awesome recipes! ❤️
Love to hear this Sarah!! Thanks so much for trying this dish and your feedback! Have a great weekend! Xx
This was delicious! Had to make the chicken in batches and used more EVOO than the recipe called for due to sticking. Also added about 2 T of heavy cream at end to make it a little creamier. Serves with hot naan and steamed rice. Yum! Thank you!
Hey Karen,
Fantastic! I appreciate you making this recipe and your comment! So glad it turned out well for you:)
Hi Tieghan,
My husband is obsessed with this recipe. I made it on Valentine’s and had leftovers for several days. Then he asked me to make again. Used sour cream (no yogurt in house and too lazy to go to store) and boneless breasts instead of thighs (what I used last time) and no sticking. Still awesome!
Hey Karen,
I appreciate you trying this recipe and your comment, so glad to hear it turned out well! Have a great weekend! xT
Hi, used this recipe loads of times and love it! Thank you
What tomato paste do you use please?
Thanks so much for making this recipe so often!! I like Whole Foods 365 tomato paste:) Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
Can you use chicken legs in a recipe like this?
Hi Alyssa,
I would recommend using them just because it’s going to require you to significantly increase your cook time. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT