The Recipe

Butter Chicken

Prep: 10 min | Cook: 35 min | Serves: 4

Ingredients

Ingredient	Amount
Boneless chicken, cut into pieces	300 g
Curd (yogurt)	1/2 cup
Ginger garlic paste	2 tsp
Turmeric powder	1/2 tsp
Garam masala powder	1 tsp (divided)
Kashmiri red chilli powder	1 tsp
Salt	1 tsp + to taste
Butter (salted)	1 tbsp
Red chilli powder	1 tsp
Coriander powder	1 tsp
Tomato puree	1 cup
Honey	1 tsp
Fresh cream	1/2 cup (divided)
Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)	2 tbsp

Directions

Wash the chicken thoroughly and pat dry.
In a mixing bowl, combine yogurt, garam masala, ginger garlic paste, salt, Kashmiri red chilli powder, turmeric, and chicken. Marinate for at least 1 hour.
Heat butter over medium heat, add the marinated chicken along with the marinade, and cook for about 4 minutes.
Add tomato puree, salt, coriander powder, red chilli powder, and remaining garam masala. Cover and cook for 5 minutes.
Stir in fresh cream, honey, and a splash of water if needed to adjust the gravy consistency. Simmer until the chicken is fully cooked through.
Finish by stirring in the kasuri methi. Serve hot.

Key tip: Marinating the chicken for at least an hour (overnight is even better) allows the yogurt and spices to tenderize the meat and build deeper flavor in the finished dish.

Nutrient Card

Butter Chicken (per serving)
Calories: 306
Protein: 26g
Fat: 18g
  Saturated: 10g
Carbs: 10g
  Fiber: 1.5g
  Sugar: 5g
Sodium: ~580mg
Cholesterol: ~100mg

Full Nutrition Breakdown

Here is the ingredient-by-ingredient calorie breakdown of butter chicken, divided across four servings.

Ingredient	Serving (per person)	Calories	Protein	Fat	Carbs	Fiber
Boneless chicken	75 g	124	23g	2.7g	0g	0g
Yogurt	30 g (2 tbsp)	18	1g	1g	1.4g	0g
Ginger garlic paste	2.5 g (1/2 tsp)	1	0g	0g	0.3g	0g
Butter (salted)	3.5 g (~1 tsp)	25	0g	2.9g	0g	0g
Tomato puree	62 g (1/4 cup)	24	1g	0.1g	5.5g	0.6g
Fresh cream	30 ml (2 tbsp)	102	0.6g	10.8g	0.8g	0g
Honey	1.75 g (~1/2 tsp)	5	0g	0g	1.4g	0g
Spices and kasuri methi	~3 g combined	7	0g	0g	0.6g	0.9g
TOTAL		~306	~26g	~18g	~10g	~1.5g

Note: Calorie counts are approximate and can vary based on chicken cut (thigh vs. breast), cream fat percentage, and how generously you pour.

Where Your Calories Actually Come From

Component	Calories	% of Total
Chicken	124	41%
Fresh cream	102	33%
Butter	25	8%
Tomato puree	24	8%
Yogurt	18	6%
Honey, spices, aromatics	13	4%

The cream is the quiet calorie driver here. A generous pour contributes a third of the total despite being just two tablespoons per serving. The chicken, while making up the bulk of the plate, is relatively lean at only 124 calories for 75 grams.

Macro Split

Macro	Grams	Calories from Macro	% of Total Calories
Protein	26g	104 cal	34%
Fat	18g	162 cal	53%
Carbs	10g	40 cal	13%
Fiber	1.5g	-	-

Butter chicken runs fat-forward at 53% of calories from fat, mostly thanks to the cream and butter. Despite that, the protein content is solid at 26 grams per serving, making it a decent muscle-friendly option if you keep the cream in check. Compared to something like a pasta dish where carbs dominate, this one is naturally low-carb at just 10 grams.

Health Benefits at a Glance

Ingredient	Key Nutrient/Compound	What Research Says
Chicken breast	Complete protein, B vitamins (niacin, B6)	High-quality protein supports muscle repair, satiety, and weight management. Niacin helps convert food to energy and is associated with healthy skin and improved energy levels throughout the day.
Tomato puree	Lycopene, vitamin C	Lycopene is a powerful antioxidant linked to reduced risk of heart disease and certain cancers. Cooking tomatoes actually increases lycopene bioavailability. Vitamin C supports collagen production, which benefits skin elasticity and joint health.
Turmeric	Curcumin	Research consistently links curcumin to anti-inflammatory effects comparable to some over-the-counter medications. It is associated with reduced joint pain, improved recovery after exercise, and emerging evidence suggests benefits for brain health and mood regulation.
Yogurt	Probiotics, calcium	Live cultures in yogurt support gut microbiome diversity, which research links to better digestion, stronger immunity, and even improved mood. Calcium supports bone density, and fermented dairy may be easier to digest than regular milk for many people.
Kasuri methi (fenugreek)	Soluble fiber, diosgenin	Fenugreek is associated with improved blood sugar control after meals and may support healthy cholesterol levels. It has a long history in traditional medicine for digestive health and is being studied for its potential role in appetite regulation and weight management.

This meal is a solid pick for anyone focused on getting plenty of protein without a heavy carb load. The turmeric and tomato combination delivers a one-two punch of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compounds, which is great for recovery days or if you deal with joint stiffness. The yogurt marinade adds a probiotic bonus that supports your gut, and the relatively low carb count means this pairs well with a weight management plan when you control the cream and serve it with cauliflower rice instead of naan.

Smarter Swaps (With Real Numbers)

Swap 1: Greek yogurt instead of fresh cream

	Calories	Fat	Protein	Carbs
Fresh cream (2 tbsp/serving)	102	10.8g	0.6g	0.8g
Greek yogurt (2 tbsp/serving)	16	0.5g	2.5g	0.7g
Difference	-86	-10.3g	+1.9g	-0.1g

Swap 2: Cooking spray instead of butter

	Calories	Fat	Protein	Carbs
Butter (1 tsp/serving)	25	2.9g	0g	0g
Cooking spray (1 sec spray)	2	0.2g	0g	0g
Difference	-23	-2.7g	0g	0g

Swap 3: Chicken breast instead of mixed boneless cuts

	Calories	Fat	Protein	Carbs
Mixed boneless chicken (75g)	124	2.7g	23g	0g
Skinless chicken breast (75g)	93	1.1g	22g	0g
Difference	-31	-1.6g	-1g	0g

The Ultra-Lean Stack: All Swaps Combined

	Original	All Swaps	Saved
Calories	306	166	140
Fat	18g	3.3g	14.7g
Protein	26g	26.5g	+0.5g
Carbs	10g	9.9g	0.1g

All three swaps together nearly cut the dish in half calorie-wise while actually increasing the protein slightly. The biggest win is dropping the cream for Greek yogurt, which alone saves 86 calories per serving.

Fit It Into Your Day

Daily Target	Recipe % of Day	Remaining Calories	What That Leaves You
1,500 cal	20%	1,194 cal	Room for two moderate meals and a snack
2,000 cal	15%	1,694 cal	Plenty of budget for rice, naan, and a balanced day
2,500 cal	12%	2,194 cal	Very light impact - add sides freely
3,000 cal	10%	2,694 cal	Barely a dent - load up on accompaniments

Common Pairings and What They Add

Side	Calories	Running Total
Butter Chicken (1 serving)	306	306
Basmati rice (1 cup cooked)	210	516
Butter naan (1 piece)	260	776
Boondi raita (1/4 cup)	45	821
Pickled onions	10	831

A full butter chicken dinner with naan, rice, and sides can push past 800 calories quickly. If you are watching your intake, pick either rice or naan but not both, and you will keep the meal closer to the 500-calorie range.

How It Compares

Version	Calories	Protein	Fat	Carbs
This recipe (homemade)	306	26g	18g	10g
Restaurant butter chicken (typical)	450-550	28g	30-38g	12-15g
Ultra-lean swapped version	166	26.5g	3.3g	10g
Store-bought frozen butter chicken	350-400	18g	20-24g	18-22g

Homemade wins here by a wide margin. Restaurant versions typically double the butter and cream, pushing fat and calories significantly higher. This homemade version delivers nearly the same protein for roughly half the calories of a typical restaurant plate.

Recipe from Archana's Kitchen by Archana's Kitchen. Nutrition data sourced from USDA FoodData Central. Individual results vary by brand, cooking method, and portion accuracy. When in doubt, weigh your ingredients.