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White plate with rice and butter chicken with bowl of butter chicken in the background and garlic naan.

Easy New Zealand Style Butter Chicken


  • Author: Kate Alexandra
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
  • Diet: Gluten Free

Description

This super easy, New Zealand style butter chicken recipe takes just 15 minutes to make and is so delicious. It uses store cupboard staples – including a secret, very Kiwi ingredient you may be surprised to see!

I love serving this butter chicken with steamed white rice and garlic naan for a proper takeaway experience. Get everything ready for the curry while your rice is cooking, then cook the butter chicken once it’s ready – it only takes 10 minutes!


Ingredients

Units Scale

For the butter chicken –

  • 1lb/500g chicken thighs, cut into 2cm pieces
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1 cup cream (use single or double cream, or your favourite dairy-free alternative)
  • 6 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon tomato sauce (ketchup)
  • 1 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

For the rice –

  • 1 cup long grain, white rice
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  1. Make the rice. Add 1 cup of rice to a small pot along with 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 1/2 cups of water. Set the pot over medium heat. Once the top of the water is looking a little foamy and starting to bubble, turn the heat to low and put the lid on your pot. If your pot doesn’t have a lid, use a wooden board or a plate. Leave it there with the lid on, undisturbed, for 12 minutes. After 12 minutes, turn the heat off and remove the pan from the stovetop. Let it sit for another 10 minutes, then fluff up the rice with a fork and get ready to serve.
  2. Mix the chicken and spices. In a large bowl, toss the sliced chicken thighs with a teaspoon each of nutmeg, turmeric, cumin, garam masala and ½ teaspoon of salt so the pieces are coated evenly.
  3. Cook the chicken. Set a large frying pan over medium heat, then add the butter and let it melt. Add the chicken to the pan and cook for a couple of minutes on each side, until the chicken is starting to brown. Add the crushed garlic cloves. Cook, stirring through the chicken, for another minute.
  4. Add the tomato paste and tomato sauce. At this point, add the 6 tablespoons of tomato paste and 1 tablespoon of tomato sauce, and stir them through the chicken for a few minutes to intensify the flavour.
  5. Add the cream, simmer and serve. Turn the heat to low, then add the cream, and stir it through the chicken. PRO TIP: If you do this when the pan is too hot, the cream may split, so that’s why we’re reducing the temperature first. Bring the sauce to a simmer, then cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Give it a taste, and add more salt if you think it needs it. Remove the pan from the heat, and serve with the rice and garlic naan for a proper Indian takeaway experience!

Notes

INGREDIENT NOTES: I like using chicken thighs because I find them juicier than chicken breasts, but you can use breasts if you like.

STORAGE INSTRUCTIONS: The butter chicken will keep well for 4 days in an airtight container in the fridge (and will actually get even better as the flavours continue to develop!). Reheat it on the stove over low heat – add a little water if the sauce looks too thick but keep in mind that it will loosen up as it heats – or in the microwave at 1-minute intervals, stirring as you go. It also freezes really well. I like either storing it in a zip lock bag (I find this fits in my small freezer a lot easier) or an airtight container. Just defrost in the microwave or on the stovetop when you’re ready.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS: Serve with store-bought naan or why not give my easy, soft garlic flatbreads, 2-ingredient dough cheese naan or garlic naan a go? They’re all super easy and make a fab addition to the curry.

SHOP THE INGREDIENTS ON CHERRYPICK: You can easily shop all the ingredients you need for this butter chicken through Cherrypick, a wonderful all-in-one meal planning app. Just add the ingredients to your shopping cart and then Sainsbury’s will deliver them straight to your door.

  • Prep Time: 5
  • Cook Time: 15
  • Category: fakeaways
  • Method: stove top
  • Cuisine: indian

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 bowl
  • Calories: 550
  • Sugar: 5g
  • Sodium: 1062.2mg
  • Fat: 26.9g
  • Saturated Fat: 14.9g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 9.9g
  • Trans Fat: 0.4g
  • Carbohydrates: 45.2g
  • Fiber: 2g
  • Protein: 30.2g
  • Cholesterol: 178.3mg

Keywords: butter chicken, chicken curry, easy chicken curry