Easy 15-Minute Butter Chicken

If you’ve ever craved butter chicken but didn’t want to marinate anything or simmer a sauce for ages, this 15-minute version is the weeknight shortcut I’d actually make again. It uses bite-size chicken, garlic, ginger, tomato paste, tomato sauce, warm spices, butter, and cream for a rich, cozy skillet dinner that still comes together fast.

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This butter chicken gets its flavor fast by blooming tomato paste, garlic, ginger, and spices right in the butter before the sauce comes together. That quick step gives the sauce more depth without adding a long simmer.

A little cream at the end makes it smooth and ready for rice or naan.

Helpful Tips & Variations

• Cut the chicken small. Bite-size pieces cook quickly and help this stay a true 15-minute dinner.
• Use chicken thighs for extra flavor. They stay juicier than breasts and are more forgiving.
• Bloom the spices. Stirring the tomato paste, garlic, ginger, and spices in the butter for a minute gives the sauce much better flavor.
• Use cream, not Greek yogurt. Cream gives the sauce a smoother, richer finish and is less likely to split.
• Add kasuri methi if you have it. It gives the sauce that classic butter chicken aroma.
• Adjust the sauce. Add a splash of water if it gets too thick, or simmer one extra minute if it feels too loose.
• Make it spicy. Add cayenne, chili flakes, or Kashmiri chili powder.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon neutral oil
• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs or chicken breast, cut into small bite-size pieces
• 1 teaspoon salt, divided
• 3 cloves garlic, finely minced or grated
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, finely minced or grated
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• ½ cup tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes
• ½ cup heavy cream
• ¼ cup water, plus more as needed
• 2 teaspoons garam masala
• 1 teaspoon paprika, preferably Kashmiri chili powder if you have it
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon sugar or honey
• 1 tablespoon butter, extra, to finish
• ½ teaspoon kasuri methi, optional but highly recommended
• Chopped cilantro, for garnish
• Cooked rice or naan, to serve

How to Make Easy 15-Minute Butter Chicken

1. Cook the chicken. Heat 2 tablespoons butter and the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and ½ teaspoon salt. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is golden on the outside and mostly cooked through.
2. Bloom the flavor. Lower the heat to medium. Add the garlic, ginger, tomato paste, garam masala, paprika, cumin, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Stir for 45 to 60 seconds, until the tomato paste darkens slightly and the spices smell really good. This step matters A LOT.
3. Make it saucy. Add the tomato sauce, cream, water, and sugar or honey. Stir well and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce turns creamy and glossy.
4. Finish it properly. Stir in the final 1 tablespoon butter and the kasuri methi, if using. Add another splash of water if the sauce gets too thick. Taste and adjust salt. Serve hot with rice or naan and cilantro.

Storage Tips

• Refrigerate leftovers: Store any leftover butter chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The flavors get even better by day two.
• Reheat gently: Warm on the stovetop over low heat or microwave in short bursts, stirring in between. Add a splash of water or cream if the sauce thickens too much.
• Freeze if needed: Cream sauces can change slightly after freezing, but this can be frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight and reheat gently.
• Rice tip: Store rice separately to keep it from getting mushy. Reheat with a splash of water to fluff it back up.

And that’s dinner! This 15-minute butter chicken it’s quick and has the kind of buttery, spiced tomato sauce you actually want to scoop up with warm naan. Make it once on a busy night and I have a feeling it’ll earn a spot in your regular dinner rotation. Around here, that usually means someone is already asking when we’re making it again before the pan even hits the sink.

Easy 15-Minute Butter Chicken

This shortcut butter chicken is creamy, flavorful, and done in just 15 minutes! No marinating, no complicated steps, just a simple yogurt and tomato paste base that delivers rich flavor fast. Serve with rice or naan for an EASY and comforting dinner.

Print Recipe

PREP: 5 minutes mins

COOK: 10 minutes mins

TOTAL: 15 minutes mins

Servings: 4

Course: Dinner

Ingredients

  

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon neutral oil
• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs or chicken breast cut into small bite-size pieces
• 1 teaspoon salt divided
• 3 cloves garlic finely minced or grated
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger finely minced or grated
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• ½ cup tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes
• ½ cup heavy cream
• ¼ cup water plus more as needed
• 2 teaspoons garam masala
• 1 teaspoon paprika preferably Kashmiri chili powder if you have it
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon sugar or honey
• 1 tablespoon butter extra, to finish
• ½ teaspoon kasuri methi optional but highly recommended
• Chopped cilantro for garnish
• Cooked rice or naan to serve

Instructions

 

1. Heat 2 tablespoons butter and oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and ½ teaspoon salt. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden and mostly cooked through.
2. Lower heat to medium. Add garlic, ginger, tomato paste, garam masala, paprika, cumin, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Stir for 45 to 60 seconds, until fragrant.
3. Add tomato sauce, cream, water, and sugar or honey. Stir well and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is creamy.
4. Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and kasuri methi, if using. Add a splash of water if the sauce is too thick. Taste and adjust salt.
5. Serve hot over rice or with naan. Garnish with chopped cilantro.

Notes

• Use chicken thighs for the juiciest result.
• Cut the chicken small so it cooks quickly.
• Kasuri methi is optional, but adds great butter chicken flavor.
• Add a splash of water if the sauce gets too thick.
• For dairy-free, use oil instead of butter and coconut cream instead of heavy cream.

Did you make this? Leave a rating below!

Tried it? Leave a comment below, we’d LOVE to hear if you made it spicy, served it with naan, or turned it into lunch the next day.

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