Quick & Healthy Butter Chicken with Coconut Milk
Craving a creamy butter chicken that’s lighter and healthier? This healthy butter chicken with coconut milk swaps out heavy cream for coconut milk while still using yogurt for that extra creaminess. Serve it with fluffy basmati rice for a perfect family meal that is ready in just 30 minutes.
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Do you like butter chicken? Or should I say Murgh Makhani? I guess you do, which is why you’re here reading this recipe. You’re probably wondering what makes this a healthy butter chicken. I’ll explain in just a minute.
Well, like you, I love Indian food. I often make my easy chicken madras curry or creamy chana dal, but I have to say, I really LOVE butter chicken. It’s such perfect comfort food. Do you have a favorite restaurant-style butter chicken? Mine is at Chin Chin on Flinders Lane in Melbourne. However, every time I savor my favorite Indian dish, I can’t help but think about all the butter and cream used to cook this delicious meal.
The original Chin Chin recipe was published on Good Food a while ago, revealing that they use a whopping 300g of butter to make the creamy butter chicken sauce. While it’s fine to indulge in once in a while, it’s definitely not my go-to meal for my family. So, I needed something that tastes just as delicious but comes with fewer calories.
Why You Will Love This Recipe:
Here’s why I think you’ll love this healthy butter chicken with coconut milk as much as I do:
- Family-friendly: It’s mild, a little sweet, and perfect for everyone, even the kids. This is a great alternative to spicier dishes like tikka masala.
- Quick & Easy: You can have this restaurant-style butter chicken ready in just 30 minutes, with no hard-to-find ingredients, making it ideal for busy weeknights.
- Budget-friendly: Chicken thighs are super affordable and work beautifully in this dish, making it a perfect option if you’re looking for a budget-conscious chicken curry marinade.
- Healthy: We’re using less butter and no cream. This butter chicken without cream swaps heavy dairy for coconut milk, making it a lighter option that’s easier on digestion but still rich and creamy.
This is the easiest butter chicken I’ve ever made, but it’s so delicious! This will definitely be my go-to recipe from now on. Served with fluffy basmati rice and homemade naan, it tasted just like a restaurant-style meal. The kids loved it, and there were no leftovers!
Becky
📝 Recipe Ingredients
This simple recipe doesn’t require a lot of ingredients. All of them are readily available at your local supermarket or an Indian grocery store.
Butter Chicken Curry Marinade for a Healthy Chicken Curry:
- Chicken: I use free-range chicken thighs because they’re juicier and tastier than breasts, but you can use either.
- Greek yogurt.
- Garam masala: If you don’t have or can’t find garam masala spice mix, I included my butter chicken spice mix in the recipe card below.
- Garlic cloves: This recipe uses a lot of garlic!
- Fresh ginger: Always go for fresh; it brings the best flavor.
Butter Chicken Creamy Sauce:
- Butter or ghee.
- Garlic: Yes, I warned you—this recipe has a lot of garlic! 😁
- Fresh ginger: Don’t substitute with ground ginger; it won’t have the same flavor.
- Organic raw sugar: Just one teaspoon to balance the acidity of the tomatoes.
- Tomato paste: Adds depth and richness to the sauce.
- Coconut milk: This butter chicken recipe without cream uses coconut milk, which makes it a lighter option that’s easier on digestion but still provides that rich, creamy texture.
- Greek yogurt: We add a little bit of yogurt to the sauce for extra creaminess. If you feel like going the more traditional route, simply add a splash of pure cream instead.
- Cherry tomatoes
- Garnish: Some more cherry tomatoes, yogurt, and cilantro to finish the dish, all optional.
How To Make Butter Chicken With Coconut Milk
I said before that this recipe is very easy and it is. The only thing is you have to plan it a little bit ahead.
Step 1: In a large bowl, mix the Greek yogurt, garam masala, garlic, and ginger to create the marinade.
Step 2: Add the chicken pieces and coat them well with the marinade. At this point, I have to say marinate the chicken “preferably overnight”. But I have done this recipe so many times before only marinating it for 30 minutes and the result was always delicious.
Step 3: In a large, heavy-bottomed frying pan, heat the butter or ghee over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and grated ginger, sautéing until fragrant and the butter turns golden. Be careful not to burn the butter.
Step 4: Stir in the raw sugar and tomato paste, cooking for a couple of minutes, stirring consistently.
Step 5: Add the coconut milk and bring the sauce to a simmer.
Step 6: Let the sauce simmer while you are cooking the chicken.
Step 7: Heat a little bit of olive oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the marinated chicken, allowing any excess marinade to drip off before cooking. (A little bit of marinade in the pan is fine.) Fry the chicken until it is golden.
Step 8: Add the cooked chicken pieces to the sauce, along with a tablespoon of yogurt and the cherry tomatoes. Simmer on low heat for another 10 minutes, ensuring the chicken is fully cooked. Keep an eye on the sauce to make sure it doesn’t boil or become too thick. If the sauce has thickened too much stir in 1-2 tablespoons of coconut milk.
🍴 What To Serve With Butter Chicken
We love our butter chicken with basmati rice, papadam, yogurt, and fresh cilantro leaves. You can also serve it with brown rice or cauliflower rice. To add more vegetables to the dinner table, serve it with Cucumber avocado salad or Indian roasted eggplant.
❄️ How to Store
- Refrigerate: If you have leftovers or want to make this butter chicken ahead of time, allow it to cool to room temperature. Transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: To freeze, place the butter chicken in a freezer-safe container or Ziploc bag and store it for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to use it, defrost it overnight in the fridge.
- Reheat: Reheat gently in a saucepan over medium heat or in the microwave until heated through. Add a splash of coconut milk if the sauce thickens too much during reheating.
Recipe FAQs
This butter chicken is a healthier alternative to the Indian classic dish. I used WAY less butter than the traditional recipe, in fact only 50 grams. I also swapped heavy cream for coconut milk and added some Greek yogurt for creaminess.
Butter chicken is one of the milder curries in Indian cuisine, which is why it’s so popular with families around the world. The level of spiciness in your butter chicken will depend entirely on the spices and quantities you use.
Garam masala is the typical spice blend used in butter chicken, and its heat can vary. If you’re looking for all the big, bold flavors of traditional Indian dishes without the heat, try my spice blend from the recipe card. It may not be the most authentic, but it’s guaranteed to be delicious and enjoyed by the whole family, even the little ones.
This butter chicken recipe is 100% gluten-free, like all the other recipes on my blog. If you are missing naan bread to go with it, try papadams instead. They are made with chickpea flour and are a great alternative to naan bread.
While butter chicken and chicken tikka masala are similar, they have key differences. Butter chicken is mild, creamy, and less spicy, made with butter and a subtle tomato flavor. Chicken tikka masala has a spicier, more robust tomato-based sauce and usually features grilled or roasted marinated chicken. Both are delicious, but butter chicken is creamier and milder, while tikka masala is spicier.
No, I recommend sticking with tomato paste. It’s more concentrated and provides a richer flavor to the sauce, which is essential for this recipe.
Yes! This recipe uses coconut milk instead of cream, making it a delicious, healthier alternative. It’s a great option for those looking for a butter chicken without cream while still enjoying a rich, creamy sauce.
Trust me, this easy recipe is better than any takeaway you have ever had!! It is not too sweet, not too spicy, and not too heavy. It is silky and creamy and tastes just right! A really good family dinner.
More Easy Indian Recipes You’ll Love
If you tried this Healthy Butter Chicken with Coconut Milk or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Happy cooking!
Healthy Butter Chicken With Coconut Milk
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Ingredients
Butter Chicken Marinade:
- 6 chicken thighs skin removed, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 cup of organic Greek yoghurt
- 1 tbsp garam masala
- 4 garlic cloves crushed
- 2 cm fresh ginger root grated or finely chopped
Butter Chicken Sauce:
- 50 g butter
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 2 cm ginger root grated
- 1 tbsp of organic raw sugar
- 140 g tomato paste
- 1 cup of unsweetened coconut milk
- 2-3 tbsp of Greek yogurt (or use pure cream)
- 8-10 cherry tomatoes halved
- Some more cherry tomatoes, yogurt, and cilantro to garnish.
Instructions
MARINADE:
- Mix the yogurt, garam masala, crushed garlic, and grated/chopped ginger in a large bowl.
- Add chicken pieces and mix to coat the chicken.
- Refrigerate overnight or for at least an hour.
SAUCE
- Heat the butter in a large heavy-bottom saucepan or frying pan over medium heat.
- Add the garlic and ginger, frying gently until fragrant and the butter turns golden. Be careful not to burn the butter.
- Add the sugar and tomato paste, cooking for a couple of minutes to reduce the bitterness of the tomato paste.
- Add the coconut milk and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Stir in the fresh cream or yogurt and bring to a simmer again. Let it simmer on very low heat while you fry the chicken.
CHICKEN
- Heat some olive oil in a frying pan.
- Add the marinated chicken, shaking off excess marinade (a little bit is fine).
- Fry the chicken over medium heat for a couple of minutes until golden.
- Remove the chicken from the pan.
- Add the cherry tomatoes and chicken to the sauce and cook on very low heat for 10-15 minutes. Ensure the sauce doesn’t boil or get too thick. If needed, add 1-2 tablespoons of coconut milk to maintain the right consistency.
- Serve with basmati rice, papadams, yoghurt and fresh coriander leaves. Enjoy!!
Notes
Garam Masala Spice Mix:
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ground chili (leave it out if cooking for young kids, or you don’t like spicy).
Make Ahead & Freezing:
- This dish is perfect for meal prep. You can make the sauce ahead and store it in the fridge for 2-3 days.
- The butter chicken can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight and reheat in a saucepan with a splash of coconut milk if needed.
The best butter chicken recipe ever! Delicious!
Ok, I love butter chicken and tried many recipes before. This one is REALLY good! Thank you for sharing.
So happy to hear that, Judy!
Looks so good. Can’t wait to try it.
So glad you like it, Kate!