15-Minute Butter Chicken Meal Prep

The first time I had butter chicken I was in Washington, DC at my friend’s parents’ house. I was thrown off a bit by the name because I imagined chicken covered in butter which doesn’t sound too bad.

But I soon learned that it was better than I could have ever imagined. And it introduced me to a new ingredient, ghee, which is most likely where the “butter” name comes from. This “Indian butter” is clarified butter that originated on the Indian sub-continent with a high smoke point. This makes it very suitable for frying and other cooking applications that would usually burn non-clarified butter.

I found that cooking traditional Indian butter chicken at home doesn’t have to be hard, as long as you have the right spice mix. While you can purchase ginger garlic paste, making your own from fresh ginger and garlic will bring out the flavor. While my recipe uses coconut cream, you can also use Greek yogurt or heavy cream to give it that full, creamy texture. If you don’t have crushed tomatoes, you can use a can of tomato paste as a close substitute.

While this homemade butter chicken recipe is cooked fast over the stove, it also works well in the slow cooker or instant pot. My original recipe calls for chicken breast, but skinless chicken thighs work well too. The chicken pieces will be tender and juicy, swimming in a tasty curry sauce, perfect over rice and naan. Along with chicken tikka masala, this is one of my favorite exotic recipes to make for weeknight dinners. Since it also freezes well, making and packing individual portions means meal prep has never been so easy.

The traditional recipe is pretty calorie dense, and is anything but a healthy chicken recipe, so while it may be worth every bite, it won’t (necessarily) push you closer to your wellness goals. While it is often paired with basmati rice or naan bread, you can forego them if you’re cutting out carbs and want to keep your calorie count lower. Mix some plain yogurt with lime or lemon juice, cucumber, and cilantro, and you’ll have a delicious side for this healthy version of Indian comfort food. Here’s my calorie-conscious version that takes about 15 minutes from start to finish. If you tried this butter chicken recipe, please leave a comment below. We love to hear what our readers have to say about our recipes!