Butter Chicken (Keto, No Sugar, 9g Net Carbs)
- Total time
- 1 hour 15 minutes
- Makes
- 5 servings
- Net carbs
- 9.4g
- Calories
- 504
Most butter chicken recipes hide a tablespoon of sugar in the sauce, and plenty of restaurant versions add more. The sugar is there to round off the tomatoes. Take it out without changing anything else and the sauce turns sharp and thin, which is the usual complaint about low-carb versions of this dish.
This one fixes that by changing the balance instead of reaching for a substitute. It uses less tomato and the full cup of cream, so the sauce is mellow without any sweetener at all. The chicken thighs sit in a yogurt and spice marinade first, get a hard sear, and then finish cooking in a sauce that has been blended completely smooth. Kasuri methi, the dried fenugreek leaves sold in Indian grocery stores, gives the finished dish the flavor people recognize from a good restaurant.
It serves five at 9.4g net carbs a serving, and it is on the table about 45 minutes after the marinade is done. Spoon it over cauliflower rice or serve it with low-carb naan.
Why This Keto Butter Chicken Works
Thighs, not breasts. Chicken thighs stay juicy through a sear and a simmer. Breast meat works, but it dries out quickly once the sauce is bubbling, so cut it bigger and watch the time.
The yogurt marinade. Plain whole-milk yogurt clings to the chicken and carries the garlic, ginger and spices into it. Thirty minutes is enough. Overnight in the fridge is better if you plan ahead.
Less tomato, same cream. Tomatoes bring most of the carbs in the sauce. Using one cup of crushed tomatoes instead of a full can keeps the carbs down, and with the cup of heavy cream, the sauce is rich and gentle rather than acidic. No sugar needed.
Blend the sauce. Onion, garlic, ginger and tomato cook together and then go into the blender. That is what makes the sauce velvety instead of chunky, and it is the step most quick recipes skip.
Recipe Overview
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Marinating Time: 30 minutes (or overnight)
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Serves: 5
- Net Carbs: 9.4g per serving
Ingredients
For the chicken and marinade
| Ingredient | Quantity | Notes |
| Boneless skinless chicken thighs | 28 oz (1 ¾ lb) | Cut into bite-size pieces |
| Plain whole-milk yogurt | ½ cup | Not Greek, not sweetened |
| Garlic | 1 ½ tbsp | Minced |
| Fresh ginger | 1 tbsp | Finely grated |
| Garam masala | 2 tsp | |
| Ground turmeric | 1 tsp | |
| Ground cumin | 1 tsp | |
| Kashmiri chili powder | 1 tsp | Mild; or sweet paprika |
| Salt | 1 tsp | |
| Olive oil | 2 tbsp | For searing |
For the sauce
| Ingredient | Quantity | Notes |
| Ghee | 2 tbsp | Or 1 tbsp butter + 1 tbsp oil |
| Yellow onion | ½ large | Chopped |
| Garlic | 1 ½ tbsp | Minced |
| Fresh ginger | 1 tbsp | Finely grated |
| Ground cumin | 1 ½ tsp | |
| Garam masala | 1 ½ tsp | |
| Ground coriander | 1 tsp | |
| Crushed tomatoes | 1 cup | Canned |
| Kashmiri chili powder | 1 tsp | Adjust to taste |
| Salt | 1 ¼ tsp | Or to taste |
| Heavy cream | 1 cup | |
| Kasuri methi | ½ tsp | Dried fenugreek leaves |
| Fresh cilantro | 2 tbsp | Chopped, to garnish |
Kashmiri chili powder is the reason restaurant butter chicken is so orange without being very hot. If you cannot find it, use sweet paprika for the color and add a pinch of cayenne if you like some heat. Halal chicken thighs work exactly the same way as any other.
Recipe Timing
| Order | Step | Time |
| 1 | Cut and marinate the chicken | 15 minutes, then 30 minutes resting |
| 2 | Sear the chicken in batches | 6-9 minutes |
| 3 | Cook the onion, aromatics and spices | 7-8 minutes |
| 4 | Blend the sauce | 3 minutes |
| 5 | Simmer the chicken in the sauce | 8-10 minutes |
How to Make Butter Chicken
1. Marinate the chicken
In a large bowl, stir together the yogurt, 1 ½ tablespoons garlic, 1 tablespoon ginger, 2 teaspoons garam masala, the turmeric, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder and 1 teaspoon salt. Add the chicken pieces and turn them until every piece is coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to overnight.
2. Sear in batches
Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. When it sizzles, add the chicken in two or three batches. Do not crowd the pan. Packed pieces steam in the yogurt instead of browning. Sear about 3 minutes a side, until browned in spots, then move to a plate. The chicken will not be cooked through yet; it finishes in the sauce.
3. Build the sauce base
Lower the heat to medium and melt the ghee in the same pan. Add the onion and cook about 6 minutes, until soft and starting to sweat, scraping up the browned bits from the chicken as you go. Stir in the remaining garlic and ginger for 1 minute, then add the 1 ½ teaspoons cumin, 1 ½ teaspoons garam masala and the coriander. Cook for about 20 seconds, just until fragrant. Pour in the crushed tomatoes with the second teaspoon of chili powder and the 1 ¼ teaspoons salt, and stir.
4. Blend until smooth
Take the pan off the heat and scoop the sauce into a blender. Blend until completely smooth, adding a few tablespoons of water if it is too thick to move, up to ¼ cup. Hot sauce expands in a blender, so fill it no more than halfway, take the small cap out of the lid and cover the hole with a folded towel.
5. Add the cream and simmer
Pour the smooth sauce back into the pan. Stir in the heavy cream. Rub the kasuri methi between your palms over the pan to crush it as it falls in. Return the chicken and any juices from the plate. Simmer 8 to 10 minutes, stirring now and then, until the sauce is thick and bubbling and the chicken reaches 165°F in the center.
6. Taste and serve
Taste the sauce now. Add salt if it needs it, or a little more chili powder for heat. Scatter the cilantro on top and serve hot.
Recipe Tips and Variations
- Sauce tastes sharp? Simmer it a few minutes longer. Cooking mellows the tomato, and the cream softens it further.
- Sauce too thick? Loosen it with a splash of water or chicken broth at the end.
- Make it richer. A tablespoon of cold butter stirred in just before serving gives the glossy finish many restaurants use. It adds fat and calories, but no carbs.
- Chicken breast works if you cut it into larger pieces and keep the simmer to the short end of the range.
- Cut the marinade short. If you are in a hurry, even 15 minutes of marinating helps, though the flavor will be lighter.
Serving Suggestions
Butter chicken is a sauce dish, so serve it with something to soak it up. Plain cauliflower rice is the easy low-carb answer: grate or pulse a head of cauliflower and cook it in a dry pan for a few minutes while the chicken simmers. For bread, keto naan with no yeast is made for tearing and dragging through the sauce.
A cool, crunchy side balances the richness. A cucumber feta salad does the job of raita on the plate. If you are feeding a crowd that loves chicken, put a tray of crispy keto chicken wings on the table too.
Storage and Reheating
Fridge: keep it in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Like most curries, butter chicken tastes even better the next day.
Freezer: freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge. The cream sauce can look a little grainy after freezing; stir it well as it heats and it smooths out.
Reheat: warm it gently in a covered pan over medium-low heat, about 8 minutes, stirring often and adding a tablespoon or two of water if the sauce has thickened. Boiling it hard can split the cream.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is butter chicken keto?
It can be. Classic recipes add sugar and a full can of tomatoes, and are usually served with rice and naan. With no sugar, less tomato and cauliflower rice on the side, a serving of this butter chicken has 9.4g net carbs.
What is the difference between butter chicken and chicken tikka masala?
They are close cousins. Butter chicken has a milder, creamier sauce with a buttery finish and the flavor of fenugreek. Tikka masala is usually more tomato-forward and spicier, with chunkier sauce and charred chicken.
Can I make it without kasuri methi?
Yes, it will still be very good. Fenugreek leaves add the slightly sweet, savory note that makes it taste like a restaurant version, so it is worth buying a bag if you cook Indian food often. It keeps for months in the pantry.
Can I make butter chicken ahead?
Yes. Make the whole dish a day ahead and reheat it gently, or marinate the chicken the night before so dinner takes just 30 minutes of cooking the next day.
More Low-Carb Chicken Dinners
- Keto Orange Chicken — a takeout copycat at 3.2g net carbs.
- Creamy Garlic Mushroom Chicken — another creamy sauce, made in one pan.
- Keto White Chicken Chili — a warming bowl at 5.7g net carbs.
- Keto Crack Chicken — a cheesy chicken dinner ready in 25 minutes.
Recipe Card
The full ingredient list and the method in short are in the card below.
Keto Butter Chicken
Equipment
- Large deep skillet 12-inch
- Blender vent the lid for hot sauce
- Mixing Bowl for the marinade
- Instant-read thermometer optional, for 165°F
Ingredients
For the chicken and marinade
- 28 oz boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into bite-size pieces
- 1/2 cup plain whole-milk yogurt not Greek, unsweetened
- 1 1/2 tbsp garlic minced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger finely grated
- 2 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp Kashmiri chili powder or sweet paprika
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp olive oil for searing
For the sauce
- 2 tbsp ghee or 1 tbsp butter + 1 tbsp oil
- 1/2 large yellow onion chopped
- 1 1/2 tbsp garlic minced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger finely grated
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 1/2 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 cup crushed tomatoes canned
- 1 tsp Kashmiri chili powder adjust to taste
- 1 1/4 tsp salt or to taste
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 tsp kasuri methi dried fenugreek leaves
- 2 tbsp fresh cilantro chopped, to garnish
Instructions
Marinate and sear the chicken
- Marinate: In a large bowl, stir together the plain whole-milk yogurt, 1 1/2 tbsp garlic, 1 tbsp fresh ginger, 2 tsp garam masala, the ground turmeric, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp Kashmiri chili powder and 1 tsp salt. Add the chicken thighs and coat well. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes, or overnight.
- Sear: Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken in 2-3 batches without crowding, about 3 minutes a side, until browned in spots. Set aside; it finishes cooking in the sauce.
Make the sauce
- Soften: Lower the heat to medium and melt the ghee in the same pan. Cook the yellow onion about 6 minutes until soft, scraping up the browned bits. Add the remaining 1 1/2 tbsp garlic and 1 tbsp fresh ginger and cook 1 minute.
- Spice: Stir in 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin, 1 1/2 tsp garam masala and the ground coriander for about 20 seconds, until fragrant. Add the crushed tomatoes, the remaining 1 tsp Kashmiri chili powder and 1 1/4 tsp salt.
- Blend: Remove from the heat and blend until completely smooth, adding up to 1/4 cup water if needed. Fill the blender no more than halfway and vent the lid.
- Simmer: Return the sauce to the pan and stir in the heavy cream. Crush the kasuri methi between your palms into the sauce. Add the chicken and its juices and simmer 8-10 minutes, until the sauce is thick and the chicken reaches 165°F.
- Serve: Taste and adjust the salt. Garnish with the fresh cilantro and serve with cauliflower rice or low-carb naan.
Notes
Keep cooking
