Butter Hen Recipe | The Recipe Critic


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In case you’ve by no means had butter rooster, you’re in for a deal with! This basic Indian dish takes rooster thighs and simmers them in a creamy tomato sauce filled with spices till the rooster is irresistibly tender. Serve over steamed jasmine rice with some heat naan bread!

In case you love butter rooster, don’t miss out on our Sluggish Cooker Hen Tikka Masala, this Coconut Curry Soup, or these Thai Hen Skewers.

Butter chicken served over white rice with naan.

Basic Butter Hen Recipe

In case you’re a fan of Indian meals, then chances are high you’ve had butter rooster earlier than. And if in case you have, chances are high even greater that you’ve grow to be a cult follower very similar to myself. In case you’re not acquainted, butter rooster is a basic Indian dish consisting of rooster thighs simmered in a creamy tomato sauce till the rooster is tremendous tender and infused with probably the most scrumptious taste.

In case you’re new to the Indian meals sport, the spice checklist I take advantage of could also be unfamiliar to you, however don’t fear, as a result of lately, yow will discover all of them at just about any grocery retailer. Garam masala is the dominant spice utilized in butter rooster (we are going to discuss in regards to the different spices beneath), and it has probably the most fantastic curry-like style to it. It’s filled with spices, nevertheless it’s not “sizzling” spicy, in it you’ll discover notes of coriander, cinnamon, cloves, cumin, and pepper. It’s fairly heavenly.

Spices in Butter Hen

  • Garam Masala: We talked about garam masala up above, however the full checklist of substances contains cinnamon, mace, peppercorns, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, and cardamon pods. So for those who don’t have any of the spices beneath, you possibly can at all times double up on the garam masala as a substitute. It can nonetheless give your curry superb taste!
  • Cumin: Floor cumin provides a pleasant smoky word to the butter rooster.
  • Fenugreek: Whereas this ingredient is unquestionably elective for those who can’t discover it, it does add a stunning savory factor to the butter rooster.
  • Coriander: Floor coriander is definitely the seed model of cilantro, so it has an identical taste profile to it. I discover that floor coriander is a bit more smoky in taste and love the way in which it compliments floor cumin.
  • Turmeric: In case you’ve by no means used turmeric earlier than, now is a good time to begin! This vibrant orange spice give dishes a stunning yellow hue and has a pleasant heat ginger-like taste to it.
  • Brown Sugar: To stability out all these spices, you want a bit little bit of sweetness and brown sugar is my sugar of alternative.

Different Substances You’ll Want

  • Hen: Basic butter rooster is made with rooster thighs. Hen thighs are much more flavorful than rooster breasts they usually can maintain as much as a long-simmered sauce. In contrast to rooster breasts, rooster thighs grow to be tremendous tender and shred very well once they’ve cooked for a semi-long time period.
  • Yogurt: Complete-milk yogurt is a basic ingredient in quite a lot of Indian dishes. Right here, we use it to marinate the rooster, because it helps to tenderize it within the course of. It additionally provides a scrumptious creaminess and slight tang!
  • Garlic, Onion, and Ginger: I imply, is any dish full with no little garlic and onion?
  • Crushed Tomatoes: You possibly can additionally use complete tomatoes and crush them your self, however shopping for them pureed already is such a time-saver.
  • Lemon Juice: I really like the acidic vibrant taste lemons provides to butter rooster, it’s a should!
  • Heavy Cream: A basic part of butter rooster is the cream sauce, and to attain that, we use a very good quantity of heavy cream. It’s what makes butter rooster so luxurious.
3-photo collage of chicken being simmered a creamy tomato sauce.

Let’s Make Butter Hen!

Don’t get me fallacious, I really like Indian takeout as a lot as the subsequent man, however once you make butter rooster from scratch, it simply tastes so recent and scrumptious!

  1. Mix Yogurt, Lemon Juice, and Spices: In a medium-sized bowl, add the yogurt, garam masala, cumin, coriander, turmeric, salt, garlic, ginger, and lemon juice. 
  2. Marinate Hen: Add the rooster items to a big sealable ziplock bag. Add the marinade to the bag and therapeutic massage the marinade into the rooster. Marinate for 1-3 hours.
  3. Brown Hen: Add 2 tablespoons of oil to a pan and cook dinner your rooster over excessive warmth. Prepare dinner till it has some browning and is cooked by way of. Don’t overcook it as a result of it’ll proceed to cook dinner within the sauce. Put aside.
  4. Sauce Combination: In a saucepan over medium-high warmth add the tomato paste and cook dinner for about 2-3 minutes till it darkens. Add the tomato sauce, heavy cream, butter, and sugar. Whisk till easy and cook dinner for 3-5 minutes or till the sauce begins to thicken.
  5. Mix: Add the rooster to the sauce and blend to mix.
  6. Serve: Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve with jasmine rice and naan bread.
Top-down view of butter chicken in a skillet.

Cooking Ideas and Substitutions

Listed below are just a few methods to make this scrumptious butter rooster your personal!

  • Discard Extra Marinade: Be sure that to get all the surplus marinade off earlier than searing the rooster in any other case, the underside can burn.
  • Different to Heavy Cream: In case you don’t need to use heavy cream, you possibly can swap out coconut milk and even gentle coconut milk.
  • Use Hen Breasts: In case you’re actually not into rooster thighs, you need to use rooster breasts, however be sure to don’t overcook them.
  • Forms of Yogurt: Any type of whole-milk plain yogurt will work, it doesn’t matter if it’s common or Greek.
  • Add Extra Texture: So as to add some sweetness and texture, I really like so as to add in a handful of raisins and cashews. So yummy.
  • Wait to Flip: When searing the rooster, don’t attempt to flip it till it simply releases from the pan.
  • Serve With: I at all times like to serve my butter rooster with some yellow rice and heat garlic naan! It’s such a tasty combo.

Can I Make Butter Hen in Advance?

Sure! In actual fact, butter rooster is simply nearly as good if not higher the subsequent day. Simply make from begin to end, cool fully and retailer the rooster and sauce in a single container and the rice in one other container. It can keep good within the fridge for as much as 4 days. Reheat over a low warmth till the rooster is warmed by way of.

Closeup of butter chicken in a white bowl.


  • In a medium-sized bowl, add the yogurt, garam masala, cumin, coriander, turmeric, salt, garlic, ginger, and lemon juice.

  • Add the rooster items to a big sealable ziplock bag. Add the marinade to the bag and therapeutic massage the marinade into the rooster. Marinate for 1-3 hours.

  • Add 2 tablespoons of oil to a pan and cook dinner your rooster over excessive warmth. Prepare dinner till it has some browning and is cooked by way of. Don’t overcook it as a result of it’ll proceed to cook dinner within the sauce. Put aside.

  • In a saucepan over medium-high warmth add the tomato paste and cook dinner for about 2-3 minutes till it darkens. Add the tomato sauce, heavy cream, butter, and sugar. Whisk till easy and cook dinner for 3-5 minutes or till the sauce begins to thicken.

  • Add the rooster to the sauce and blend to mix.

  • Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve with jasmine rice and naan bread.


Initially posted on August 17, 2020
Up to date on June 17, 2023

Serves: 4

Serving1servingEnergy565kcal (28%)Carbohydrates21g (7%)Protein38g (76%)Fats38g (58%)Saturated Fats17g (85%)Ldl cholesterol247mg (82%)Sodium1614mg (67%)Potassium1090mg (31%)Fiber4g (16%)Sugar13g (14%)Vitamin A1372IU (27%)Vitamin C19mg (23%)Calcium159mg (16%)Iron4mg (22%)

All dietary data is predicated on third get together calculations and is just an estimate. Every recipe and dietary worth will fluctuate relying on the manufacturers you employ, measuring strategies and portion sizes per family.

Course Fundamental Course

Delicacies Indian

Key phrase butter rooster, indian rooster



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