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Butter chicken over white rice on plate.
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4.86 from 54 votes

Indian Butter Chicken (Sous Vide or Oven)

This not-quite-authentic Indian butter chicken stars a rich, creamy tomato sauce with onions, garlic, cream, and butter. Cook the chicken sous vide, grilled, baked, or even with rotisserie chicken. Scrumptious!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Servings (change as needed): 4
Author: Cheryl Avrich
US Measures - Metric

Ingredients

Total time will depend on the method you choose for cooking the chicken

  • 1 1/4 pound chicken breasts, boneless skinless, Note 1
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil (or vegetable oil)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt + 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 teaspoon curry powder

Sauce

  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1 large onion, minced (or pulse until very fine in processor; drain liquid if needed)
  • 1 tablespoon garlic, minced (3 garlic cloves)
  • 1 3/4 cup tomato sauce (15 oz) (or Marinara sauce)
  • 1 cup heavy cream or light cream (I use 10% cream)
  • 3 cups fresh baby spinach, roughly chopped (optional)

Seasonings for Sauce

  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper or more to taste
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • 1 tablespoon Tandoori Masala (or curry powder)
  • Garnish: chopped parsley or cilantro
US Measures - Metric

Instructions

  • SOUS VIDE CHICKEN: Mix together olive oil, salt, pepper and curry powder. Rub mixture over chicken breasts. To cook Sous vide: Heat water in sous vide machine to 145F (63C). Vacuum seal the chicken breasts. Or place in a ziploc bag, submerge into water until just the top edge of bag is above water, then seal the bag. Cook sous vide for 1 1/2 hours (maximum 4 hours). See Note 2 to bake, grill or use a shortcut.
  • MAKE SAUCE: While chicken is cooking, melt butter in large pan on medium heat. Add onions and garlic and cook 5-7 minutes until onions are soft. Add tomato sauce, cream and seasonings for sauce. Mix to combine. Lower heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Note 3 for smooth, silky sauce.
  • FINISH DISH: Stir chicken into sauce and add fresh spinach if using. Cook 1 minute or until heated through. Taste and adjust seasonings. Garnish with chopped parsley or cilantro if desired. Serve over hot white rice like basmati or jasmine rice with Naan bread for dipping.

Notes

  1. Chicken options: Boneless chicken thighs will also work well (sous vide at 160F/71C for 2-4 hours). 
  2. Cooking options for chicken breast: Cooking time will be much shorter with grilling or baking (although it's hard to beat sous vide chicken for tenderness and juiciness). 
    • Bake: Preheat oven to 400F (204C). Bake chicken for 10-15 minutes or until an instant thermometer reads 160F. For boneless thighs, bake 20-25 minutes, depending on thickness.
    • Grill: Heat grill to medium high. Grill for 3-5 minutes per side depending on thickness.
    • Shortcut: Buy a cooked rotisserie chicken, remove from bones and cut into bite size pieces. 
  3. For a smooth, silky sauce: blend the sauce with a handheld immersion blender before adding the cream or strain the minced onion from the sauce before adding the chicken. Alternatively, boil the onion in water until soft, then purée in a blender or processor. I don't bother with these as the taste is not affected, just the texture and granier look.
  4. Substitutes
    • For a dairy-free version: Instead of cream, use 1/2-1 cup full-fat coconut milk - and margarine or another butter substitute.
    • For a vegetarian version, try plant-based chicken, vegetables or tofu
    • For tandoori masala - replace with curry powder
    • To make 1 teaspoon of garam masala, combine: 1/4 teaspoon cumin, 1/4 teaspoon paprika, 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1/8 teaspoon crumbled bay leaves.
    • Substitute Tandoori or Garam Masala with curry powder.
  5. Variations
    • Seasonings:
      • Add a 1/2 tablespoon of fresh grated ginger while cooking the onions (several recipes used ginger)
      • Add a tablespoon of brown sugar for a bit of sweetness.
      • Increase the cayenne pepper or add red pepper flakes if you like more heat
  6. Make Ahead 
    • Sous vide: The chicken can stay in the sous vide bath for up to 4 hours without overcooking. You can also plunge the sealed bag with the chicken into ice water to cool it down, then keep it in the fridge for a couple of days. 
    • Both the sauce and chicken (or the full dish) can be made ahead then gently warmed on the stove before serving.
    • Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days.
    • You can also freeze it for up to 2 months.
 
Nutrition values are estimates. 
Calories: 402kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 136mg | Sodium: 1137mg | Potassium: 1124mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 3201IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 119mg | Iron: 2mg