Indian Butter Chicken Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (2024)

FAQs

What Indian dish is closest to butter chicken? ›

Tikka masala became popular in America as butter chicken after Indian restaurants began serving it with a side of white rice instead of basmati. The dish doesn't always include chicken, but it's called chicken-tikka or chicken-curry when it does.

Traditional butter chicken recipes often call for yogurt or cream to create a rich and creamy sauce. However, you can still achieve a similar taste and texture without using these ingredients by using coconut milk instead.

If you're unfamiliar with butter chicken, also known as murgh makhani, it's a popular Indian dish. It was originally created by Kundan Lal Gujral, a chef at Moti Mahal restaurant in Delhi, in 1947. Although murgh makhani translates to butter chicken, its name has nothing to do with butter.

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.

Chicken Tikka Masala is similar to Butter Chicken. Both curries are made of grilled chicken, butter, crushed peanut, tomato, onion, garam masala, etc.

Although both dishes have high levels of saturated fat, chicken remains the preferred choice for maintaining good health. Compared to other meats, chicken dishes tend to be more nutritious. Chicken tikka masala is a healthier option than butter chicken as it contains less fat (7 grams vs. 4 grams) and more protein.

Butter chicken is a traditional Indian dish that is rich and creamy with a subtle smoky flavor. At the same time, tikka masala is a British Indian dish with a more complex flavor profile with tangy and spicy notes. Butter chicken is generally sweeter and milder in spiciness, while tikka masala is tangy and spicy.

Often you can substitute cream, sour cream or even milk or milk powder. In some situations even mayonnaise may be used.

I've made butter chicken recipes with heavy cream and loads of butter and they are just too heavy for my liking. I've swapped the heavy cream for evaporated milk and limit the amount of butter to only a few tablespoons. This lightens the dish up a bit, while still tasting very creamy.

Serve it with Butter naan, Tandoori Roti, Chapati, Plain Paratha, Steamed fluffy Basmati Rice or Jeera rice for a simple Indian meal.

Why is Indian butter chicken red? ›

The Spices for Butter Chicken

Kashmiri Lal Mirch: Butter chicken gets its bright color and its name from Kashmiri Lal Mirch, a variety of red chile from the northern region of Kashmir. I usually buy mine from our local Indian store but online retailers carry great varieties, too.

Origins. The origin of the dish is not certain, but many sources attribute it to the South Asian community in Great Britain; some sources also cite Glasgow as the city of origin. Chicken tikka masala may derive from butter chicken, a popular dish in the northern Indian subcontinent.

I used a can of coconut milk, instead of the traditional whipping cream and love it all the more for being healthier. The little knob of butter at the end makes the recipe just the slightest bit better. The sauce a bit glossier.

The traditional butter chicken is, in fact, not healthy, packed with excessive calories and saturated fats, and not a good fit for your weight loss diet. But vegan butter chicken, on the other hand, is just perfect for your weight loss journey and weeknight dinners.

With its sweetly spiced tomato and cream-based gravy, butter chicken is a comforting, warming dish that feels decadent thanks to its silky-smooth richness. It's a dish that can be cooked with either breast meat or chicken thighs, with bones or without.

Since chicken vindaloo is not a creamy dish like the butter chicken or a korma, I prefer to use onions & tomatoes either processed or pureed. If you use them chopped, you will have a chunky vindaloo.

Butter Chicken has a tangy and slightly sweet taste due to the tomatoes and cream, while Chicken Korma offers a milder and nuttier flavor profile. Butter Chicken is generally more affluent and creamier, whereas Chicken Korma has a more delicate and aromatic taste.

Butter chicken is a popular North Indian dish that combines chicken, cream and tomato sauce, while Rogan josh is a flavorful Kashmiri dish of lamb, garlic and onions. Both dishes are quite popular and offer different experiences in terms of flavor profiles and cuisine styles.