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–+ servings
A bowl of butter chicken curry and rice with a spoon in it ready to eat.
Robyn Jones

Butter Chicken

A delicious gluten-free butter chicken curry recipe that kids love!
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 32 minutes
Total Time 37 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Course: dinner
Cuisine: Indian
Calories: 609
Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken Marinade
  • 750 g chicken thighs cut in to bitesize pieces
  • 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt or dairy free alternative
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 2½ cm fresh ginger grated
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriandar
  • pinch chilli powder optional
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ tablespoon lemon juice
Curry Sauce
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter or oil if dairy free
  • 3 green cardamom pods
  • 3 cloves
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1 green or red chilli slit lengthways down the middle
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 2½ cm fresh ginger grated
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 400 g tin chopped tomatoes
  • 25 g ground almonds
  • 360 ml water
  • 120 ml coconut milk
To serve
  • cooked basmati rice
  • fresh coriander

Equipment

  • 1 large saucepan

Method
 

  1. Mix the yogurt with the ginger, garlic, garam masala, ground cumin, ground coriander, chilli powder (if using), salt and lemon juice.
  2. Add the chopped chicken thighs and leave to marinate for 1-2 hours or overnight (ideally, you can cook it straight away if you don’t have the time.)
  3. When ready to make the butter chicken, heat the butter in a large saucepan over a medium to high heat.
  4. Add the cardamom pods, cloves, bay leaf, cinnamon stick and chilli and cook for 1 minute.
  5. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute, then add the marinaded chicken and cook over a high heat for 3-4 minutes. Turn the heat down slightly if the marinade is starting to catch and brown on the bottom of the pan.
  6. (It won’t become golden because of the marinade and won’t be fully cooked at this stage.)
  7. Stir in the dry spices and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
  8. Pour in the tomatoes, almonds and water and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked.
  9. Add the coconut milk and heat through for 5 minutes.
  10. Serve straight away spooned over cooked basmati rice and sprinkled with fresh coriander, if using.
  11. Store in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 609kcalCarbohydrates: 13gProtein: 35gFat: 47gSaturated Fat: 18gPolyunsaturated Fat: 7gMonounsaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 199mgSodium: 893mgPotassium: 763mgFiber: 4gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 705IUVitamin C: 29mgCalcium: 118mgIron: 5mg

Notes

Dairy Free - use a dairy-free yogurt to marinade the chicken in, and cook the chicken and spices in oil rather than butter.

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