Gordon Ramsay Butter Chicken Recipe

This Gordon Ramsay Butter Chicken Recipe is a rich and creamy recipe, which is made with tender chicken and natural yogurt. It’s the perfect weeknight dinner, ready in about 40 minutes, plus marinating time.

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Gordon Ramsay Butter Chicken Recipe Ingredients

For the Chicken Marinade:

• 800g boneless chicken, cubed
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2cm ginger, grated
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp hot chili powder
• 1½ tbsp lemon juice
• 75ml natural yogurt
• ½ tsp garam masala
• ½ tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp cumin
• Vegetable oil (for brushing)

For the Sauce:

• 1½ tbsp ghee or butter
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2cm ginger, chopped
• 1 cardamom pod, seeds crushed
• 2 cloves
• 1 tsp coriander
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp hot chili powder
• 275ml tomato purée
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 40g butter
• 100ml double cream

How To Make Gordon Ramsay Butter Chicken Recipe

1. First Marinade: In a bowl, mix the cubed chicken with the crushed garlic, grated ginger, salt, chili powder, and lemon juice. Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes.
2. Second Marinade: Add the natural yogurt, turmeric, garam masala, and cumin to the chicken. Mix well to coat, then cover and chill for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight.
3. Bake the Chicken: Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan) / 350°F. Arrange the marinated chicken on a baking tray lined with foil. Brush lightly with vegetable oil. Bake for 20–22 minutes, flipping the chicken and brushing with more oil halfway through, until cooked through and slightly charred. Let it rest for 5 minutes.
4. Start the Sauce: While the chicken bakes, heat the ghee or butter in a large, wide pan over medium heat. Add the chopped garlic and ginger and fry for 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
5. Bloom the Spices: Add the crushed cardamom seeds, cloves, ground coriander, garam masala, turmeric, and chili powder. Fry for another minute, stirring constantly, until aromatic.
6. Build the Sauce: Stir in the tomato purée and lemon juice. Cook for 2–3 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken.
7. Combine and Finish: Add the cooked chicken pieces to the sauce and stir gently to coat. Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the butter and the double cream until the sauce is smooth and creamy.
8. Serve: Serve the butter chicken hot, garnished with optional chopped coriander, alongside warm naan bread or basmati rice.

Recipe Tips

• Why should I rest the chicken after baking? Resting the chicken for 5 minutes before adding it to the sauce allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat. This is a key step to ensure the chicken stays incredibly tender and moist.
• How do I get a thick, rich sauce? Using a wide pan provides more surface area, which helps the tomato purée reduce and thicken more effectively, concentrating the flavors into a rich, clinging sauce.
• How can I fix a sauce that has split? If your cream sauce splits (looks separated or oily), remove it from the heat. Add a splash of warm cream and whisk vigorously. This will usually bring the emulsion back together.
• Can I make the sauce ahead of time? Yes. The sauce base (before adding the chicken and final cream) freezes beautifully. You can make a double batch, freeze half, and have a head start on your next curry night.

What To Serve With Butter Chicken

This creamy, rich curry is a classic that pairs perfectly with:

• Fluffy basmati rice
• Warm naan bread or garlic naan
• A cooling cucumber and mint raita
• Simple onion salad

How To Store Butter Chicken

• Refrigerate: Allow the butter chicken to cool completely before storing it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will keep for up to 3 days and the flavors often improve overnight.
• Freeze: Butter chicken freezes well. Let it cool and store in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating gently.

Butter Chicken Nutrition Facts

• Calories: 400kcal
• Carbohydrates: 15g
• Protein: 40g
• Fat: 20g
• Saturated Fat: 10g
• Sodium: 600mg
• Fiber: 4g
• Sugar: 8g

Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.

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