Servings: 6 to 8 servings

MARINADE: subheading: MARINADE:
½ cup whole-milk Greek yogurt ½ cup whole-milk Greek yogurt
4 garlic cloves, grated 4 garlic cloves, grated
1 tablespoon fenugreek leaves (optional) 1 tablespoon fenugreek leaves (optional)
1 tablespoon finely grated ginger 1 tablespoon finely grated ginger
2 teaspoons kosher salt 2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
SAUCE AND ASSEMBLY: subheading: SAUCE AND ASSEMBLY:
½ cup (1 stick) cultured or unsalted butter, divided ½ cup (1 stick) cultured or unsalted butter, divided
1 3-inch cinnamon stick 1 3-inch cinnamon stick
5 green cardamom pods 5 green cardamom pods
1 whole clove 1 whole clove
2 teaspoons fenugreek seeds (optional) 2 teaspoons fenugreek seeds (optional)
2 medium onions, sliced 2 medium onions, sliced
2 serrano chiles, split lengthwise 2 serrano chiles, split lengthwise
Kosher salt Kosher salt
4 garlic cloves, grated 4 garlic cloves, grated
1 tablespoon finely grated ginger 1 tablespoon finely grated ginger
1 tablespoon fenugreek leaves (optional) 1 tablespoon fenugreek leaves (optional)
1 tablespoon garam masala 1 tablespoon garam masala
1 teaspoon paprika 1 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon ground turmeric ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
2 28-ounce cans whole peeled tomatoes 2 28-ounce cans whole peeled tomatoes
½ cup heavy cream ½ cup heavy cream
Chopped cilantro, steamed basmati rice, and naan (for serving) Chopped cilantro, steamed basmati rice, and naan (for serving)

MARINADE: subheading: MARINADE:
Whisk yogurt, garlic, fenugreek leaves, if using, ginger, and salt in a medium bowl. Add chicken and toss to coat. Cover and chill at least 1 hour and up to 3.
SAUCE AND ASSEMBLY: subheading: SAUCE AND ASSEMBLY:
Melt 4 Tbsp. butter in a large wide pot over medium heat. Cook cinnamon, cardamom pods, clove, and fenugreek seeds, if using, stirring, until slightly darker and fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add onion and chiles, season with salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is golden and beginning to caramelize, 8 to 10 minutes. Add garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, until very fragrant and ginger starts to turn golden and sticks to bottom of pot, 2 to 3 minutes. Add fenugreek leaves, if using, garam masala, paprika, and turmeric and cook, stirring, until very fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes, breaking up into pieces with a spoon, and cook until brick red and most of the liquid is evaporated, about 1 minute. Using a potato masher or large spoon, smash tomatoes and continue to simmer, uncovered, until sauce is the consistency of a thick ragù, 40 to 50 minutes. Discard cinnamon stick (leave other whole spices).
Transfer mixture to a blender and purée until smooth. Cut remaining 4 Tbsp. butter into pieces. Add butter and cream to blender and purée until creamy; season with salt. Return sauce to pot and bring to a simmer.
Meanwhile, preheat broiler. Arrange chicken in a single layer on a wire rack set inside a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Broil until chicken starts to brown in spots (it will not be cooked through), 7 to 8 minutes per side. When cool enough to handle, cut into ¾" pieces. Add chicken to simmering sauce, cover, and cook until chicken is cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes.
Top chicken and sauce with cilantro. Serve with rice and naan alongside.
Do Ahead: Butter chicken can be made 3 days ahead. Let cool; cover and chill.

I really like it and could it eat without the sauce!  I really like it and could it eat without the sauce!
Anonymous  Anonymous
Gaithersburg, MD  Gaithersburg, MD
5/1/2021  5/½021
Just veganized this last night! I pressed 32oz of firm tofu and just treated it as if it were chicken, marinating in the (almond) yogurt and broiling. Used unsweetened oat creamer for the heavy cream and Earth Balance for the butter and it really came out perfectly. Aside from this made it completely as written--a close friend who I've been trying for years to get into Indian food said this was the first Indian dish he actually liked!  Just veganized this last night! I pressed 32oz of firm tofu and just treated it as if it were chicken, marinating in the (almond) yogurt and broiling. Used unsweetened oat creamer for the heavy cream and Earth Balance for the butter and it really came out perfectly. Aside from this made it completely as written--a close friend who I've been trying for years to get into Indian food said this was the first Indian dish he actually liked!
Anonymous  Anonymous
West Hollywood  West Hollywood
4/8/2021  4/8/2021
My boyfriend & I absolutely loved it! It’s a bit time consuming but completing worth it. I thought it was restaurant quality butter chicken!  My boyfriend & I absolutely loved it! It’s a bit time consuming but completing worth it. I thought it was restaurant quality butter chicken!
Anonymous  Anonymous
South Carolina  South Carolina
3/21/2021  3/2½021
Not my favorite, though I can't quite put my finger on why. It both tastes like spices (like that harsh, sort of bitter flavor of too much physical spice) and is a bit bland. Day 2 is slightly better, but it's got a quality - bitterness + blandness that I can't quite put my finger on. I also had the thought that it looked like too much cardamom, but on the contrary felt that flavor didn't really turn up in this dish. It's not bad, but it's not good enough to make again.  Not my favorite, though I can't quite put my finger on why. It both tastes like spices (like that harsh, sort of bitter flavor of too much physical spice) and is a bit bland. Day 2 is slightly better, but it's got a quality - bitterness + blandness that I can't quite put my finger on. I also had the thought that it looked like too much cardamom, but on the contrary felt that flavor didn't really turn up in this dish. It's not bad, but it's not good enough to make again.
Elizabeth  Elizabeth
DC  DC
2/17/2021  2/17/2021
Just made this dish for the first time this week, and what a hit! Substituted half&half for the cream (just because it's what we had on hand) and ended up grilling the chicken instead of using the broiler, and WOW! Highly recommend grilling the chicken if you can. Those crispy dark bits from the chicken were just lovely in the sauce!  Just made this dish for the first time this week, and what a hit! Substituted half&half for the cream (just because it's what we had on hand) and ended up grilling the chicken instead of using the broiler, and WOW! Highly recommend grilling the chicken if you can. Those crispy dark bits from the chicken were just lovely in the sauce!
Hollie Allbaugh  Hollie Allbaugh
Chino Hills, CA  Chino Hills, CA
11/17/2020  11/17/2020
I make this religiously. I have made it without fenugreek, cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves and it was still delicious and flavorful. Once I added these spices, I definitely tasted a difference (mostly from the cardamom). The marinade makes the chicken so beautifully tender. I find that the chicken doesn't really need a full 14-16 on broil, and usually go for about 10 and finish it in the sauce for the allotted time. Truly one of my favorite recipes from BA.  I make this religiously. I have made it without fenugreek, cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves and it was still delicious and flavorful. Once I added these spices, I definitely tasted a difference (mostly from the cardamom). The marinade makes the chicken so beautifully tender. I find that the chicken doesn't really need a full 14 to 16 on broil, and usually go for about 10 and finish it in the sauce for the allotted time. Truly one of my favorite recipes from BA.
Anonymous  Anonymous
Brooklyn, NY  Brooklyn, NY
10/27/2020  10/27/2020
Easy recipe to make just not as flavorful as I'd hoped. My 9 year old liked it and it wasn't too spicy I definitely recommend draining the liquid out of the canned tomatoes first.  Easy recipe to make just not as flavorful as I'd hoped. My 9 year old liked it and it wasn't too spicy I definitely recommend draining the liquid out of the canned tomatoes first.