16 Butter Chicken Recipes from Classic Indian Curry to Creative Twists

Butter chicken is one of those dishes that ruins you for other food because once you experience that rich, creamy, perfectly spiced tomato sauce, you start wondering why you'd ever eat anything else for dinner. Whether you're making the traditional Indian murgh makhani from scratch, throwing everything in the slow cooker with jar sauce for an easy weeknight shortcut, or using the Instant Pot to get restaurant-quality results in under 30 minutes, butter chicken adapts to whatever time and energy you have without ever disappointing.

This collection brings you everything from classic Butter Chicken Recipe (Murgh Makhani) for purists to Butter Chicken Pie for a creative twist, Slow Cooker Butter Chicken Meatballs for something totally unexpected, Garlic Butter Chicken variations for simpler weeknight dinners, and lighter options like Lightened Up Butter Chicken with Quinoa. You'll find slow cooker shortcuts, pressure cooker versions, gluten-free options, and creative spins that all deliver that signature creamy, spiced goodness.

Healthy Indian Butter Chicken Recipe

Lightening up butter chicken without gutting the flavor is the ultimate cooking challenge, and this recipe nails it. You get all the satisfaction without feeling weighed down afterward.

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Photo credit: Hip Hip Gourmet

Easy Butter Chicken Recipe - Creamy, Flavorful, and Irresistible

This one delivers on every promise in the title with creamy, spiced sauce that coats every piece of chicken perfectly. The accessible approach makes authentic butter chicken flavor achievable on any weeknight.

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Photo credit: Deliciously Rushed

Slow Cooker Butter Chicken

Dumping everything in the slow cooker and coming home to butter chicken ready to go is pure weeknight magic. The low and slow method develops incredible depth of flavor.

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Photo credit: A Cedar Spoon

Lightened Up Butter Chicken with Quinoa - Gluten Free

Serving butter chicken over quinoa instead of rice adds protein and keeps things gluten-free. The lighter combination makes this feel like a complete, balanced meal.

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Photo credit: The Honour System

Gluten Free Butter Chicken

Butter chicken is naturally close to gluten-free, and this version makes it completely safe for those avoiding gluten. The sauce is just as rich and satisfying without any modifications needed.

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Photo credit: Low Calorie Eating

Butter Chicken Pie

Taking butter chicken and putting it inside a flaky pie crust is the creative mashup nobody knew they needed. The Indian-inspired filling transforms a classic comfort food format into something totally unique.

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Photo credit: Chocolates and Chai

Instant Pot Butter Chicken

When you need butter chicken fast, the Instant Pot delivers without making you choose between speed and flavor. This version gets that complex, restaurant-quality taste in record time.

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Photo credit: Recipes From a Pantry

Instant Pot Indian Butter Chicken

The Instant Pot gets authentic Indian butter chicken on the table fast without sacrificing any of the traditional flavor. Pressure cooking makes the chicken incredibly tender in a fraction of the time.

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Photo credit: I Heart Eating

Garlic Butter Chicken Thighs (sheet pan dinner)

Sheet pan cooking means garlic butter chicken thighs with minimal cleanup and maximum flavor. Everything roasts together on one pan while you do other things.

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Photo credit: Get Inspired Everyday

Butter Chicken Recipe (Murgh Makhani)

The traditional murgh makhani recipe done right is something special. This authentic approach honors the original dish that inspired every butter chicken variation that followed.

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Photo credit: Chili Pepper Madness

Slow Cooker Butter Chicken Meatballs - Cozy and Delicious!

Forming chicken into meatballs before slow cooking them in butter chicken sauce is a genius twist. The smaller pieces soak up even more of that incredible sauce.

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Photo credit: Tessies Table

Slow Cooker Butter Chicken with Jar Sauce

Using jar sauce as a shortcut doesn't mean compromising on flavor when you do it right. This version proves that convenience and delicious can absolutely coexist.

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Photo credit: Dizzy Busy and Hungry

DREAMY Creamy One Pot Mouthwatering Butter Chicken Curry

The all-caps DREAMY is not an exaggeration when butter chicken comes out this rich and creamy. One pot means all those incredible flavors build together without any extra dishes.

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Photo credit: The Buttery Fairytale

Instant Pot Butter Chicken

Fast, flavorful, and foolproof, the Instant Pot makes butter chicken surprisingly doable on even the busiest nights. The pressure cooking locks in flavor while cutting cooking time significantly.

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Photo credit: Savory Sweet Spoon

Slow Cooker Butter Chicken Recipe

Another slow cooker version, because honestly, setting butter chicken up in the morning and coming home to dinner ready is a lifestyle worth committing to. The hands-off approach never disappoints.

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Photo credit: Simply Stacie

Garlic Butter Chicken Tenderloins

Garlic butter takes chicken tenderloins somewhere simple but completely satisfying. The butter sauce keeps everything incredibly juicy and flavorful without a lot of effort.

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Photo credit: It's a Keeper