Butter-free Butter Chicken

Butter-free Butter Chicken has all the delicious aromas and flavours of its traditional counterpart, however it is just a little healthier. For another healthy curry option, try my Healthy Chicken and Vegetable Curry. Both curries go perfectly with Last Minute Naan Bread!

This curry does not use butter, ghee or cream to obtain flavour. Instead, the generous mix of spices, herbs and coconut cream add the depth of flavour that make this dish. The spices are a balance of earthy, sweet and spicy.

Curries are a great way to use up veggies from the fridge, or to encourage the kids to eat their greens. Coated in this butter chicken sauce, it is the perfect way to eat veggies for those that don’t usually reach for them. Most kinds of greens go well and you can even use potatoes, sweet potatoes and carrots to bulk up the meal.

The Butter Chicken Process

Chicken: I think chicken thighs are the best cut for Butter Chicken. They don’t go stringy or dry out. Make sure you remove the excess fat and cut into 2cm pieces.

Marinate: I marinate the chicken in Greek or plain yoghurt with a mix of spices for about an hour – it can be longer if you like, even overnight. You want to give it time to soak up all those delicious flavours.

Prep: While the chicken is marinating, prepare all the remaining butter chicken sauce ingredients. Blend the onions, garlic, ginger and chilli in a food processor or blender, until finely minced.

Combine all the spices in a small bowl ready to add to the cook.

Cook: Fry the onion mix until soft. Add the spices and stir until fragrant. Add the chicken and cook, stirring, until slightly browned. Stir in the tomato paste, followed by the tomatoes and coconut cream. Simmer until the sauce thickens and reaches the desired consistency. Add a little coriander and the butter chicken is complete.

To serve, garnish with a sprinkle of fresh coriander and fluffy rice or Last Minute Naan Bread. A little swirl of coconut cream on top also looks good if serving at a dinner party.

Feedback: Did you try the Butter-free Butter Chicken? Let me know in the comments section below. Cheers, Elby!

Want a taste of something more? Check out my other One Pot recipes for more easy weeknight meals. Also, follow The Tasteful Pantry on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest for all the latest tips and info.

Butter-free Butter Chicken

Recipe by Elby | The Tasteful Pantry

This butter chicken has no butter, ghee or cream, yet it still has all the delicious flavour of traditional dish.

Course: MainCuisine: IndianDifficulty: Easy

5.0 from 5 votes

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Servings

4

servings

Prep time

1

hour 

15

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

Total time

1

hour 

55

minutes

Cook Mode

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Ingredients

• 1 kg lean chicken thigh fillets (skinless, boneless), cut into 2cm pieces

• Marinade

• ½ cup plain yoghurt (Greek or natural)

• 1 tsp garam masala

• 1 tsp ground cumin

• ½ tsp turmeric

• ½ tsp salt

• Sauce

• 1 onion, peeled and roughly chopped

• 4 cloves garlic

• 1 ½ tbsp grated ginger

• 1 small red chilli (eg. birdseye)

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 2 tsp ground cumin

• 1 tsp coriander

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• ½ tsp salt

• 2 tbsp tomato paste

• 400 grams crushed tomatoes

• 400 mls coconut cream

• 2 tbsp coriander, stems and leaves finely chopped, plus extra for serving

Directions

• Add the chicken to the marinade and stir until well coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour, and up until overnight.
• Marinade
• Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl.
• Sauce
• Place the onion, garlic, ginger and chilli into a food processor (or blender) and blend until minced.
• Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion mix and cook for 3 minutes.
• Stir in the spices and salt and cook for another minute.
• Add the chicken, stirring occasionally, for a further 5 minutes, or until the chicken is starting to brown.
• Stir in the tomato paste. Then add the tomatoes and simmer for 1 minute.
• Add the coconut cream and simmer on low for approximately 30 minutes, or until the sauce has reduced to the desired consistency. Stir in the 2 tablespoons of chopped coriander.
  
  
  Serve with rice and additional coriander, or try my Last Minute Naan Bread.
  
  

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