Butter Chicken (Chicken Makhani) Curry
Butter Chicken (Chicken Makhani) Curry features tender chicken simmered in a creamy tomato sauce infused with garam masala, cumin, and a gentle heat from chili and cayenne. Rich butter and dairy mellow the spices for a velvety, well-balanced finish. Serve it for a cozy dinner with rice or naan when you’re craving something warmly spiced and comforting.
- Prep10 mins
- Cook25 mins
- Serves4
- DifficultyMedium
easyChef Pro health score
Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in Butter Chicken (Chicken Makhani) Curry, not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.
- Glycemic ImpactFair
- 45 / 100
- Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
- Nutritional DensityPoor
- 3 / 100
- Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
- Energy DensityGood
- 89 / 100
- Calories by weight. Higher means more food for fewer calories.
- NOVA Unprocessed or minimally processed
- 1 / 4
- Processing level, 1 (whole) to 4 (ultra-processed). Lower is better.
How it scores for each health goal
The same recipe scores differently against different goals, because the goal changes the calculation rather than filtering a list. Set your goal in easyChef Pro and every recipe is scored against it.
- 38
- Heart Health
- 61
- Metabolic
- 21
- Digestive
- 21
- Inflammatory
- 47
- Performance
- 42
- General Wellness
- 1
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Sauté the shallot and the onion until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
- 2
Stir in the butter, ginger-garlic paste, lemon juice, 1 teaspoon garam masala, chili powder, cumin, and the bay leaf. Cook and stir for 1 minute. Add the tomato sauce and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
- 3
Stir in the half-and-half and the yogurt. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- 4
Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Cook the chicken until lightly browned, about 10 minutes.
- 5
Reduce the heat, then season with the remaining 1 teaspoon garam masala and the cayenne. Stir in a few spoonfuls of the sauce and simmer until the liquid has reduced and the chicken is no longer pink. Add the cooked chicken to the sauce and stir to combine.
- 6
Dissolve the cornstarch in the water, then stir it into the sauce. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes, or until thickened.
- 7
Serve over rice with naan.
- Calories 417.48 kcal High 21%
- Protein 25.54 g Good Source 51%
- Carbohydrate 13.86 g 5%
- Total Fat 28.96 g High 37%
- Saturated Fat 11.32 g High 57%
- Trans Fat 0.0 g Low Source 0%
- Cholesterol 137.67 mg High 46%
- Sodium 168.5 mg Moderate 7%
- Dietary Fiber 2.16 g Low Source 8%
- Total Sugars 6.68 g --
- Added Sugars 0.62 g Low Source 1%
- Calcium 120.71 mg Low Source 9%
- Iron 1.83 mg Moderate 10%
- Potassium 258.29 mg Low Source 6%
- Vitamin A 2.39 mcg Low Source 0%
- Vitamin C 0.41 mg Low Source 0%
- Vitamin D 0.0 mcg Low Source 0%
Values are per serving. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
- Peanuts 🥜
- Milk 🥛
- Corn 🌽
- Tomatoes 🍅
- Garlic 🧄
- Onions 🧅
About This Recipe
Butter Chicken (Chicken Makhani) Curry is an Indian dinner recipe made with 18 ingredients. It takes about 35 mins, serves 4, and is rated medium. Key ingredients include Boneless Chicken Thigh, Butter, Cayenne Pepper, and Chili Powder. Each serving provides about 417.48 kcal, and is a good source of protein.
Recipe Questions
- What is Butter Chicken (Chicken Makhani) Curry?
- It is an Indian curry recipe made with 18 ingredients, usually served for dinner or lunch.
- What is Butter Chicken (Chicken Makhani) Curry made of?
- The main ingredients are Boneless Chicken Thigh, Butter, Cayenne Pepper, Chili Powder, Cornstarch. The full list of 18 is above.
- What goes well with Butter Chicken (Chicken Makhani) Curry?
- Explore these Indian side-dish recipes.
- How long does it take to make Butter Chicken (Chicken Makhani) Curry?
- About 35 mins in total: 10 mins to prepare and 25 mins to cook.
- How many calories are in one serving?
- One serving provides about 417.48 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
- Is Butter Chicken (Chicken Makhani) Curry easy to make?
- This recipe is rated medium, with 18 ingredients and 7 steps.
- Is Butter Chicken (Chicken Makhani) Curry healthy?
- Butter Chicken (Chicken Makhani) Curry has an easyChef Pro health score of 43/100. Per serving, it provides 417.48 calories and 25.54 g of protein, or 51% of the Daily Value. Worth noting per serving: sodium at 168.5 mg (7% of the Daily Value) and saturated fat at 11.32 g (57% of the Daily Value). It contains Peanuts, Milk, Corn, Tomatoes, Garlic and Onions, so it may not be suitable for people with those allergies or dietary restrictions. Whether it fits your goals depends on your complete meal plan and nutritional needs. Remix it in easyChef Pro to adjust the ingredients and generate fresh nutrition and scores.
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easyChef Pro analyzes up to 41 nutrients using data sourced from USDA and other verified food databases. Its scoring method uses the nutrients relevant to nutrition quality, calorie density, processing level, and your selected health goal. Recipes and food products get a health score from 0 to 100, calculated using consistent rules instead of being estimated by AI. The same nutrition data, serving size and health goal will produce the same result.
The calculation evaluates nutrients, calorie density, processing level, and how well the food supports your selected health goal. Protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals and other beneficial nutrients can strengthen the score. High amounts of sodium, saturated fat, added sugar and other nutrients may lower it.
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