Seeing as how I’m not Indian, I clearly am not the gal to share an authentic Indian Butter Chicken recipe (see the end of this post for some great Indian food and cooking resources). That’s not my business, really. Those recipes – the authentic Indian recipes – exist on the internet in spades and are beautiful, delicious, and so worth your culinary adventuring when you’ve got the time to really devote to cultivating the nuanced flavors in the sauces.

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That said, I absolutely love Indian food with all my heart, and I like to find ways to seamlessly weave it right into my weeknight cooking. Recipes like this one, my Quick and Easy Indian Butter Chicken, help me to do just that.

Here, we’ll greatly reduce the sauce cook time by using a tricky ingredient swap in place of the typical plain or crushed tomatoes typically called for by Butter Chicken recipes:

Marinara.

Yes. We’ll use a good quality, store-bought Italian marinara because it’s already been cooked and seasoned with herbs, oil, garlic, etc. It’s well on its way to being a fantastic Indian Butter Chicken sauce already, and all we need to do to get it there is toast up some fragrant spices and a few clutch aromatics (ginger + garlic + onion) et voila! Our marinara evolves into a Butter Chicken sauce.

It’s a beautiful thing to be a part of, what can I say?

But, wait a minute … what is Butter Chicken?

Indian Butter Chicken, or Murgh Makhani, is a chicken curry in which the sauce is made from tomatoes, cream, and butter.

What is the difference between Butter Chicken and Chicken Tikka Masala?

Indian Butter Chicken is very similar to the more widely known lookalike, Chicken Tikka Masala. The primary difference between the two can be found inside the sauces themselves. Tikka masala has a bit more of a complex, layered sauce, as the spices that go into it are a little broader in range. Butter chicken, however, is somewhat simpler, its gravy/sauce tasting more of the cream and butter that melt down inside at the end of cooking.

I like to equate it to the difference between a pomodoro and a marinara (the butter chicken being like the pomodoro). It’s just a more pared down version, that’s all. They’re really built on the same bones and are quite a lot alike, all told.

Tips and Tricks for Making the best Indian Butter Chicken

1. Make sure to leave your chicken alone once it hits the hot pan. This is the cardinal rule of meat browning, and is an important key to generating a browner, more attractive crust on the chicken (which you can taste). Just add the yogurt-laced chicken pieces into the hot, ghee-slicked pan and let it cook, undisturbed, until nice and crusty; then flip.

2. Speaking of browning the chicken, the best way to do that is in batches. A second rule of thumb when browning meat of any kind, is to not overcrowd the pan. A crowded pan does not browned meat make. Or, something like that. The chicken pieces will get all close to each other and create steam. The steam, incidentally, will prevent any pretty browning from occurring. So, work in batches and give that chicken room to do its thing.

3. Fenugreek. If you’re a regular maker of Indian fare, then you may notice the conspicuous pseudo-omission of fenugreek from my recipe here. Fenugreek is a spice/herb that is widely used in Indian cooking and if you can find it, I encourage you to use a teaspoon of it during the spice-toasting portion of today’s program.

But it’s pretty hard to find, honestly, and this recipe is meant to be really low-key and accessible – it’s supposed to be easy. The end result will still be wonderfully delicious, even if you can’t find fenugreek.

Quick and Easy Indian Butter Chicken INGREDIENTS

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces

⅓ cup plain yogurt

1 TBSP + 3 tsp garam masala, divided

2 tsp cumin, divided

2 tsp coriander, divided

4 tsp chili powder, divided

4 tsp turmeric, divided

1 tsp ground fenugreek leaves (optional, as this is hard to find)

2 tsp kosher salt, divided

Black pepper, as needed

1 TBSP ghee or olive oil

1 small sweet onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1.5-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated or finely chopped

1.5 tsp sugar

24-ounce jar of marinara (I love Rao’s)

⅓ cup heavy cream (half and half works, too)

1 to 2 TBSP butter

Suggested: chopped cilantro, basmati rice, and naan for serving.

How to make this Quick and Easy Indian Butter Chicken

In a large zip-top bag or bowl, combine the chicken, yogurt, 3 tsp of the garam masala, 1 tsp of the cumin, 1 tsp coriander, 2 tsp chili powder, 2 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp salt, and lots of freshly cracked pepper. Toss to coat and allow the chicken to marinate (on the counter, not in the fridge) for about 30 minutes.

When it has marinated for at least 30 minutes, add aout 1 TBSP ghee or oil to a large, deep-sided skillet set over med-high heat. Cook the chicken, in batches if you need to, until golden brown all over and just cooked; about 4 or 5 minutes, stirring/tossing occasionally. Transfer the browned chicken to a plate or tray and set aside for now.

Drain the pan and set back on the stove; reduce the heat to medium.

Add the chopped onion to the pan, along with 1 TBSP of the garam masala, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp coriander, 2 tsp chili powder, about 2 tsp turmeric, and 1 tsp salt and lots of pepper (these are approximate amounts – use as much as you like). Saute for 3 to 5 minutes, just until the onions are tender. Add the ginger and garlic, stir to cook/combine.

Add the marinara and sugar, stir well to combine all of the spices, and simmer over med-low heat for 5 to 7 minutes. Add the cream and butter and stir to combine. Slide the chicken back into the pan, along with any juices, stir to coat.

Serve the chicken with basmati rice, naan, and a shower of chopped cilantro, if desired.