Priya Auntie's Butter Chicken
Creamy tomato curry with tender chicken. A Delhi family recipe that became an Australian suburban dinner table favorite.
The Story Behind This Recipe
My friend's mother's cooking class recipe from Delhi - Raj Sharma
In Harris Park, Western Sydney, where the Indian community has built a vibrant Little India since the 1980s, my friend's mother - Priya Auntie - runs cooking classes from her home kitchen. Every Saturday, a dozen students crowd around her stove, notebooks in hand, learning to make the dishes that have made her famous in the community. But the recipe everyone begs for, the dish that students say they make again and again for their own families, is her butter chicken - murgh makhani.
Priya Auntie arrived in Sydney from Delhi in 1992, bringing with her a recipe for butter chicken that her own mother had perfected over decades. "In Delhi, butter chicken is everywhere," she explains in her melodic accent. "Every family thinks theirs is best. My mother's was truly best - not too sweet, not too spicy, perfectly balanced, with that silky texture that makes you want to wipe the plate clean with naan."
What makes butter chicken special is its two-stage cooking process. First, chicken is marinated in yogurt and spices, then grilled or baked until charred and smoky. Then it's added to a rich tomato-based sauce enriched with butter and cream. The combination of the smoky chicken and the creamy, slightly sweet, perfectly spiced sauce is magical. "This is not quick food," Priya Auntie warns her students. "You cannot rush butter chicken. The marinade needs time, the sauce needs time, the spices need respect."
For years after arriving in Australia, Priya Auntie only made butter chicken for her family and at Indian community gatherings. But word spread. "Can you teach me to make that chicken curry?" became a constant request. In 2005, she started her Saturday cooking classes, initially just for friends, but soon strangers were calling asking for a spot. Her butter chicken class is always the first to fill up, with a waiting list months long.
The secret, she teaches, is in the details: the yogurt marinade must have time to tenderize the chicken and infuse it with spices. The tomatoes must be cooked down until their raw acidity disappears. The sauce must be blended silky smooth. The butter and cream must be added at the end, off the heat, to create that characteristic richness without splitting. "And kasuri methi - dried fenugreek leaves - this is not optional. This is what makes it taste like Delhi."
Priya Auntie's students are diverse - second-generation Indians wanting to connect with their heritage, Anglo-Australians who love Indian food, young couples trying to impress in-laws. She treats them all the same: with patience, warmth, and high standards. "If you make my butter chicken," she tells each class, "and someone says it's the best they've ever had, then you've honored my mother's recipe. That's all I ask."
This recipe represents the Indian-Australian experience - sharing culture through food, building community through teaching, and proving that the best recipes are those passed down with love and made with respect. When I make Priya Auntie's butter chicken now, following the notes from her class, I hear her voice: "Taste it. Adjust it. Make it yours. But don't skip the kasuri methi!"
"Every recipe tells a story, and every story brings us closer to the heart of home."
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Scaled Ingredients:
💡 Tip: Cooking times may need adjustment when scaling. Larger batches may take longer, smaller batches may cook faster.
Ingredients
For the Marinade
For the Sauce
For Serving
Pro Tips
- • Marinate overnight for maximum tenderness and flavor penetration.
- • Don't skip the charring step - that smoky flavor is essential to authentic butter chicken.
- • Blend the sauce until completely smooth - texture matters!
- • Add cream and butter off the heat to prevent splitting.
- • Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek) is NOT optional - it's what makes it taste like Delhi.
- • Taste and adjust seasoning - every batch of tomatoes has different acidity.
- • For extra richness, add an extra tablespoon of butter at the end.
Storage
Butter chicken improves overnight! Store refrigerated for up to 4 days. The flavors deepen as it sits. Freezes beautifully for up to 3 months.
Instructions
- 1
Marinate the chicken: In a large bowl, combine yogurt, lemon juice, garam masala, cumin, chili powder, salt, minced garlic, and grated ginger. Mix well. Add the chicken chunks and coat thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight. Priya Auntie says overnight marination makes the chicken incredibly tender.
2 hours - 2
When ready to cook, preheat your oven to 220°C (200°C fan-forced) or prepare a grill/BBQ. Thread the marinated chicken onto skewers or place on a lined baking tray. The goal is to get some charring for that smoky flavor.
- 3
Grill or bake the chicken for 15-20 minutes until cooked through and lightly charred in places. You want those dark, caramelized edges - that's the smoky flavor. Don't overcook or it will dry out. Remove and set aside. The chicken doesn't need to be fully cooked as it will finish cooking in the sauce.
20 minutes - 4
Make the sauce: Heat 3 tablespoons of butter in a large, heavy-based pot or deep pan over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook for 8-10 minutes until very soft and starting to turn golden. Don't rush this - soft, sweet onions are the base of great butter chicken.
10 minutes - 5
Add the garlic and ginger to the onions. Cook for 2 minutes until fragrant, stirring constantly so they don't burn. The kitchen should smell incredible right now.
2 minutes - 6
Add all the ground spices - garam masala, coriander, cumin, chili powder, and turmeric. Stir for 1 minute to toast the spices and release their oils. This step is crucial - raw spices taste harsh, toasted spices taste rich and complex.
1 minute - 7
Add the tomato paste and stir for 1 minute. Then add the crushed tomatoes. Stir well to combine everything. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. The sauce will thicken and the raw tomato flavor will mellow into sweetness.
20 minutes - 8
This is Priya Auntie's crucial step: Use a stick blender to blend the sauce until completely smooth and silky. Alternatively, carefully transfer to a blender in batches. The sauce should be velvety with no chunks. Return to the pot if you used a blender.
- 9
Add the grilled chicken pieces to the sauce. Stir gently to coat. Simmer for 8-10 minutes so the chicken finishes cooking and absorbs the flavors. The chicken should be tender and the sauce should be thick and rich.
10 minutes - 10
Turn off the heat - this is important! Add the cream and the additional 2 tablespoons of butter, stirring gently until melted and incorporated. If you add cream to boiling sauce, it can split and look grainy. Off the heat, it stays silky.
- 11
Crush the kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) between your palms to release the oils, then add to the sauce. This gives butter chicken its distinctive flavor - slightly sweet, slightly bitter, completely essential. Stir through.
- 12
Add honey or sugar to balance the acidity of the tomatoes. Start with 1 tablespoon and taste - you want a subtle sweetness that rounds out the flavors, not a sweet curry. Add salt to taste. Priya Auntie tastes and adjusts at least three times.
- 13
Serve immediately in a large serving bowl, garnished with fresh coriander. Accompany with naan bread for scooping up the sauce, or basmati rice. Priya Auntie serves it with both, plus cucumber raita on the side to cool the palate.
Ingredient Substitutions
Nutrition Information
Per serving (approximate)
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