Where does Butter Chicken come from?

Butter Chicken — country of origin: India.

What is Butter Chicken made of?

Chicken, tomato, cream, butter, garlic, ginger, garam masala, chilli, yoghurt.

How do you pronounce Butter Chicken?

Butter chicken (English, India) is pronounced /ˈbʌtə ˈtʃɪkɪn/.

Butter Chicken

Pronunciation (IPA) /ˈbʌtə ˈtʃɪkɪn/

Tandoor-cooked chicken finished in a mild tomato, butter and cream sauce — Delhi's answer to leftover meat, and the gentlest curry on most menus.

Also known as: Murgh Makhani · Murg Makhani

Allergens & declarations

Contains

Milk (including Lactose)

Contains milk and milk products (including lactose)

This describes the classic recipe, so you know what to ask about. It is not a declaration for any particular kitchen — recipes and suppliers vary, and only the restaurant can tell you what is in the dish it serves.

In detail

Butter chicken is chicken cooked first in a tandoor, then simmered in a sauce of tomato, butter and cream. It comes from Delhi in the late 1940s, where a restaurant is said to have revived dry tandoori chicken by putting it in a gravy.

What it really is

The chicken is marinated in yoghurt and spices and cooked in the tandoor until charred at the edges. Separately, tomatoes are cooked down with garlic, ginger and garam masala, then finished with butter and cream until the sauce turns orange and mild.

Butter chicken is not tikka masala. The two are close and often confused. Butter chicken is the older Delhi dish, milder and heavier on butter and cream; chicken tikka masala is spicier and its origin is disputed between India and Britain.

How it is served

With naan or rice, to carry the sauce.
As the mild option on a table of hotter dishes.
Often with a swirl of cream on top.

Say it is mild — guests order it expecting gentle heat.
Name the bread it comes with, or whether that costs extra.
It contains dairy in the sauce as well as the marinade; a dairy-free version is a different dish.

Typical ingredients

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Frequently asked questions

What is Butter Chicken?: Tandoor-cooked chicken finished in a mild tomato, butter and cream sauce — Delhi's answer to leftover meat, and the gentlest curry on most menus.
Where does Butter Chicken come from?: Butter Chicken — country of origin: India.
What is Butter Chicken made of?: Chicken, tomato, cream, butter, garlic, ginger, garam masala, chilli, yoghurt.
Which allergens does Butter Chicken contain?: Contains milk and milk products (including lactose).
What is Butter Chicken also known as?: Murgh Makhani, Murg Makhani.
How do you pronounce Butter Chicken?: Butter chicken (English, India) is pronounced /ˈbʌtə ˈtʃɪkɪn/. Select the speaker button next to the dish name to hear it.