If you love butter chicken but don't feel like dragging out 14 pans or simmering something for 6 hours, this one's for you. This keto butter chicken is simple enough for a weeknight, but still tastes like you ordered from a really good Indian restaurant. The chicken is juicy, the sauce is rich and creamy with just the right kick, and it makes amazing leftovers. It's a real meal prep life-saver, and honestly, I'd eat it three days in a row without complaining.
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How to Make Keto Butter Chicken
First things first, this recipe starts with a quick marinade that does all the heavy lifting when it comes to flavor. You'll mix Greek yogurt, lemon juice, and a bunch of warm spices with a little sweetener and salt. Toss in the chicken and let it hang out in the fridge for at least 3 hours. This step is where the magic happens, it tenderizes the chicken and makes sure every bite is full of flavor. If you're into prepping ahead, you can even let it marinate overnight.
Once the chicken's ready, it's time to make the sauce. You'll melt some butter, cook down garlic and more spices until your kitchen smells amazing, then stir in tomato paste and heavy cream. The sauce gets smooth, silky, and slightly spicy. If it looks a little thick, no stress, just splash in some water or cream until it's how you like it. This is also the part where you stop and think, "Okay yeah, this is going to be good."
After that, it's as easy as tossing the marinated chicken (and all that flavorful yogurt mixture) into the pan and letting it simmer. Give it about 20 to 25 minutes and you'll have tender chicken swimming in a buttery, spiced cream sauce that's honestly hard to stop tasting straight from the pan. I like serving it with cauliflower rice, a little fresh cilantro, maybe a spoonful of extra cream, and chili flakes if you want some heat.
Ingredients You'll Need For This Recipe
- 1.5 lbs chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes
- ½ cup Greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 teaspoon crushed ginger
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 2 teaspoon garam masala
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon coriander
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar-free sweetener
- 1 teaspoon salt
Step By Step Instructions
- Mix yogurt, lemon juice, and half of the spices (cumin, garam masala, chili powder, turmeric, coriander, sweetener, and salt) in a large bowl. Stir until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
- Add the chicken pieces to the marinade and coat evenly. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours to marinate.
- Heat a large pan over medium heat and melt the butter. Add the chopped garlic and the remaining spices. Sauté for about 1 minute, stirring constantly, until the garlic is fragrant and the spices release their aroma. Stir in the tomato paste and continue to cook for another minute, mixing well to incorporate it into the spice mixture.
- Pour in the heavy cream and stir continuously until the sauce becomes smooth and uniform in color.
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- If the sauce is too thick, add a little water or more cream to reach the desired consistency.
- Add the marinated chicken along with any remaining marinade into the pan. Stir well to coat the chicken with the sauce.
- Cook for 20-25 minutes over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Ensure the chicken is fully cooked and tender, and the sauce has thickened to a rich, creamy consistency. Adjust seasoning if needed.
- Serve hot with cauliflower rice, fresh cilantro, extra cream, and chili flakes for garnish.
Tips and Tricks
- Marinate longer if you can - Three hours is the minimum, but if you remember to do it the night before, even better. The yogurt and lemon juice work together to make the chicken super tender and flavorful.
- Adjust the heat - This version has a mild kick, but you can turn it up with more chili powder or even a pinch of cayenne. If you're cooking for kids or spice-sensitive folks, stick with the written amount or skip the chili powder entirely.
- Make it ahead - This butter chicken tastes even better the next day. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. It also freezes great, so go ahead and make a double batch if you want easy lunches or dinners ready to go.
I hope you give this easy butter chicken a try and love it as much as we do. It's one of those recipes that feels special but fits perfectly into real life. Let me know if it ends up in your meal prep rotation! xoxo Olivia
If you enjoyed this recipe, check out these other great meal prep recipes:
- Keto Lemon Garlic Chicken (Meal Prep Recipe)
- Keto Taco Bowls (High Protein, Low Carb, Meal Prep)
- Keto Korean Beef (Easy Keto Meal Prep Recipe)
- 30 Keto Meal Prep Recipe Ideas: How to Meal Prep For An Entire Month
PIN FOR LATER!
Recipe
Keto Butter Chicken
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs chicken breast cut into 1-inch cubes
- ½ cup Greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 2 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 teaspoon crushed ginger
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 2 teaspoon garam masala
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon coriander
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar-free sweetener
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Mix yogurt, lemon juice, and half of the spices (cumin, garam masala, chili powder, turmeric, coriander, sweetener, and salt) in a large bowl. Stir until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
- Add the chicken pieces to the marinade and coat evenly. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours to marinate.
- Heat a large pan over medium heat and melt the butter. Add the chopped garlic and the remaining spices. Sauté for about 1 minute, stirring constantly, until the garlic is fragrant and the spices release their aroma. Stir in the tomato paste and continue to cook for another minute, mixing well to incorporate it into the spice mixture.
- Pour in the heavy cream and stir continuously until the sauce becomes smooth and uniform in color.
- If the sauce is too thick, add a little water or more cream to reach the desired consistency.
- Add the marinated chicken along with any remaining marinade into the pan. Stir well to coat the chicken with the sauce.
- Cook for 20-25 minutes over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Ensure the chicken is fully cooked and tender, and the sauce has thickened to a rich, creamy consistency. Adjust seasoning if needed.
- Serve hot with cauliflower rice, fresh cilantro, extra cream, and chili flakes for garnish.
Olivia Wyles says
I really love how this butter chicken turned out! Super tasty and I hope you love it too.