Satisfy your craving for a nice, hearty Indian curry with this viral butter chicken and naan recipe.
The rich, creamy and indulgent curry pairs perfectly with the buttery soft naan, and is the ultimate Indian recipe you don’t want to miss out on.
This one might take a bit more kitchen time, but every single bite is truly worth it!
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Ingredients For the Recipe
You’ll need three sets of ingredients to make the viral butter chicken and naan.
For the naan
- Water (lukewarm): 1 cup
- Yeast: 2 tbsp
- Sugar: 1 tbsp
- All purpose flour: 2.5 cups
- Salt: A pinch
- Yogurt: As required
- Garlic (minced): As required
- Butter: As required
- Coriander (chopped): As required
For the chicken
- Chicken (boneless cubes): 1.5 cups
- Yogurt: ¼ cup
- Ginger garlic paste: ½ tbsp
- Turmeric powder: ¼ tsp
- Red chili powder: ½ tsp
- Cumin powder: ½ tsp
- Coriander powder: ½ tsp
- Chicken masala: 1 tsp
- Salt: ½ tsp
- Butter: 2 tbsp
For the butter chicken curry
- Butter: 2 tbsp
- Bay leaf: 1
- Cumin seeds: 1 tsp
- Cinnamon stick: 1 inch
- Onions (chopped): ½ cup
- Ginger garlic paste: ½ tbsp
- Turmeric powder: ¼ tsp
- Red chili powder: ½ tsp
- Cumin powder: ½ tsp
- Coriander powder: ½ tsp
- Chicken masala: 2 tsp
- Salt: ½ tsp
- Tomato puree: 1.5 cups
- Heavy cream: 1 cup
- Prepared chicken
- Coriander leaves (chopped): For garnish
How to Make the Butter Chicken and Naan
Ready with all the ingredients? Here’s what you’ll need to do next to make the butter chicken and naan.
Take lukewarm water and add sugar and yeast to it. Let it sit for 5 minutes and bubble up.
Next, take a mixing bowl. Add the all purpose flour and salt and mix.
Add in the yeast mixture next and mix.
Add yogurt and give it a good mix. Bring the dough together as much as you can.
Knead into a smooth dough by taking it out of the bowl and onto a surface. Add more flour if needed.
Transfer back the dough into the bowl and cover with a wet cloth. Let the dough rest for an hour. Post an hour, it should double in size.
Prepare the chicken in the meantime. Take the chicken in a mixing bowl. Add in all the ingredients.
Marinate the chicken and let it rest for 30 minutes.
Heat butter in a pan. Add in the marinated chicken and cook for 6-7 minutes. Do not cook the chicken completely. Keep aside.
Next, heat butter in the same pan. Add in the whole spices and saute.
Add in the onions next. Saute for 3-4 minutes.
Add ginger garlic paste next and saute.
Add in all the spices and cook for 1 minute.
Next, add in the tomato puree. Mix well and let the curry simmer for 2-3 minutes.
Remove the bay leaf and cinnamon stick and using a hand blender, blend the curry into a smooth paste.
Once the blending process is done, add in the cream and mix well.
Add the chicken next and mix well.
Garnish with coriander leaves.
For the naan, check if the dough has risen to twice its size.
Next, take a big enough scoop of the dough. Flatten it with your hand. Add minced garlic on top and roll it out. It doesn't need to be too thin.
Brush the opposite side of the rolled out dough with water.
Heat a tawa and transfer the rolled out dough on to it with the watered side touching the tawa. The naan will start to puff up.
Once the naan puffs up completely, flip the tawa itself with the top side of the naan towards the flame. Roast the naan in that fashion until you see it get charred a bit. Be careful not to burn it.
Apply butter and garnish with coriander leaves.
Serve hot with butter chicken.
Frequently Asked Questions
A great idea is to use a half and half mixture of cream and coconut cream or coconut milk. This will lend another layer of deliciousness to the curry and make it healthier too. 
Storing your leftovers is super easy! All you’ll need to do is transfer the curry to an airtight container and refrigerate it for up to 2 days.
The curry can then be reheated in the microwave with a little splash of water or in a pan over the stovetop. 
Tips & Tricks to Make the Viral Butter Chicken and Naan
Ready to make butter chicken and naan? Here are some tips and tricks you might want to take note of.
- For best results and to get the most creamy, indulgent butter chicken, use full fat cream and yogurt. I would recommend using Greek yogurt, but if you’re using regular yogurt, remember to strain it to get rid of all the excess water first.
- While the recipe calls for the use of tomato puree, you can also make do with some tomato paste if you want to. This will lend the curry a more intense flavor.
- The curry freezes beautifully, which means you can batch make it for meal prep too! Just remember to use a freezer safe container for best results.
- If you don’t have the time and effort to scratch make the naans, you can make do with frozen naans too! Or even better- just pair the curry with some steamed rice!
- I would also recommend marinating the chicken up to a day in advance and refrigerating it. Doing this will naturally tenderize the chicken and make it juicy and soft.
- You can also add a bit of smoky flavor to the butter chicken curry by adding a dash of smoked paprika into the mix along with the chili powder.
Serving Ideas & Suggestions
The butter chicken and naan need no extra effort to be served. You can enjoy them as is, or if you really want to go the extra mile, pair them with a crunchy salad on the side.
If you enjoyed this flavor packed Indian curry and are inspired to try some more fantastic curries for your weeknight meals, here are a few good options to pick from.
📖 Recipe
Viral Butter Chicken and Naan
Ingredients
Ingredients for the naan
- 1 cup Water, lukewarm
- 2 tbsps Yeast
- 1 tbsps Sugar
- 2.5 cups All purpose flour
- Salt, A pinch
- Yogurt, As required
- Garlic, minced as required
- Butter, As required
- Coriander, chopped as required
Ingredients for the chicken
- 1.5 cups Chicken, boneless cubes
- ¼ cup Yogurt
- ½ tablespoon Ginger garlic paste
- ¼ teaspoon Turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon Red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon Cumin powder
- ½ teaspoon Coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon Chicken masala
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 2 tbsps Butter
Ingredients for the butter chicken curry
- 2 tbsps Butter
- 1 Bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
- 1 inch Cinnamon stick
- ½ cup Onions, chopped
- ½ tablespoon Ginger garlic paste
- ¼ teaspoon Turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon Red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon Cumin powder
- ½ teaspoon Coriander powder
- 2 tsps Chicken masala
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 1.5 cups Tomato puree
- 1 cup Heavy cream
- Prepared chicken
- Coriander leaves, chopped for garnish
Instructions
- Take lukewarm water and add sugar and yeast to it. Let ot sit for 5 minutes and bubble up.
- Next, take a mixing bowl. Add the all purpose flour and salt and mix.
- Add in the yeast mixture next and mix.
- Add yogurt and give it a good mix. Bring the dough together as much as you can.
- Knead into a smooth dough by taking it out of the bowl and onto a surface. Add more flour if needed.
- Transfer back the dough into the bowl and cover with a wet cloth. Let the dough rest for an hour. Post an hour, it should double in size.
- Prepare the chicken in the meantime. Take the chicken in a mixing bowl. Add in all the ingredients. Marinate the chicken and let it rest for 30 minutes.
- Heat butter in a pan. Add in the marinated chicken and cook for 6-7 minutes. Do not cook the chicken completely. Keep aside.
- Next, heat butter in the same pan. Add in the whole spices and saute.
- Add in the onions next. Saute for 3-4 minutes.
- Add ginger garlic paste next and saute.
- Add in all the spices and cook for 1 minute.
- Next, add in the tomato puree. Mix well and let the curry simmer for 2-3 minutes.
- Remove the bay leaf and cinnamon stick and using a hand blender, blend the curry into a smooth paste.
- Once the blending process is done, add in the cream and mix well.
- Add the chicken next and mix well.
- Garnish with coriander leaves.
- For the naan, check if the dough has risen to twice its size.
- Next, take a big enough scoop of the dough. Flatten it with your hand. Add minced garlic on top and roll it out. It doesn't need to be too thin.
- Brush the opposite side of the rolled out dough with water.
- Heat a tawa and transfer the rolled out dough on to it with the watered side touching the tawa. The naan will start to puff up.
- Once the naan puffs up completely, flip the tawa itself with the top side of the naan towards the flame. Roast the naan in that fashion until you see it get charred a bit. Be careful not to burn it.
- Apply butter and garnish with coriander leaves.
- Serve hot with butter chicken.
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