Quick 20-Minute Butter Chicken (Creamy One-Pan Indian Dinner)
Quick 20-minute butter chicken is a creamy and flavorful one-pan Indian dish that is simple to prepare. Made with tender chunks of boneless chicken cooked in a spiced tomato and cream sauce, this recipe is perfect for a comforting dinner served alongside rice or naan bread.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, finely minced or grated (or use paste)
- 2–3 cloves garlic, finely minced or crushed
- 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into ¾-inch chunks
- 4 tablespoons tomato paste, or 8 oz can of tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon chili powder, or paprika, adjust to taste
- 1 teaspoon fenugreek powder (optional, fenugreek seeds or mustard seeds can be used too)
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup heavy cream (can substitute half & half or yogurt for lower fat)
- Hot cooked Basmati rice and naan for serving
Instructions
- Heat and sauté onions: Heat a large skillet or medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the oil, butter, and diced onions. Cook the onions until they turn lightly golden, about 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning.
- Add ginger and garlic: Stir in the freshly minced or grated ginger and crushed garlic cloves, cooking for about 30 seconds while continuously stirring to release their flavors without letting them burn.
- Cook chicken and spices: Add the chicken chunks to the pan along with the tomato paste and all the spices — garam masala, chili powder, fenugreek, cumin, salt, and black pepper. Stir to combine well and cook for 5-6 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and coated with the spice mixture.
- Add cream and simmer: Pour in the heavy cream and reduce the heat to medium-low. Let the sauce simmer gently for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally to blend the flavors and thicken the sauce slightly.
- Serve: Spoon the creamy butter chicken over hot cooked Basmati rice or serve with warm naan bread. Enjoy this rich and comforting Indian-inspired meal!
Notes
- You can substitute heavy cream with half & half or yogurt for a lighter dish.
- Fenugreek powder is optional but adds authentic flavor; using seeds or mustard seeds can also be an alternative.
- Adjust chili powder or paprika quantity based on your preferred spice heat level.
- Chicken thighs can be used instead of breasts for a juicier texture.
- Keep stirring the sauce gently during simmering to avoid cream separation.