Delhi butter chicken — murgh makhani — is the most exported Indian dish on earth. It was created at Moti Mahal restaurant in Old Delhi in the 1950s, originally as a way to use leftover tandoori chicken by simmering it in a spiced butter and tomato gravy. The original recipe was built on butter and ghee. Modern restaurant versions frequently use cream and neutral oil. This recipe returns to the foundation.
The Ghee Difference
The base sauce for butter chicken is built on a ghee tadka — cumin seeds, cardamom, and bay leaf bloomed in clarified butter until fragrant. The aromatic compounds in these spices are fat-soluble, not water-soluble. Blooming them in ghee extracts the full flavour profile in a way that water-based cooking cannot. The result is a sauce with significantly more depth than the pale, cream-heavy versions that have become ubiquitous in Western Indian restaurants.
Serves 4 · Prep 20 min · Cook 45 min
Ingredients
- 800g chicken thighs, cut into large pieces
- 3 tbsp ghee
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2cm ginger, grated
- 400g tomatoes, blended
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 cardamom pods
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 2 tbsp butter
- 100ml cream
- Salt to taste
- Fresh coriander to serve
Method
- Marinate chicken in yoghurt, garam masala, salt, and lemon juice for at least 1 hour. Sear in a hot pan until charred at the edges. Set aside.
- Heat ghee in a heavy pan. Add cumin seeds, cardamom, and bay leaf. Cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add onion and cook until deeply golden, 12-15 minutes. Add garlic and ginger, cook 2 minutes.
- Add blended tomatoes, paprika, and coriander. Cook down 15 minutes until thick and the oil separates.
- Add the seared chicken and enough water to cover. Simmer 15 minutes.
- Remove from heat. Stir in butter and cream. Taste for seasoning.
- Serve with basmati rice and garnish with fresh coriander.
The Makhani Sauce
Makhani means 'with butter' in Hindi. The defining characteristic of an authentic makhani sauce is the separation of oil during the tomato reduction — when you see the ghee or butter pooling on the surface of the sauce after the tomatoes have cooked down, the sauce is ready for the next stage. This is the point at which the base flavour is fully developed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Thighs are strongly preferred — they stay tender through the long simmer. Breast meat can work but should be added later in the cooking process to avoid drying out.
Reduce the cream to 50ml and finish with a tablespoon of cold butter instead. The sauce will be slightly less silky but the flavour will be cleaner.
Yes — the sauce improves overnight as the spices continue to develop. Reheat gently and add a splash of water if the sauce has thickened too much.
Related guides: Vegetable Oil Substitute Guide · Ghee Deviled Eggs
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Also see: 10 Seed Oil Free Chicken Recipes
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