Easy Butter Chicken Recipe - Keto Dinner | 8g Net Carbs
⏲ ~40 min total · prep 16 · cook 24 · 4 servings
Dinner⏱ 35 min total🔥 8.0g net carbs⚡ ≈495 kcal/serving~4% of calories from carbs
By the KFI Test Kitchen · Tested & approved by Jason Lieu, KFI recipe editor
Published Sep 15, 2026 · Updated Sep 15, 2026
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1/2 cup plain full-fat Greek yogurt
- 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger, divided
- 4 cloves garlic, minced, divided
- 2 tbsp garam masala, divided
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup canned crushed tomatoes
- 2 tsp sweet paprika, 1 tsp ground cumin, and 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Stir the chicken with the yogurt, half the ginger, half the garlic, and 1 tbsp of the garam masala; let it sit while you prep the pan — a 10-minute marinade is enough since the pieces are small.
- Melt the butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until foaming subsides, then spread the chicken in a single layer. Brown 4-5 minutes, turning once, until golden outside but not cooked through; transfer to a plate.
- Drop the heat to medium and add the remaining ginger, garlic, garam masala, paprika, cumin, and turmeric; stir 30 seconds until the spices darken a shade and smell toasted.
- Add the crushed tomatoes and salt, scraping up the browned bits, and simmer 5 minutes, until the sauce darkens and a spatula drawn through it leaves a brief trail.
- Return the chicken and any collected juices to the skillet and simmer 8-10 minutes, until the pieces register 165°F at the center.
- Pour in the heavy cream, stir, and simmer 2 minutes, until the sauce turns a soft orange and coats the back of a spoon.
- Stir in the cilantro off the heat and serve over cauliflower rice.
Why this recipe works
- A weeknight butter chicken This is the version that happens on a Tuesday: one skillet, 35 minutes, and a 10-minute yogurt marinade while the pan heats. The restaurant-style depth comes from the method, not from a day of prep.
- Small pieces, fast marinade One-inch thigh pieces take on the yogurt, ginger, and garam masala in the time it takes to melt butter and heat a skillet. Big cuts need hours; these do not.
- Spices bloomed, not dumped The second round of ginger, garlic, and spices hits hot butter for 30 seconds, until they darken a shade and smell toasted. That step wakes the garam masala in a way stirring it into sauce never does.
Tips for making this recipe well
Brown, do not cook through
Four to five minutes in a single layer turns the pieces golden while the centers stay raw. They finish in the sauce, which keeps them tender.
Scrape the good stuff
Crushed tomatoes go in with a spatula and pull the browned bits off the pan bottom. That fond is the backbone of the sauce.
Watch the sauce trail
After 5 minutes of simmering, a spatula drawn through the sauce should leave a brief trail. That is the signal the tomatoes have cooked down enough for the cream.
Thermometer, not guesswork
The chicken is done at 165°F at the center of the largest piece. Thighs hold up to the extra minutes better than breast would.
Cream last, cilantro after
Heavy cream simmers 2 minutes, until the sauce turns soft orange and coats a spoon. Cilantro goes in off the heat so it wilts rather than cooks.
Serving suggestions
Spoon it over cauliflower rice, which is how the recipe is written and how 8.0g net carbs a serving stays true. The sauce is the point, so anything that catches it earns its place, from steamed green beans to a low-carb flatbread. Leftovers taste deeper the next day as the garam masala settles. A squeeze of lemon at the table brightens the cream without breaking it.
Storage and meal prep
The chicken keeps 3 to 4 days covered in the fridge and reheats gently on the stove; boiling it hard can split the cream, so use medium-low and stir. It freezes 2 to 3 months, though dairy sauces loosen a little after thawing. A quick whisk while reheating pulls it back together. Make a double batch, because the second container disappears faster than the first.
Variations worth trying
- Breast swap Chicken breast works; cut it the same size, pull it at 165°F, and expect slightly less forgiveness on timing.
- Hotter pot Stir a pinch of cayenne in with the blooming spices.
- Coconut version Swap the cream for full-fat coconut milk. The sauce runs slightly sweeter and the simmer stays the same.
Frequently asked questions
Is 10 minutes of marinating really enough?
For 1-inch thigh pieces, yes; the cut size does the work a long marinade usually does. Whole thighs or breast halves would need hours.
Can I use chicken breast?
You can, with the same browning and a watchful eye near the end. Breast hits 165°F faster and dries out faster, so check early.
Why did my sauce look separated?
The cream boiled. Keep that last simmer at a bare bubble for the 2 minutes, and stir once or twice.
How spicy is it?
Mild by design; sweet paprika brings color and garam masala brings warmth, not heat. The cayenne in the variations is there for anyone who wants more.
What if the sauce is too thick?
A tablespoon of water or cream loosens it without diluting the spice. Thick enough to coat a spoon is the target, not thick enough to hold a peak.
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