🍛 Creamy Butter Chicken with Garlic Naan & Rice

Tender, yogurt-marinated chicken simmered in a luxurious tomato-butter cream sauce, served with fluffy basmati rice and warm garlic naan. This comforting Indian-inspired dinner is rich, aromatic, mildly spiced, and perfect for soaking up every drop of the creamy sauce.

⏱️ Recipe Information

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Marinating Time: 30 minutes–4 hours
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: About 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Easy–Intermediate

🛒 Ingredients

🍗 For the Chicken

500 g boneless chicken thighs, cubed
½ cup plain yogurt
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp paprika
½ tsp turmeric
½ tsp cumin powder
½ tsp salt
1 tbsp oil

🍅 For the Creamy Butter Sauce

2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tbsp oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp ginger, freshly grated
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp paprika
½ tsp turmeric
½ tsp chili powder, or to taste
1 can (14 oz / 400 g) crushed tomatoes
1 tsp sugar, optional
½ tsp salt, or to taste
½ cup heavy cream
½ cup water or chicken broth, as needed
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi), crushed, optional
Fresh cilantro, for garnish

🍚 For the Rice

1½ cups basmati rice
2¼ cups water
½ tsp salt
1 tsp butter or oil

🫓 For the Garlic Naan

4 naan breads, store-bought or homemade
2 tbsp butter, melted
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 tbsp fresh cilantro, finely chopped

Instructions

🍗 1. Marinate the Chicken

Place the cubed chicken in a large bowl.

Add the yogurt, lemon juice, ginger-garlic paste, garam masala, paprika, turmeric, cumin, salt, and oil.

Mix thoroughly until every piece of chicken is coated.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

For deeper flavor, marinate for up to 4 hours.

🔥 2. Sear the Chicken

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Add a little oil.

Remove the chicken from the marinade, allowing excess yogurt to drip off.

Add the chicken to the hot pan in a single layer. Work in batches if necessary.

Sear for approximately 3–4 minutes per side, until browned on the outside.

The chicken does not need to be completely cooked through at this stage.

Transfer to a plate and set aside.

🧈 3. Start the Butter Sauce

Reduce the heat to medium.

Add the butter and oil to the same skillet.

Add the chopped onion and cook for 4–6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly golden.

Add the garlic and ginger.

Cook for another 30–60 seconds, until fragrant.

🌶️ 4. Bloom the Spices

Add the garam masala, cumin, paprika, turmeric, and chili powder.

Stir continuously for approximately 30 seconds.

This briefly toasts the spices and releases their aroma.

🍅 5. Add the Tomato Base

Stir in the tomato paste.

Cook for 1 minute.

Add the crushed tomatoes, sugar if using, salt, and water or chicken broth.

Stir well, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.

🥘 6. Simmer the Sauce

Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer.

Reduce the heat to low and cook uncovered for approximately 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

The sauce should thicken and become rich and fragrant.

For an Extra-Smooth Sauce

If you prefer a restaurant-style silky texture, carefully blend the tomato sauce with an immersion blender before returning it to the pan.

🍗 7. Return the Chicken

Add the seared chicken and any accumulated juices back into the sauce.

Stir gently.

Cover partially and simmer over low heat for approximately 8–12 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.

The chicken should reach 165°F (74°C) internally.

🥛 8. Make It Creamy

Reduce the heat to very low.

Stir in the heavy cream.

Add the crushed kasuri methi if using.

Simmer gently for another 2–3 minutes.

Do not boil vigorously after adding the cream.

Taste and adjust the salt, chili, or garam masala as needed.

Finish with a tablespoon of butter for an especially silky sauce, if desired.

🍚 9. Cook the Basmati Rice

While the chicken simmers, rinse the basmati rice under cold water several times until the water runs mostly clear.

Add the rice, water, salt, and butter or oil to a saucepan.

Bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat to low, cover tightly, and cook for approximately 15 minutes.

Turn off the heat and let the rice stand, covered, for 5–10 minutes.

Fluff gently with a fork.

🧄 10. Make the Garlic Butter

Combine the melted butter, minced garlic, and chopped cilantro in a small bowl.

Mix well.

🫓 11. Warm the Naan

Heat a skillet or griddle over medium-high heat.

Warm each naan for approximately 30–60 seconds per side, until hot and lightly toasted.

Immediately brush generously with the garlic butter.

For extra flavor, sprinkle with additional fresh cilantro.

🍛 12. Assemble the Meal

Spoon the fluffy basmati rice onto serving plates.

Add a generous portion of creamy butter chicken alongside or over the rice.

Serve with warm garlic naan.

Garnish the chicken with fresh cilantro and, if desired, a small drizzle of cream.

Serve immediately.

⭐ Chef’s Tips

Use Chicken Thighs

Thigh meat stays tender and juicy during simmering and is particularly well suited to this rich sauce.

Don’t Skip the Sear

Browning the chicken first adds a deeper roasted flavor to the finished dish.

Don’t Rush the Sauce

Allowing the tomato base to simmer gives the spices time to meld and reduces excess acidity.

Add Cream at the End

Adding the cream after the tomato sauce has thickened helps preserve its smooth, luxurious texture.

Balance the Tomatoes

If your tomatoes taste particularly acidic, a small amount of sugar can help round out the sauce.

Don’t Boil the Cream

Keep the heat low once the cream is added to prevent the sauce from becoming grainy.

Crush the Fenugreek

If using kasuri methi, crush it between your palms before adding it. This releases more of its aroma.

🌶️ Adjust the Heat

For mild butter chicken, omit the chili powder.

For medium heat, use ½ teaspoon.

For spicy butter chicken, use 1 teaspoon or add chopped fresh chili.

You can also serve chili flakes on the side so everyone can adjust their own portion.

🥗 What to Serve With Butter Chicken

Complete the meal with:

Cucumber raita
Mango chutney
Pickled onions
Indian-style salad
Roasted vegetables
Papad
Fresh cilantro
Lemon wedges

🧊 Storage

Allow leftovers to cool before refrigerating.

Store the chicken and sauce in an airtight container for up to 3–4 days.

Keep the rice refrigerated separately when possible.

🔥 Reheating

Reheat the butter chicken gently in a saucepan over low-medium heat.

Add a splash of water, broth, or cream if the sauce has thickened too much.

For rice, sprinkle with a little water, cover, and reheat until steaming hot.

Warm naan separately in a skillet or oven.

❄️ Freezing

The butter chicken sauce freezes well.

Cool completely, transfer to an airtight freezer-safe container, and freeze for up to 3 months.

Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat gently.

For best texture, add the cream after thawing and reheating if you plan to freeze the sauce before finishing it.

🍛✨ Recipe Summary

This Creamy Butter Chicken with Garlic Naan & Rice is the ultimate cozy Indian-inspired dinner: juicy spiced chicken, a buttery tomato sauce, silky cream, aromatic basmati rice, and warm garlic naan all come together in one incredibly satisfying meal.

Tender chicken + rich buttery sauce + fluffy rice + garlicky naan = restaurant-style comfort food at home. 🧄🍗🍚✨