Indian Butter Chicken Dinner for Two
An Indian butter chicken-inspired skillet dinner built around a full pound of chicken breast, a tomato-forward spiced sauce, and a Greek yogurt finish that replaces most of the cream. Keeps the murgh makhani profile honest with a measured pat of real butter — 67g of protein and just 9g of fat per serving, in two cleanly portioned dinners.
Cal
539
Protein
67g
Carbs
49g
Fat
9g
Per serving · 1 of 2 / ~450g
Prep
15 minutes
Cook
25 minutes
Total
40 minutes
Method
- 01Start the rice. Cook 60g dry basmati rice according to package directions. Fluff with the cilantro and a pinch of salt once it's cooked.
- 02Bloom the base. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the butter, onion, garlic, ginger, garam masala, paprika, and salt. Cook 3–4 minutes, stirring often, until fragrant. Add a splash of water if the spices start sticking.
- 03Cook the chicken. Add the chicken pieces and cook 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the outside is no longer pink.
- 04Build the sauce. Add the full can of tomato sauce and 60g water if needed. Simmer 8–10 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce thickens.
- 05Finish creamy. Turn heat to low. Stir in the Greek yogurt slowly so it doesn't split. Warm for 1–2 minutes without boiling.
- 06Portion by weight. Weigh the finished skillet if you want exact portions, divide by 2, then serve each portion with half the cooked rice.
Notes from the kitchen
The spice bloom is the whole game. If the garam masala goes straight into watery tomato sauce, the dish tastes flatter. Add the Greek yogurt off high heat. The sauce should be hot enough to warm the yogurt, not hot enough to punish it. Storage: Fridge: store in a glass container up to 4 days. Cool at room temperature for 10 minutes before sealing. Freezer: yes, up to 2 months. The yogurt sauce may look slightly less smooth after thawing. Reheat: microwave 90 seconds, stir, then 45–60 seconds more. Don't boil aggressively after reheating — yogurt sauces can split when overheated. Pairs well with: cucumber salad, roasted cauliflower, or extra cilantro if you already have it on hand.
