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–+ servings
Butter chicken served over rice with creamy sauce and cilantro, homemade style

Butter Chicken Rice Recipe

A creamy, spiced butter chicken served over fluffy basmati rice — an easy, restaurant-quality dish ready in about 30 minutes, perfect for busy weeknights or casual entertaining.
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Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Indian, Indian-Inspired
Keyword: Best butter chicken rice recipe, Butter chicken recipe, Creamy butter chicken recipe, Old fashioned butter chicken rice recipe, Simple butter chicken rice recipe
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Inactive Time (for marinating): 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 580kcal
Cost: $15

Equipment

  • 1 Large skillet or Dutch oven
  • 1 Blender (optional, for smooth sauce)
  • 1 Rice cooker or saucepan
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • 1 Sharp knife
  • 1 Cutting board

Ingredients

For Chicken Marinade:

  • 1½ pounds Boneless skinless chicken thighs Cut into bite-sized pieces
  • ½ cup Plain yogurt Helps tenderize
  • 2 tablespoons Lemon juice Freshly squeezed
  • 3 cloves Garlic Minced
  • 1 tablespoon Ginger Grated
  • 1 teaspoon Garam masala
  • 1 teaspoon Ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon Ground turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon Salt

For Sauce and Rice:

  • 3 tablespoons Butter Divided
  • 1 large Onion Finely diced
  • 4 cloves Garlic Minced
  • 1 tablespoon Ginger Grated
  • 1-2 Green chilies Finely chopped, optional
  • 2 teaspoons Garam masala
  • 1 teaspoon Ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon Ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon Paprika
  • 14 oz Tomato sauce Canned
  • 1 cup Heavy cream
  • 1½ cups Basmati rice Rinsed and drained
  • 2¾ cups Chicken broth
  • To taste Salt and pepper
  • Handful Fresh cilantro For garnish

Instructions

  • Mix marinade ingredients and coat chicken. Let marinate for at least 30 minutes.
  • Sauté onions in butter until soft. Add garlic, ginger, chilies, and spices.
  • Add marinated chicken and cook until no longer pink.
  • Pour in tomato sauce, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.
  • Stir in heavy cream and let sauce thicken for 5 minutes.
  • Rinse rice, cook with butter and broth until fluffy.
  • Serve butter chicken over rice and garnish with cilantro.

Notes

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Nutrition

Serving: 350g | Calories: 580kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 145mg | Sodium: 720mg | Potassium: 750mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1200IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 110mg | Iron: 2mg