Homemade Butter Chicken with Garlic Naan and Basmati Rice

This butter chicken recipe is a labor of love that rewards you with tender dark meat chicken simmered in a velvety, spiced tomato-cream sauce. Served over fragrant basmati rice and accompanied by warm, chewy garlic naan, it’s a complete meal that brings the flavors of South Asian cuisine to your kitchen.

Making naan from scratch might sound ambitious, but with a little patience, you’ll be rewarded with puffy, golden bread brushed with garlic butter. The dough comes together quickly and rises while you prepare the chicken and rice. Perfect for a weekend cooking project that ends with a satisfying, homemade feast.

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Ingredients

1 teaspoon Garam MasalaView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 ounce Vidalia Onion PasteView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Tomato PasteView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

10 ounce Diced Skinless Dark Meat ChickenView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Chicken Stock ConcentrateView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 ounce Cream Sauce BaseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon Curry PowderView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

6 tablespoon YogurtView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Instant YeastView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon Garlic PowderView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 ounce CilantroView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 cup FlourView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 cup Basmati RiceView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 teaspoon (tsp) SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.75 teaspoon (tsp) SugarView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4.5 teaspoon (tsp) Cooking OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon (tbsp) ButterView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) Black PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, whisk together 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour, 1 teaspoon instant yeast, ½ teaspoon sugar, ½ teaspoon salt and a pinch of black pepper. Add 2 tablespoons yogurt, ¼ cup warm water and ½ tablespoon oil. Stir until just combined; the dough will be sticky. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons flour on a clean work surface, turn out the dough and shape into a ball. Set the bowl aside.
2. Knead the dough by holding it with one hand and pressing down and away with the other, then folding it over itself. Repeat until smooth and slightly shiny, 8-10 minutes. If sticky, dust hands and surface with a little extra flour. Return dough to the bowl, cover with a damp kitchen towel and let rise in a warm spot until doubled, about 1 to 1½ hours.
3. When the dough is almost doubled, combine the rice, ¾ cup water and a pinch of salt in a small pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and cook until tender, 15-18 minutes. Keep covered off heat. Meanwhile, melt 1 tablespoon butter with half the garlic powder in a small microwave-safe bowl (30-40 seconds). Chop the cilantro.
4. Drain any liquid from the chicken. Heat a drizzle of oil in a medium pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer, season with salt and pepper and cook until browned and cooked through, 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium, add garam masala, curry powder and remaining garlic powder and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
5. Stir in tomato paste, onion paste and chicken stock concentrate until combined. Add the cream sauce base and ¾ cup water. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens, 2-3 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon butter and ¼ teaspoon sugar; stir until butter melts, 30-60 seconds. Reduce heat to low, cover and keep warm.
6. Once the dough has doubled, transfer it to a clean surface. Halve the dough and shape each piece into a ball. Flatten each ball with your palm, then roll out into a 7-inch round about ¼-inch thick. Heat a generous drizzle of oil in a large heavy pan over medium-high heat. Cook one round at a time until the bottom is golden and bubbles appear, 1-2 minutes. Flip and cook until golden, 1-2 minutes more. Transfer to a cutting board.
7. Brush the naan with the garlic butter and cut into quarters. Fluff the rice with a fork. Divide rice among bowls, top with butter chicken, drizzle with remaining yogurt and garnish with cilantro. Serve with the garlic naan.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use chicken breast instead of dark meat?

Yes, but dark meat stays juicier and more flavorful in this sauce. If using breast, reduce cooking time slightly to avoid drying out.

My naan didn't puff up. What went wrong?

Make sure your yeast is fresh and the water is warm (not hot) to activate it. Also, let the dough rise fully until doubled in size.

Can I make the naan ahead of time?

Yes, cook the naan, let cool and store in an airtight container. Reheat in a dry pan or oven before serving.