Butter Chicken

Butter Chicken, or Murgh Makhani, is a rich and creamy North Indian curry featuring tender chicken pieces simmered in a velvety tomato-based sauce. The sauce is typically made with tomatoes, butter, cream, and a blend of aromatic spices like garam masala, ginger, and garlic, often with a hint of kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves). It originated in the 1950s in Delhi, India, and has since become one of the most popular Indian dishes worldwide.

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🍽️ Nutrition at a glance

Butter Chicken is high in fat and protein due to the generous use of butter, cream, and chicken, while being relatively moderate in carbohydrates. A typical serving (about 1 cup) provides around 400-600 calories, along with significant amounts of vitamin A from tomatoes and iron from the spices.

Nutrition breakdown

Calories	490 kcal
Protein	30 g
Carbs	18 g
Fat	35 g
Fiber	3 g
Sugar	7 g
Sodium	850 mg
Potassium	450 mg
Vitamin A	450 mcg
Vitamin C	8 mg
Calcium	120 mg
Iron	3 mg
Phosphorus	280 mg
Vitamin B12	1.2 mcg
Zinc	4 mg

Per 1 cup (240 g) · estimated, varies by recipe

💡 What's interesting

Culturally, Butter Chicken is a symbol of Indian culinary innovation, born from a desire to repurpose leftover tandoori chicken into a new, luxurious dish. Nutritionally, the tomatoes in the sauce are a good source of lycopene, an antioxidant that becomes more bioavailable when cooked with fats like butter.