Butter Chicken with Garlic Naan

Butter chicken with slices of garlic naan and cilantro rice on a large plate.

5 from 1 vote

Butter Chicken with Garlic Naan

Authentic butter chicken with garlic naan, the perfect combo. Juicy chicken and rich creamy sauce, with soft and buttery naan and TONS of garlic flavour.

Prep Time15

Cook Time45

Total Time1

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Indian

Servings: servings

Calories: 969kcal

Author: Kelly (Garlic All Day)

Ingredients

Yogurt-Marinated Chicken

1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs sliced into 1 to 2 inch pieces
2 tablespoons Greek yogurt you can also sub Soy Cashew Yogurt
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon oil

Butter Chicken Sauce

2 tablespoons oil
1 large yellow or white onion thinly sliced
¼ teaspoon baking soda *optional
2 inches fresh ginger root roughly chopped
1 head garlic roughly chopped
1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes
1 tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves
1 ½ tablespoon garam masala
½ tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper *optional; see Note 1
1 ounce cashews about 3 tablespoons
½ cup water
3 tablespoons butter
½ cup heavy cream

Garlic Naan

4 pieces naan
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro chopped
3 cloves garlic minced
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
3 tablespoons butter softened

Instructions

Chicken

Combine 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt, 1 teaspoon garam masala, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon garlic powder in a mixing bowl or ziploc bag. Mix well to coat and set aside to marinate (see Note 1).

Sauce

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a stockpot or Dutch oven on medium-high heat. Add 1 large yellow or white onion (sliced) and ¼ teaspoon baking soda. Fry until the onions are soft and falling apart, 5–10 minutes.
Add 2 inches fresh ginger root and 1 head garlic and continue to sauté until the onions are very brown and caramelized.
Pour in the 1 tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves, 1 ½ tablespoon garam masala, ½ tablespoon salt, 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 ounce cashews, and 1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes.
Pour in ½ cup water. Give everything a good stir and make sure to scrape up any bits of onion that are stuck to the bottom of the pot. Cover and heat until bubbling, then turn the heat down to medium-low. Simmer, covered, for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, remove the chicken from its marinade and pat dry. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet until hot, then add chicken pieces in a single layer. (You might have to cook in batches.) Sear and flip the chicken until both sides are golden brown, then set aside.
When 30 minutes of simmering are up, use an immersion blender to purée the contents of the stockpot into a thick, luscious sauce. Or transfer to a stand blender and blend until smooth.
Stir in 3 tablespoons butter and ½ cup heavy cream and stir until the butter fully melts. Add cooked chicken to the sauce and serve with garlic naan.

Naan

Mix together 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, 3 cloves garlic, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, salt, and 3 tablespoons butter in a small bowl.
Spread the mixture evenly over each of the 4 pieces naan.
Air Fryer: Air fry naan at 400 °F for 2 minutes. (Depending on air fryer size, you will probably have to cook each naan one-by-one.)
Oven: Put the naan on a baking sheet on the top rack. Broil on high (500 °F) for 4–5 minutes.

Notes

Marinated Chicken: It's best to marinate the chicken overnight if you have time, but even 10 minutes will make a difference.
Cayenne Pepper: As written, this recipe is a "medium" spice level that you'd get at an Indian restaurant. To make it mild, leave out the cayenne. For a spicier butter chicken, double it.

Nutrition