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A serving of dairy free butter chicken in a bowl, garnished with fresh cilantro.

Best Way to Grow Dairy Free Butter Chicken in 5 Steps

This recipe offers a simple and delicious way to make dairy-free butter chicken, perfect for a weeknight meal or entertaining guests. The steps are easy to follow and result in a rich, flavorful dish.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 4 people
Calories 450 kcal

Equipment

  • large bowl
  • large skillet or pot

Ingredients
  

Main Chicken Ingredients

  • 1 lb chicken breast cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 0.5 cup dairy-free yogurt
  • 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
  • 1 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp garam masala

Sauce Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp dairy-free butter
  • 1 medium onion finely chopped
  • 1 cup tomato puree
  • 0.5 cup cashew cream
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp kashmiri chili powder
  • 1 tsp fenugreek leaves (kasoori methi)
  • 2 tbsp fresh cilantro for garnish

Instructions
 

Marinate Chicken

  • Combine chicken pieces with dairy-free yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, turmeric powder, and garam masala in a bowl. Mix thoroughly, then cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to marinate.

Cook Chicken

  • Heat dairy-free butter in a large skillet or pot over medium heat. Add the marinated chicken and cook until it's browned on all sides and cooked through. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set it aside.

Prepare Sauce

  • In the same skillet, add a little more dairy-free butter if needed, then sauté the finely chopped onion until it becomes soft and translucent. Stir in the tomato puree, cashew cream, salt, sugar, and kashmiri chili powder, bringing the mixture to a simmer.

Combine and Simmer

  • Return the cooked chicken to the skillet with the sauce. Add the fenugreek leaves and stir everything together, allowing it to simmer gently for 10-15 minutes, or until the sauce thickens and the flavors meld.

Serve

  • Garnish the dairy-free butter chicken with fresh cilantro and serve hot with rice or dairy-free naan bread.

Notes

For extra richness, you can add a splash of full-fat coconut milk to the sauce. Adjust spice levels to your preference by adding more or less chili powder. Serve with a side of steamed basmati rice and a fresh cucumber salad for a complete meal.