Martha Stewart butter chicken is yogurt-marinated chicken thighs broiled until charred, then simmered in a creamy tomato sauce built on ghee, garam masala, and toasted cumin, with about 1 hour of hands-on cooking time.

The butter chicken page on marthastewart.com is her approach to classic murgh makhani, and the broiler step is what separates it from most stovetop-only takes. She splits the work into a spiced yogurt marinade that tenderizes for at least 4 hours and a ghee-based cream sauce that comes together in one skillet.

The broiler does the real work here. Charring the yogurt-coated chicken before it touches the sauce creates smoky caramelized edges that simmering alone never produces, and skipping it means pale, steamed-tasting chicken floating in an otherwise rich, deeply spiced sauce.

Martha Stewart Butter Chicken

Recipe by medshi8Course: Chicken, DinnerCuisine: American, IndianDifficulty: Easy

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Calories

550

kcal

Total time

hour

Tender chicken thighs soak in a garam masala yogurt bath, then get blistered under high heat for smoky edges before finishing in a velvety, ghee-laced cream sauce with onions, tomato paste, and cumin. Serve it over basmati rice with warm naan.

Ingredients

2 lb (900g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1 to 2 inch pieces
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, from 1 lemon
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 cups (360ml) plain yogurt (not Greek)
1 teaspoon grated garlic, from 1 clove
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger, from a peeled 2 inch piece
2 teaspoons garam masala
Sauce
1 1/4 cups (300ml) heavy cream
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 serrano chile, finely chopped, about 1 tablespoon
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, from 1/2 lemon
1 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted and ground, or 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon kosher salt
4 oz (115g) ghee (1/2 cup), or 1 stick unsalted butter
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced, about 2 cups (260g)
1/4 cup (65g) tomato paste
For Serving
Naan
Cooked basmati rice
Fresh cilantro sprigs

Directions

Marinate the chicken. Toss the chicken pieces with the lemon juice and 1 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Stir in the yogurt, garlic, ginger, and garam masala until every piece is coated. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours, or up to 1 day.
Preheat and drain. Position a rack 6 inches from the broiler and preheat. Transfer the chicken to a colander set over the sink, shaking off excess yogurt without rinsing. Spread the pieces in a single layer on a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet.
Broil the chicken. Broil, turning once halfway through with a metal spatula, until cooked through and charred in spots, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.
Mix the cream base. Whisk together the heavy cream, garam masala, serrano chile, lemon juice, ground cumin, and 1 teaspoon salt in a 2 cup measuring cup or medium bowl. Set aside.
Cook the onion base. Melt the ghee in a large straight-sided skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion with a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and golden, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook until it darkens, about 1 minute.
Build and finish the sauce. Pour in the cream mixture and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium and stir until the sauce thickens and turns glossy, about 5 minutes. Add the broiled chicken and cook until heated through, about 1 minute more.
Serve immediately with warm naan, basmati rice, and fresh cilantro.

Notes

The chicken grows more tender and flavorful the longer it sits in the marinade. If time allows, start the marinade the night before cooking.

FAQs

Why broil the chicken instead of simmering it in the sauce?

Broiling chars the yogurt coating on the surface of each piece, and those blackened edges carry a smoky flavor into the cream sauce that gentle simmering never builds. Most butter chicken recipes cook the raw chicken directly in the liquid and miss this layer entirely.

Without the broiler, the chicken essentially steams inside the sauce. It cooks through, but stays pale, and you lose the contrast between caramelized exterior and tender interior that defines this version.

Why does this recipe call for plain yogurt instead of Greek?

Plain regular yogurt has a thinner consistency, so it coats the chicken more evenly and drains away cleanly after marinating. Greek yogurt is too thick and clings in heavy clumps that scorch under the broiler before the meat cooks through.

The lactic acid in the yogurt also tenderizes the meat during the long soak. Thinner yogurt spreads that acid more uniformly across every piece. The same dairy-acid principle drives her buttermilk fried chicken, where buttermilk does the tenderizing before frying.

Can you substitute butter for the ghee in this recipe?

The recipe itself notes that 1 stick of unsalted butter works in place of the 1/2 cup ghee. The swap is nearly equal, so the sauce still comes together, though the finished dish tastes slightly less nutty than with ghee.

Ghee has a higher smoke point because the milk solids have been removed, which matters when you brown the onions over medium-high heat. Regular butter can darken fast at that temperature, so lower the heat slightly and stir more often during the onion step.

Why toast and grind whole cumin seeds instead of using pre-ground?

Toasting cumin seeds in a dry pan releases oils locked inside the husk, and those oils carry a warmer, more aromatic flavor than ground cumin from a jar. The difference is easy to taste in a cream-based sauce where every spice note sits front and center.

If whole seeds are unavailable, her recipe allows 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin as the substitute. The amount drops because ground cumin is more concentrated, and the same full teaspoon would tip the sauce into bitterness.

How long does butter chicken keep in the fridge?

Butter chicken stores well for up to 3 days in a sealed container in the fridge. The cream sauce thickens overnight, so stir in a splash of water or broth when reheating over medium-low heat until it loosens.

It also freezes for up to 2 months without the rice and naan. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently in a covered skillet. For a side that reheats just as well alongside it, her scalloped potatoes hold up for the same 3 days.