Butter Chicken | Butter Nutrition (2024)

By Catherine Crow, NTP on Last Updated 16 Comments | No Medical Advice | This post may contain affiliate links

Butter Chicken | Butter Nutrition (1)
I love Indian food, andsurprise-surprisebutter chicken is one of my favorite dishes! So cook up this silky butter chicken recipe stat-- you'll be happy you did.

Butter Chicken ingredients:

1 cup yogurt (optional, to marinate chicken prior to cooking, strain and discard yogurt)
1 tablespoongaram masala
1½ teaspoons ground ginger
¼ teaspoon cayenne (use ⅛ teaspoon or less for mild heat)
2 tablespoons honey or simple syrup
1tablespoon fresh ginger, chopped
1tablespoon fresh garlic, chopped
¼-½ teaspoon salt (to taste)
8 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
2tablespoons tomato paste
1 (14 ½-ounce) can tomato sauce (like this)
1 (14 ½-ounce) whole peeled tomatoes (like this)
1 pound chicken breast or thighs, chopped

Rice (optional)

  • 1 cup jasmine rice (like this)
  • 1 cup chicken bone broth or chicken stock
  • ½ cup water
  • 1 tablespoon butter

Process:

  1. Marinate chopped chicken in yogurt for 1-12 hours to tenderize. Strain yogurt and discard (optional).
  2. Combine spices: 1 tablespoongaram masala, 1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger
    and¼ teaspoon cayenne in a small bowl. Set aside.
  3. Over medium low heat, saute onion in butter for about 10 minutes. Add fresh ginger and garlic. Cook for an additional 5 minutes or until tender.
  4. Add spice blend stirring frequently for 30-60 seconds, careful to not burn the spices.
  5. Add tomato sauce, whole peeled tomatoes, and paste. Let simmer for about 15-20 minutes.
  6. Transfer sauce to bender (or immersionblender) and process until smooth. I prefer the smooth texture from a Vitamix blender.
  7. Pour butter chicken sauce back into pan. Add salt and sugar to taste.
  8. In aseparatepan, cook chicken for about 8-10 minutes or until done.
  9. Add chicken to sauce, simmer briefly.
  10. Serve with rice (if desired).Enjoy this nutrient dense butter chicken!

Do you have a favorite Indian recipe other than butter chicken? Please tell me about it in the comments!

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Butter Chicken | Butter Nutrition (7)

About Catherine Crow, NTP

Hi there! I’m Catherine Crow. Seattle-based Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner (FNTP), Educator, Diet Investigator, and Coconut Milk Ice Cream Enthusiast. My goal is to help guide you to improve your nutrition through strategic eating (not dieting) and without expensive supplements. Because when you know better, you can feel better! Read more...

The Nutritionally Wealthy Recipes eBook is finally yours for FREE! It includes over 40 nutrient-dense and gluten-free recipes, as well as a few recipes for your skin. As a gift to my wonderful readers, you can download it for FREE today and tomorrow only! So grab it now below :)

Affiliate Link Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Please note: using an affiliate link does not change the price of the product, instead the seller pays Butter Nutrition a small commission. My thoughts on these products are my own.

Paid Endorsem*nt Disclosure: In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsem*nt, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog.

Reader Interactions

Comments

    Join the Conversation

  1. Jessica @ Bint Rhoda's Kitchen

    This looks amazing! I've been looking for a good recipe for butter chicken, from scratch. I love real, traditional foods from around the world. Thanks for an amazing recipe!

    Reply

  2. April

    Sounds absolutely delicious and I'm dying to try it! Do you happen to know the calorie count per serving? Thanks!!

    Reply

    • Catherine Crow

      Hi April, I'm sorry I don't have any calorie information for any of my recipes.

      Reply

      • shamim

        Who CARES about how many calories are in it. When it tastes this good, you eat to your hearts content. It's NOT like you pig out on it every single day!!!

        Reply

  3. Noel

    Wow. I made this last night and ate it tonight. DIVINE. I LOVE Indian food, especially during the summer. My brain (and the rest of my body) is extremely satisfied now.

    THANK YOU!

    Reply

    • Catherine

      Thanks Sarah!

      I'm glad you're enjoying it as much as I do 😉

      Catherine

      Reply

  4. Klara

    This looks amazing. My little toddler is starting to reject all her old favourites, so I think I will give this a try. The only problem is that we don't seem to have canned tomato sauce available in Australia - tomato sauce is what we put on hot chips (aka French fries). Can I just whizz up another can of whole tomatoes, or is there another substitute you would recommend?

    Reply

  5. Susan

    This is absolutely one of my favorite dishes ever. Truly comfort food. I add fenugreek leaves to mine and it adds a bit of pungent (just a hint) and is also quite yummy.

    Reply

  6. Julie T

    I have made this five times now and it is so good! I just had to thank you. Thank you! 🙂

    Reply

  7. Sarah

    I tried making the same dish before but it turned out not so good,
    This butter chicken is my all time Indian favorite dish.
    Thanks for sharing how you make yours.

    Reply

  8. rachel

    I have made this recipe so many times and it's AMAZING and even my toddler girl loves it. I add full-fat coconut milk to make it more rich, and just play with the spice blend a bit to compensate. My question is, how would you make this in a slow cooker, while still pureeing the ingredients? i wonder if you can... Help!

    Reply

    • Catherine

      Good question -- I'm not sure because I've never tried it!

      Let me know if you have success.

      Reply

  9. Holly Bohmfalk

    I just found this recipe, and made it tonight. I think it is the best chicken dish I have ever made! Absolutely perfect!

    Reply

  10. Laura

    Can I just say a HUGE thank you for this recipe! It has become a family favourite and somehow my 1 year old, 5 year old, and 7 year old all devour it. They get excited when they hear that it's for dinner!

    Reply

Butter Chicken | Butter Nutrition (2024)

FAQs

Is butter chicken healthy? ›

Is butter chicken good for the heart? Both butter and cream are high in saturated fat. High intakes of saturated fat increase blood cholesterol levels and the chance of heart disease. Relying on your recipe, one serving of butter chicken may include about 28 grams of whole fat and 12 grams of saturated fat.

How many calories are in a butter chicken? ›

A classic plate of butter chicken (breast piece) plus creamy curry and tomato comprises approximately 400-430 calories. Cooked in the right way and eaten in the right amount, this is a superfood to add to your diet. A brisk walk for roughly 50 minutes is a sufficient workout to burn these many calories.

Why is butter chicken so high in calories? ›

Butter chicken contains butter, and sometimes cream, making it a high-fat meal choice.

How many calories are in butter chicken rice? ›

Single Portion: 92 grams, and 480 calories per portion. Double Portion: 184 grams, and a total of 960 calories.

What is the healthiest Indian food to order? ›

Incorporate Vegetarian

Vegetarian options are often lower in calories and saturated fats while providing ample protein and fiber. Consider trying dishes like Palak Paneer (spinach and cottage cheese), Baingan Bharta (roasted eggplant), or Daal (lentil curry) for a satisfying and healthful dining experience.

What is the healthiest Indian curry? ›

Any Indian curries that are tomato-based, like tandoori, madras, jalfrezi, rogan and bhuna, are the lowest in calories. They average around 200-300 calories. If you want an even healthier option, consider a sauce-free dish like fish tikka (which is only 180 calories).

Is butter chicken junk food? ›

Butter chicken isn't really healthy

Just one bowl of butter chicken can really set you back — as per Livestrong, you'll be consuming around 438 calories, 14 grams of carbs, and a whopping amount of fat: 28 grams. Here's the major problem with butter chicken: the dish has around 12 grams of saturated fat.

Is butter chicken healthier than chicken tikka? ›

Regarding nutrition, Butter Chicken and Tikka Masala are high in calories, fat, and sodium. Butter Chicken has more fat and calories than Tikka Masala due to the use of cream and butter in the sauce. However, Tikka Masala has more sodium than Butter Chicken due to the use of canned tomato puree.

Is butter chicken or tikka masala better? ›

Chicken in tikka masala sauce tends to be more tender and juicy than butter chicken due to its marinade-containing yogurt. Butter chicken also tends to have a creamier texture. Both are tasty in their own right—it just depends on what you're craving! Try mixing them up if you want an exciting twist on your taste buds.

Can I eat butter chicken to lose weight? ›

Protein content: Butter chicken is typically made with chicken, which is a good source of lean protein. Protein can help increase satiety, preserve muscle mass, and support weight loss efforts.

What Indian food is low in calories? ›

15 Low-Calorie Indian Foods
  • Moong Dal Cheela. - These savoury pancakes are not only easy to make but also packed with protein and fibre, making them a perfect choice for a healthy breakfast. ...
  • Sabudana Khichdi. ...
  • Cucumber Raita. ...
  • Palak Khichdi. ...
  • Oats Idli. ...
  • Bhel. ...
  • Dhokla. ...
  • Upma.

What are the benefits of butter chicken? ›

Here are some of the nutritional benefits of butter chicken:
  • Protein-Rich.
  • Healthy Mix of Carbohydrates and Fibre.
  • A Tasty Source of Calories. Do you lack calories in your diet? ...
  • High Fat Content. Butter chicken dishes are generally heavy in fat because of the use of cream and butter. ...
  • Great Source of Sodium. ...
  • Conclusion.
Jul 13, 2023

How many calories does Indian butter chicken have? ›

President's Choice
Nutrition Facts
For a Serving Size of 1 tray (350g)
How many calories are in Indian Butter Chicken? Amount of calories in Indian Butter Chicken: Calories 490Calories from Fat 162 (33.1%)
% Daily Value *
How much fat is in Indian Butter Chicken? Amount of fat in Indian Butter Chicken: Total Fat 18g-
19 more rows

How many calories are in butter chicken and white rice? ›

At 53 grams protein and only 475 calories, this butter, chicken, and rice is a healthy meal prep idea you can make. to have meals ready to go for the whole week. Let me show you how to make it.

Is butter chicken calorie dense? ›

6 pieces of butter chicken (Snak Man Doo) contains 180 Calories. The macronutrient breakdown is 50% carbs, 34% fat, and 15% protein. This has a moderate calorie density, with 212 Calories per 100g.

How healthy is Indian butter chicken? ›

Butter chicken isn't really healthy

Just one bowl of butter chicken can really set you back — as per Livestrong, you'll be consuming around 438 calories, 14 grams of carbs, and a whopping amount of fat: 28 grams. Here's the major problem with butter chicken: the dish has around 12 grams of saturated fat.

Is chicken fried in butter healthy? ›

Also, fried foods are high in fat, calories and salt, raising the risk for type 2 diabetes and heart disease. While most things in moderation are fine - fried chicken included - it's in your best interests to find healthier ways of cooking your meals.

Which is better butter chicken or chicken curry? ›

If you love curry, but can't take the heat in most Indian dishes, Butter Chicken is the perfect solution. It's full of the classic spices, but even with the chili powder included, it stays mild. The addition of the butter and cream help mellow the heat.

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