Can I freeze butter chicken?

You can store curry in a freezer container for up to 3 months and thaw it overnight in the refrigerator when you want to use it. Cook naan when you're ready to eat.

How should I reheat the curry?

Warm the curry gently in a saucepan over low heat. Water or milk may need to be added to the curry if it has thickened in the fridge. Warming the curry over low heat will help prevent separation of the cream sauce.

What's the best way to reheat naan?

Warm naan in an empty cast-iron pan for 30 to 60 seconds per side over medium heat. Naan should be soft and puffy.

Can I use chicken thighs?

Boneless, skinless chicken thighs can be substituted for boneless, skinless chicken breasts. They are less likely to fall apart when cooked in the tomato-cream sauce.

Why did my cream sauce split?

Cold heavy cream stirred into a hot, tomato-based sauce will separate. Stir cold butter and cream into a heated tomato sauce over low heat. Hot acidic sauces added to cold cream or other dairy products can also cause separation. Let tomato sauce cool somewhat before adding cold cream or other dairy products.

How do I get the orange-red color?

Kashmiri chili powder mixed with crushed tomatoes will provide some color and mild red flavor. Other chili powders will be too hot to mix with crushed tomatoes and won't provide the same color.

Creamy Butter Chicken with Blistered Naan

By Liam CarterOct 30, 2026

Prep

15 min

Cook

25 min

Total

40 min

Servings

Level

Medium

Jump to recipe

For a dinner recipe serving four, cook butter chicken in one pan and naan immediately before serving. Butter chicken is a curry dish made with chicken pieces in a tomato-cream sauce. Kashmiri chili powder provides an orange-red color for butter chicken without much heat.

Creamy Butter Chicken with Blistered Naan

I suggest cooking over high heat in a large, heavy pan to sear and simmer the chicken. This approach will help maintain its temperature when you add the chicken. Cut the chicken into uniform, bite-sized pieces with some space between them in the pan to promote browning; the chicken will otherwise cook by steaming instead of browning.

Cook the onion until it breaks down, then add the garlic and ginger. Cook the tomato sauce for 10 minutes or until thickened, stirring to mix the browned bits on the bottom of the pan into the sauce. I don't recommend using Kashmiri chili powder as a substitute for chili powder in this recipe.

Lower the heat before adding butter and cream. Cook chicken in the curry sauce and blister naan in a skillet. I serve curry in a white bowl with a swirled topping of cream and cilantro and serve sliced naan around the rim of the bowl (I like the look of the swirled topping on a white background).

What makes this special

One skillet is required to cook curry. Naan can be quickly cooked in a dry cast-iron skillet.
Four servings provide alternative dinner choices if you need to prepare several dinners.
The spices and tomato base are cooked before adding cream. This produces a thick sauce.
The chicken and tomato sauce improve in taste when refrigerated overnight.
Each serving can be served with blistered naan or rice dishes, such as steamed basmati rice or coconut and pineapple rice.
The chicken is browned and then simmered in the sauce until cooked through.

Instructions

Combine the yogurt, lemon juice, turmeric, 1 tsp garam masala, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the chicken and coat it well. Marinate at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes.

Heat the cooking oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the chicken in a single layer and sear for about 5 to 6 minutes, until the edges have a deep golden-brown crust. Remove the chicken and set it aside.

Lower the skillet heat to medium and melt 1 tbsp of the butter. Add the onion and cook until translucent and sweet. Stir in the garlic and ginger and cook for 60 seconds.

Add the remaining garam masala, cumin, and Kashmiri chili powder. Stir constantly for 30 seconds, then add the crushed tomatoes and scrape up the browned bits. Simmer for 10 minutes, until the tomatoes reduce into a thick orange-red paste.

Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the remaining 2 tbsp butter and 3/4 cup heavy cream. Return the chicken to the skillet and simmer gently for 5 to 7 minutes, until fully cooked.

Heat a dry cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat while the chicken simmers. Lightly brush each naan with water or a tiny bit of oil, then cook for 1 to 2 minutes per side until dark blistered spots appear.

Ladle the hot curry into white ceramic bowls. Pour the reserved 2 tbsp heavy cream in a circular swirl over each serving, scatter with cilantro, and rest a piece of blistered naan on the bowl edge.

FAQ

Leftover butter chicken can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

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Dinner Chicken Indian Meal Prep Stovetop

Creamy Butter Chicken with Blistered Naan

Name: Creamy Butter Chicken with Blistered Naan
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cut into uniform, bite-sized chunks); 1/2 cup plain yogurt; 1 tbsp lemon juice; 2 tbsp cooking oil (for searing); 3 tbsp unsalted butter (divided); 1 medium yellow onion (finely diced); 1 tbsp minced garlic; 1 tbsp fresh ginger (grated); 14 oz crushed tomatoes; 1 tbsp garam masala (divided between the marinade and sauce); 1 tsp Kashmiri chili powder; 1 tsp turmeric; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1/2 tsp salt (for the marinade); 3/4 cup heavy cream (plus 2 tbsp for the decorative swirl); 1/4 cup fresh green cilantro (finely chopped, for garnish); 4 pieces naan bread (for blistering and serving); water (optional, for lightly brushing the naan)

By Liam CarterOct 30, 2026

Prep

15 min

Cook

25 min

Total

40 min

Servings

Level

Medium

Jump to recipe

What makes this special

One skillet is required to cook curry. Naan can be quickly cooked in a dry cast-iron skillet.
Four servings provide alternative dinner choices if you need to prepare several dinners.
The spices and tomato base are cooked before adding cream. This produces a thick sauce.
The chicken and tomato sauce improve in taste when refrigerated overnight.
Each serving can be served with blistered naan or rice dishes, such as steamed basmati rice or coconut and pineapple rice.
The chicken is browned and then simmered in the sauce until cooked through.

Ingredients

Servings4

•1 ½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cut into uniform, bite-sized chunks)
•½ cup plain yogurt
•1 tbsp lemon juice
•2 tbsp cooking oil (for searing)
•3 tbsp unsalted butter (divided)
•1 medium yellow onion (finely diced)
•1 tbsp minced garlic
•1 tbsp fresh ginger (grated)
•14 oz crushed tomatoes
•1 tbsp garam masala (divided between the marinade and sauce)
•1 tsp Kashmiri chili powder
•1 tsp turmeric
•1 tsp ground cumin
•½ tsp salt (for the marinade)
•¾ cup heavy cream (plus 2 tbsp for the decorative swirl)
•¼ cup fresh green cilantro (finely chopped, for garnish)
•4 pieces naan bread (for blistering and serving)
•water (optional, for lightly brushing the naan)

Instructions

1
Combine the yogurt, lemon juice, turmeric, 1 tsp garam masala, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the chicken and coat it well. Marinate at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes.
2
Heat the cooking oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the chicken in a single layer and sear for about 5 to 6 minutes, until the edges have a deep golden-brown crust. Remove the chicken and set it aside.
3
Lower the skillet heat to medium and melt 1 tbsp of the butter. Add the onion and cook until translucent and sweet. Stir in the garlic and ginger and cook for 60 seconds.
4
Add the remaining garam masala, cumin, and Kashmiri chili powder. Stir constantly for 30 seconds, then add the crushed tomatoes and scrape up the browned bits. Simmer for 10 minutes, until the tomatoes reduce into a thick orange-red paste.
5
Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the remaining 2 tbsp butter and 3/4 cup heavy cream. Return the chicken to the skillet and simmer gently for 5 to 7 minutes, until fully cooked.
6
Heat a dry cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat while the chicken simmers. Lightly brush each naan with water or a tiny bit of oil, then cook for 1 to 2 minutes per side until dark blistered spots appear.
7
Ladle the hot curry into white ceramic bowls. Pour the reserved 2 tbsp heavy cream in a circular swirl over each serving, scatter with cilantro, and rest a piece of blistered naan on the bowl edge.