No.11 The 100 Most Popular Recipes Ever · October 2026

Butter chicken

Made famous by Kundan Lal Gujral (Moti Mahal, Delhi)

Photo: Luca Nebuloni, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

From created at Moti Mahal in Delhi after 1947; this home version follows the method Nagi Maehashi made famous on RecipeTin Eats. RecipeTin Eats is No. 1 on the Hot 100.

Murgh makhani is the most searched Indian dish in the world, and RecipeTin Eats' version is one of the most made recipes online.

Written in our own words and tested in a home kitchen. Get the original in RecipeTin Eats: Dinner.

Ingredients

• For the chicken: 1 1/2 lb (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1/2 cup (120 g) plain whole-milk yogurt
• 1 1/2 tsp finely grated garlic and 1 tsp finely grated ginger
• 2 tsp garam masala, 1 tsp ground turmeric, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp Kashmiri chile powder
• 1 tsp fine salt
• 1 tbsp neutral oil
• For the sauce: 3 tbsp (42 g) unsalted butter, divided
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 tsp finely grated garlic and 1 tsp finely grated ginger
• 1 1/2 tsp garam masala, 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp ground coriander, 1 tsp Kashmiri chile powder
• 1 1/2 cups (370 g) tomato passata (strained tomatoes)
• 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp fine salt
• 1 tbsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi)
• Cilantro, rice and naan, to serve

Steps

1. Mix the chicken with the yogurt, garlic, ginger, spices and salt. Cover and refrigerate 3 hours or overnight.
2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer (in two batches if needed) and cook 2 to 3 minutes a side until browned in spots but not cooked through. Set aside on a plate.
3. Lower the heat to medium and add 2 tablespoons butter. Cook the onion until soft and golden, 5 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and stir 1 minute.
4. Add the spices and stir 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the passata, cream, sugar and salt and bring to a simmer, stirring. Simmer 5 minutes until slightly thickened.
5. For a silky sauce, blend it smooth. Return to the pan, add the chicken and any juices, and simmer 8 to 10 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce coats a spoon.
6. Crush the fenugreek between your palms over the pan, stir in the last tablespoon of butter, and taste for salt. Serve with cilantro, basmati rice and naan.

Chef's tips

• Kasuri methi is the taste people can't place in restaurant butter chicken; find it at any Indian grocer.
• Make it a day ahead; the sauce deepens overnight.

This is Chef Amazing's write-up of the dish, tested for a home kitchen. The original is in RecipeTin Eats: Dinner by Nagi Maehashi: get the book, No. 100 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks.

← No. 10Chicken tikka masala→ No. 12Pad Thai