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Smoking Chimney

Recipes from a working kitchen · Cape Town

Indian Butter Chicken

By Marna Ross Updated 12 August 2026 4.68 from 75 ratings Indian
Where can I start with this amazing Indian Butter Chicken recipe?! I used to make this Indian Butter Chicken for guests in the winter staying at the Guest House. A wonderful one-pot winter winner! Dish it up on a bed of white rice and garnish it with fresh coriander leaves and remember to add a lovely poppadum to it. Make the Indian butter chicken a day ahead to let the curry flavour develop even more. You can also make it with chicken breast fillets if you prefer. With its beautiful red colour, it gives you that real winter effect. Just add a cosy fireplace, a beautiful layered table and the perfect bottle of wine and it will be an unforgettable meal.If you are fortunate to live in the Durban area, go grab your spices at the Indian community to make your Indian Butter Chicken meal even more special. They are the kings of spices. I would highly recommend that you make this a day before to let the flavours of all the wonderful spices in this Indian Butter Chicken recipe enhance overnight. Just like a good curry, this is almost the same. A fantastic meal to impress your family and friends! Feel free to also try the Chicken Lasagna recipe of mine.
Creamy and rich Indian butter chicken in a savoury spiced tomato and cream gravy.
Prep 20 min
Cook 50 min
Total 1 h 10 m
Serves 8

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Ingredients

  • 1.5 kg chicken thigh fillets, halved
  • 4 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 2 teaspoons garam masala
  • 2 teaspoons ground coriander
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon chilli powder
  • 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
  • 125 ml plain yogurt
  • 80 g butter
  • 2 Tablespoons white vinegar
  • 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
  • 410 g can tomato puree
  • 180 ml chicken stock
  • 5 cardamom pods, bruised
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 300 ml cream
  • one third cup fresh coriander leaves, chopped

Method

  1. Combine the chicken, garlic, spices, and yogurt in a large bowl and cover

  2. Refrigerate 3 hours or overnight

  3. Melt the butter in a large saucepan, cook the chicken mixture for about 10 minutes while stirring. The chicken must brown lightly

  4. Add the vinegar, paste, puree, stock, cardamom, and cinnamon and bring to a boil

  5. Reduce the heat, simmer uncovered about 30 minutes. Stir occasionally until the chicken is cooked through

  6. Add the cream, stir until it is heated through and lastly stir in the coriander

  7. Served with poppadoms on a bowl of white rice

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