Butter Chicken also known as Murgh Makhani, this popular dish needs no introduction. While this Butter Chicken may be a decadent treat, it is a healthier Thermomix alternative to take-away versions and well worth the effort. After releasing this recipe, the Skinnymixers Facebook Group begged me to put out my first cookbook ‘A Little Taste of India’ – available in the Skinnymixers Shop or Apple Books.
This viral Butter Chicken Thermomix recipe took the Thermomix Community by storm in 2014 and has been the top Skinnymixers recipe every year since. Don’t be turned off by the length of this recipe – it is written in simple step by step instructions to help even a new user of the Thermomix TM7, TM6, TM5 TM31/Bellini / Smith and Noble.
My Butter Chicken Thermomix recipe is mild for those who are sensitive to spice and children seem to love it. One of the ‘must make’ healthy Thermomix recipes, it is easy to follow and will definitely impress. If you would like to add Hidden Vegetables, I recommend stirring through a portion of my Hidden Vegetable Booster.
Naturally gluten free and there are instructions to make it dairy free / vegetarian / keto / LCHF /low FODMAP friendly below.
BEFORE YOU START – TIPS FOR THE BEST BUTTER CHICKEN
- Leave yourself enough time the first time you make it – some beginners take 90 min. Enjoy the process, it isn’t hard or complicated!
- Check that your Apple Cider Vinegar isn’t double strength. Not all apple cider vinegars are equal in taste, I recommend using Braggs ACV with the mother.
- Using Pepper Free Garam Masala helps keep this dish very mild. If you don’t mind a little spice, using one with pepper is fine.
- Don’t use a tea bag or device to hold your whole spices together. The flavour will be impacted and it can damage your machine.
- Use fresh spices! You can find all of these spices in all major supermarkets. I prefer to get my spices from Grandma’s Pantry, as they are fresher, gluten free & very high quality.
- The food colouring, nut meal & honey are optional. If you aren’t used to a thick/creamy sweeter butter chicken then leave any of these out to suit your preference.
If you make this recipe, snap a pic and hashtag it #skinnymixers — We love to see your creations on Instagram & Facebook!
Slow Cooker Method
This recipe makes a lot of sauce. When you transfer this thermomix recipe to the slow cooker, for the best results you double the marinade & chicken but leave the sauce amount the same. Alternatively we also have a special Slow Cooked Butter Chicken Recipe with slow cooker instructions and how to slow cook using the TM6 or TM7 Thermomix.
- Make the sauce and transfer to the slow cooker with the marinated chicken in Step 10.
- Stir through the nuts and cream at the end.
What to serve with your Butter Chicken?
You could serve your Butter Chicken with rice or cauliflower rice. If you are looking for standout recipes to wow your guests and tastebuds – you can’t go past the Garlic, Cheese & Spinach Naan, skinnymixer’s Jeweled Coconut Rice, Vegetarian Biryani or Indian Cauliflower Rice.
This recipe features in the Thermomix cookbook ‘A Little Taste of India’. Other standout recipes from this cookbook include:
- ALToI: Lamb Korma
- ALToI: Bhuna Gosht
- ALToI: Beef Madras
- ALToI: Indian Cauliflower Rice
- ALToI: Beef Vindaloo
FREE MEAL PLANNER DOWNLOAD: Are you on our Skinnymixers Newsletter? Have all of our latest Thermomix recipes delivered to your Inbox – http://bit.ly/SkinnyNews
Butter Chicken
Ingredients
- 700 g chicken breast - diced
- 150 g cashews - or almonds, raw (optional - omit for nut free)
- 300 g cream - or coconut cream
- 50 g honey
- 1 bunch fresh coriander - chopped
Marinade:-
- ½ Tbsp salt
- ¼-½ tsp chilli powder
- 1 tsp garam masala
- Optional: 1 tsp liquid tandoori colouring OR ¼ tsp red food colouring and 2 drops of yellow food colouring
- 10 g fresh ginger
- 1 clove garlic - peeled
- 15 g apple cider vinegar
Tomato paste:-
- 2 clove garlic
- 10 g fresh ginger
- 30 g apple cider vinegar
- 400 g tin of Ardmona chopped tomatoes
- 100 g tomato paste
Gravy:-
- 200 g brown onions - peeled, halved
- 125 g butter
- 1 stick cinnamon
- 3 cloves
- 5 cardamom pods - bruised
- 1 star anise
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garam masala - pepper free
Instructions
- Add nuts to mixer bowl, mill 10 sec/speed 9/MC on. Set aside.
- Without washing the bowl, (change to blunt blades for bellini and use speed 1 instead of reverse) add marinade ingredients to mixer bowl. Blend for 2 sec/speed 9/MC on. Scrape bowl down and repeat 3 times.
- Add the chicken and stir through marinade for 10 sec/speed 2/reverse/MC on. Scrape mixer bowl out completely, set aside in a separate bowl to allow chicken to marinate.
- Without washing the bowl, add tomato paste ingredients to mixer bowl. Blend 1 min/speed 8/MC on. Set tomato paste aside in a separate bowl again.
- Without washing the bowl, add onions to mixer bowl and chop 5 sec/speed 5/MC on. Scrape bowl down.
- Add 60 g or 2.1 oz butter to mixer bowl, cook 10 min/100°C or 212°F/speed 2/butterfly/MC on.
- Add remaining butter (65 g or 2.3 oz), cinnamon, whole cloves, cardamom, star anise, cumin and paprika to mixer bowl.
- Cook 5 min/100°C or 212°F/slowest speed/reverse/butterfly/MC on.
- Add reserved tomato paste mixture, garam masala and 2 tsp salt to mixer bowl. Cook for 4 min/steaming temperature/slowest speed/reverse/butterfly/MC on.
- Add reserved marinated chicken mixture to mixer bowl. Cook for 12 min/100°C or 212°F/slowest speed/reverse/butterfly/MC on.
- Add reserved nut meal, cream and honey to mixer bowl. Cook for 4 min/100°C or 212°F/slowest speed/reverse/butterfly/MC on. While cooking, use your spatula to stir the curry occasionally.
- Pour curry into an insulated server, remove whole spices, stir through chopped coriander and let it sit covered for 10 min.
Notes
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Butter Chicken Recipe Questions
Can I use Ground Spices?
- 1 tsp ground ginger powder
- 2 pinches of cardamon powder or 1 tsp cardamon seeds
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon powder
- a pinch of the clove
How can I remove the spices easily?
- As you are slowly pouring the Butter Chicken into the thermal server – using a silicone spatula you can usually find a few easy spices, then use it to look for the rest prior to adding the coriander.
Can I add more Chicken?
- The Butter Chicken recipe makes a lot of sauce, but the chicken is at maximum weight capacity. If you need to make more we recommend cooking on the stovetop or slow cooker (see Slow Cooker Tips below). Some Skinnies like to freeze the extra sauce for a quick meal or use it for butter chicken pizza or even Butter Chicken Kievs!
Why is there Food Colouring in the recipe?
- The food colouring can be left out for those who don’t like to use it, BUT a little secret…this is how the Indian take-away shops get their butter chicken to look that vibrant (unnatural) red colour! (You can find proper tandoori colouring at Indian grocers/supermarkets)
What is the Super Skinny version of the Butter Chicken?
- When doing the Changing Habits 4 Phase HCG Protocol, I developed a no fat version Super Skinny Butter Chicken. It isn’t a real butter chicken, but satisfies your cravings when on a very low calorie, low fat diet.
Butter Chicken Recipe FAQ Page
- If you still have questions we have a Butter Chicken FAQ page or you are welcome to ask in the Skinnymixers Facebook Community of over 170,000 Skinnies.
