Butter Chicken and Cauliflower Recipe | Gimme Some Oven (2024)

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This Indian-inspired butter chicken and cauliflower recipe is easy to make, naturally gluten-free, and simmered with the most delicious curry sauce.

Butter Chicken and Cauliflower Recipe | Gimme Some Oven (1)

Is there anything better than a cozy bowl of curry on a cold winter’s night? ♡

Here in our house, this Indian-inspired butter chicken and cauliflower has quickly turned into one of our favorite ways to warm up this season. Made with tender chicken and cauliflower simmered in a richly-seasoned creamy curry sauce, this dish comes together easily with fairly minimal hands-on prep time. And when ladled up hot over rice, served with a few slices of naan, and garnished with lots of fresh cilantro and lemon, this richly-seasoned comfort food is sure to hit the spot.

As with just about any curry, this recipe is inherently quite flexible if you’d like to swap in whatever ingredients you love best. For example, have some extra curry-friendly veggies hanging out in your freezer or crisper drawer? Toss ’em in! Want to make this curry vegetarian? Skip the chicken and add a can of chickpeas instead. Want to make it dairy-free or vegan as well? Use coconut milk and plant-based butter and you’ll be good to go. There are endless ways to customize this curry to your liking, so please feel free to customize and make it your own.

Let’s get to cooking!

Butter Chicken and Cauliflower Recipe | Gimme Some Oven (2)

Butter Chicken and Cauliflower Ingredients

Here are a few brief notes about the butter chicken ingredients you will need to make this recipe:

  • Butter:We will use butter to sauté the veggies, then we will stir some extra into the sauce just before serving to give this dish its traditional creamy buttery flavor.
  • Veggies: You’re welcome to use either fresh or frozen cauliflower florets in this recipe. (Here’s a quick tutorial on how to cut cauliflower.) Then you will also need onion, garlic, fresh ginger, and fresh baby spinach.
  • Dry seasonings: We will use a mixture of garam masala, chili powder, ground coriander, ground cumin, ground turmeric, fine sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper to season the curry sauce.
  • Tomatoes: I recommend using fire-roasted diced tomatoes, if possible, for extra flavor. But if they are not available, basic diced tomatoes will be just fine too.
  • Chicken: You’re welcome to use either boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, which we will cut into bite-sized pieces before cooking.
  • Cream or coconut milk: You’re welcome to use either heavy cream or full-fat coconut milk in this sauce, which will help to thicken and make it extra creamy.
  • Lemon juice:We will stir some freshly-squeezed lemon juice to the sauce, but I recommend serving this dish with extra lemon wedges too.
  • For serving: Finally, I recommend serving this dish over basmati rice with an optional side of naan. Then garnishing with lots of fresh cilantro and and extra lemon wedges.

Butter Chicken and Cauliflower Recipe | Gimme Some Oven (3)

Recipe Variations

Here are a few additional ways that you are welcome to customize this stovetop butter chicken recipe:

  • Use other vegetables:Feel free to swap any curry-friendly veggies in for part of the cauliflower (or all of the cauliflower) if you would like. For example, bell peppers, carrots, green beans, peas, sweet potatoes, or Yukon gold potatoes would all be great options. Just be sure to time the addition of any extra veggies correctly so that any additional vegetables are fully-cooked.
  • Make it spicier:If you would like to amp up the heat in this chicken curry, you’re welcome to add in some cayenne or crushed red pepper flakes to taste.
  • Make it vegetarian:Swap a 15-ounce can of chickpeas (rinsed and drained) for the chicken in this recipe to make this curry vegetarian.
  • Make it dairy-free:Opt for coconut milk (instead of heavy cream) and use your favorite dairy-free butter to make dairy-free butter chicken.

Butter Chicken and Cauliflower Recipe | Gimme Some Oven (4)

More Favorite Curry Recipes

Looking for more Indian-inspired curry recipes to try? Here are a few of our favorites:

  • Easy Chickpea Curry
  • Tomato Lentil Curry
  • Cozy Chicken Curry Soup
  • Sweet Potato Chickpea Coconut Curry

Butter Chicken and Cauliflower Recipe | Gimme Some Oven (5)

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Butter Chicken and Cauliflower Recipe | Gimme Some Oven (6)

Butter Chicken and Cauliflower

  • Author: Ali
  • Prep Time: 15 mins
  • Cook Time: 40
  • Total Time: 55 mins
  • Yield: 4 to 6 servings 1x
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Description

This Indian-inspired butter chicken and cauliflower recipe is easy to make with a richly-spiced curry sauce.

Ingredients

Scale

  • 3 tablespoons butter, divided
  • 1 small white onion, diced
  • 5 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons grated or minced fresh ginger
  • 1 tablespoon garam masala
  • 1 teaspoon each: chili powder, ground coriander, ground cumin, ground turmeric
  • 1 (28-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 1/2 pounds cauliflower florets, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 2 large handfuls fresh baby spinach
  • 3/4 cup heavy cream or coconut milk
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • fine sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper
  • for serving: basmati rice, naan, fresh cilantro and extra lemon wedges

Instructions

  1. Sauté veggies and spices. Melt one tablespoon butter in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, ginger and sauté for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garam masala, chili powder, coriander, cumin, turmeric and sauté for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
  2. Blend the sauce. Add the diced tomatoes and water and stir to combine, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Use an immersion blender (or see note below if you prefer to use a traditional blender) to purée the sauce until smooth. Continue cooking the sauce until it reaches a simmer.
  3. Simmer. Stir the cauliflower into the sauce and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes, adjusting the heat as needed to maintain a low simmer. Stir the chicken into the sauce and continue to simmer, uncovered, for 10 more minutes or until the chicken and cauliflower are cooked through and tender.
  4. Season. Stir in the spinach, heavy cream (or coconut milk), lemon juice and remaining two tablespoons butter until combined. Taste and season with salt (I used about 1 teaspoon), black pepper, and/or extra lemon juice if needed.
  5. Serve. Serve immediately over rice with naan, garnished with lots of fresh cilantro and extra lemon wedges. Enjoy!

Butter Chicken and Cauliflower Recipe | Gimme Some Oven (7)

posted on November 7, 2022 by Ali

Main Dishes

7 Comments »

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Leave a Reply

7 comments on “Butter Chicken and Cauliflower”

  1. Rachel November 7, 2022 @ 7:40 am Reply

    Hey Ali, this looks delicious! A question for you that I’ve always wondered – at least in the UK, a takeout butter chicken is often quite a sweet curry, but online recipes that I’ve read don’t usually add extra sweetness. Is that just a preference thing? Always been curious!

  2. Kate November 7, 2022 @ 10:24 am Reply

    Ooh I’m so excited for this! Have been wanting to make my own butter chicken!

  3. Sarah November 7, 2022 @ 11:47 am Reply

    Hi Ali! I’m excited to try this recipe! Fellow resident of Spain here! Where have you been able to find fire-roasted tomatoes in Spain? I’ve been keeping my eyes peeled and have not had any luck. Thanks!!

  4. Susan November 7, 2022 @ 12:12 pm Reply

    This sounds absolutely yummy, though I would want to sub something for the tomatoes – I’m betting tomatillos would work… (I just hate canned tomatoes). I definitely want to try this.

  5. Jackie B November 7, 2022 @ 6:00 pm Reply

    What is in the garam masala you reference in your recipes? When I looked for it, there were as many different versions of the spice as there were manufacturers/cooks. Some included the spices that you added to your recipe in addition to the garam masala. Sorry for my ignorance, but while your recipe sounds delicious I am not familiar with this spice/spice mixture. Thanks.

  6. Kelley November 13, 2022 @ 9:31 pm Reply

    I just made this tonight! It was delicious, and my whole family liked it! It all came together pretty quickly and the recipe was easy to follow! I used chicken thighs! Yum!!!!!!!

  7. Kathy Bukaty March 27, 2023 @ 6:48 pm Reply

    My husband, who is a “meat and potatoes” guy, really liked this! That says a lot. Delicious and healthy.

Butter Chicken and Cauliflower Recipe | Gimme Some Oven (2024)

FAQs

How to thicken up butter chicken sauce? ›

6 ways on how to thicken your curry sauce
  1. Reduction: One of the most common methods to thicken a curry sauce is by reducing it. ...
  2. Roux: A roux is a classic French technique that works wonders in thickening curry sauces. ...
  3. Cornstarch slurry: ...
  4. Coconut milk or cream: ...
  5. Yoghurt or heavy cream: ...
  6. Pureed vegetables:
Oct 19, 2023

How to make butter chicken less sweet? ›

1.Add Lime Juice

Adding a sour tasting ingredient such as lime juice helps add another layer of flavour to the dish. It balances out the sweetness and gives it a sweet and sour taste instead. You can also use tamarind or white vinegar if you do not wish to add lime juice to your curry.

Why is my butter chicken too thick? ›

If at any point the butter chicken sauce looks too thick or too thin, just add water accordingly and adjust. I like my butter chicken slightly sweet so I would also adjust your sugar and salt levels according to your taste at the very end.

Why is butter chicken so filling? ›

The fat intake in Butter Chicken is 5 g. If you think no fat is good, it's a reality check. Fat fills the body and helps you fill full throughout the day.

How do you thicken butter chicken without cornstarch? ›

Mix 2 tablespoons (16 g) of flour with 1/4 cup (60 mL) of cold water, then add to your sauce and stir over medium heat until it thickens. Alternatively, create a sauce-thickening roux by whisking 1 tbsp (15 g) of butter and 1 tbsp (9 g) of salt together, then adding the mixture to your sauce.

How do you thicken sauce without ruining it? ›

Use Flour and Water

Combine 2 tablespoons flour with every 1/4 cup cold water and whisk until smooth. Add the mixture to your sauce over medium heat, and continue to stir and cook until you've reached your desired consistency. Test with a spoon.

What is a substitute for tomato paste in butter chicken? ›

How to Substitute Tomato Sauce or Puree for Tomato Paste. You don't have to dash out to the store if you're out of tomato paste; tomato sauce and tomato puree are both an excellent substitute. For every 1 tablespoon of tomato paste needed, use 3 tablespoons of tomato puree or sauce.

Why does my butter chicken taste bitter? ›

Your curry can taste bitter if the spices and garlic are burnt or if you've added too much fenugreek to the dish. You see, the secret to cooking a delicious curry recipe is to create a spicy paste and slowly cook it before adding your meat.

How do you get the tangy taste out of butter chicken? ›

Add Cream

Since cream has a high fat content, it tones down the sourness in the curry and adds volume to it. Its smooth and creamy texture further helps in eliminating the tangy flavour. If you do not have cream, you could also use yogurt or milk as they would give you similar results.

Can you overcook butter chicken? ›

Do not overcook because it will continue to cook in the sauce.

Can I use flour to thicken butter chicken? ›

Use wheat flour, rice flour, or coconut flour plus a fat (like ghee, olive oil, or coconut oil) in equal amounts. Cook both ingredients for a few minutes to cook out the raw flour taste, then add your curry ingredients. Once the whole curry dish comes to a boil, the sauce will thicken. 7.

Why does butter chicken taste so good? ›

Our meal starter spice mix combines salt, sugar, onion, and garlic with a blend of turmeric and other spices. Leading the charge to butter chicken greatness is Garam Masala, a traditional Indian spice blend of citrusy coriander, black pepper, earthy cumin, floral cardamom, and a suite of sweet spices.

What thickens butter chicken sauce? ›

Adding tomato puree is probably the most common method of thickening curry sauces. Simply add the tomato puree during the cooking process rather than adding it at the end. This will help to thicken your curry or pasta sauce from the beginning, speeding up the cooking time.

What is butter chicken sauce made of? ›

Water, Tomato, Cream, Unsalted butter, Vegetable oil, Sugar, Modified corn starch, Concentrated tomato purée, Spices, Dried onion, Ginger, Garlic, Salt, Lactic acid (acidulant), Paprika extract, Citric acid (acidulant), Dried fenugreek leaf.

Does butter chicken contain onions? ›

But the original Butter chicken is low on the heat & spice quotient and does not include onions in the gravy. However there are so many versions that use onions to impart natural sweeter tones and balance the sour taste of tomatoes.

How can I thicken a butter sauce? ›

As we mentioned, flour and cornstarch are the most popular ingredients used to thicken butter sauce for pasta. After you've heated your butter and water combo in your skillet, turn your heat down so nothing scorches as you work in the dry ingredients. Then slowly whisk in your flour or cornstarch.

What can I use to thicken my chicken sauce? ›

Cornstarch, arrowroot, common wheat flour, and the flours or powders made from potato, tapioca, chickpea — to name but a few — long have been used to thicken cooking liquids. (Gelatins and gums also can play a similar role.)

How to thicken a Japanese curry? ›

Some recipes for Japanese curry call for cornstarch as a thickener, but many others use a classic roux of flour cooked in butter or another fat. The advantage of a roux is that you can toast the flour to whatever degree you want, altering its flavor more and more the darker it gets.

Will plain flour thicken a curry? ›

The general rule is 2 tsp of flour to thicken 1 litre of liquid, but this of course varies depending on how thick you'd like the sauce to be and how thick it is already. The easiest way to thicken a sauce with plain flour is to make a flour slurry.

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