Easy Keto Butter Chicken Recipe (2024)

• Chicken Thigh fillets– use skinless chicken thighs for this recipe. You can use chicken breast fillets instead. Just watch the cooking time. For a vegetarian alternative use cauliflower florets, paneer, or firm tofu.
• Black or brown cardamom pods – add great flavour to the butter chicken. You can find these pods in Indian market grocers.
• Fenugreek leaves (also known as Kasoori Methi) – make all the difference in this recipe. Seeds or fenugreek powder are just not the same.
• Kashmiri chili powder – is actually a mild chili powder.

Indulge guilt-free with our mouthwatering Keto Butter Chicken recipe! Creamy and rich, this low-carb twist on a classic Indian favorite combines tender chicken in a luscious tomato and butter sauce, all without the carbs. It’s always a big hit with the family and when entertaining.

Try it this week, it really is a sensational keto curry recipe!

4.96 from 47 votes!

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 25 minutes mins

Total Time: 40 minutes mins

Course: Lunch and Dinner

Cuisine: Indian

Diet: Diabetic, Gluten Free

Recipe Category: Low Carb

Author: Megan Ellam

CHICKEN MARINADE

• ▢ ½ teaspoon (½ teaspoon) ground cumin
• ▢ ½ teaspoon (½ teaspoon) garam masala
• ▢ ½ teaspoon (½ teaspoon) ground turmeric
• ▢ ½ teaspoon (½ teaspoon) Kashmiri chilli powder See notes
• ▢ 70 g (⅓ cups) Greek yoghurt plus extra to serve
• ▢ 900 g (6 cups) chicken breast or thigh fillets (I recommend thigh) cut into 3 -4 cm cubes

CURRY SAUCE

• ▢ 2 tablespoons (2 tablespoons) 40g ghee or melted unsalted butter or coconut oil
• ▢ ½ (½) onion 100g finely minced
• ▢ 2 (2) garlic cloves finely chopped
• ▢ 2 teaspoons (2 teaspoons) ginger paste
• ▢ 2 (2) brown/black cardamom pods bruised. See Notes
• ▢ 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) ground coriander
• ▢ 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) garam masala
• ▢ 2 teaspoons (2 teaspoons) ground turmeric
• ▢ 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) Kashmiri chilli powder See Notes
• ▢ 1 tablespoon (1 tablespoon) fenugreek leaves See Notes
• ▢ 400 g (14 oz) tomatoes crushed
• ▢ 2 tablespoons (2 tablespoons) tomato paste
• ▢ 40 g (1 ⅖ oz) butter
• ▢ 100 g (3 ½ oz) thickened cream or coconut cream. See Notes
• ▢ 3 tablespoons (3 tablespoons) almond meal or use 1 tablespoon of gelatin to thicken
• ▢ Salt and pepper to taste

TO SERVE

• ▢ Fresh coriander leaves cauliflower rice and extra yoghurt
• ▢ Cauliflower Rice

CONVENTIONAL METHOD

• Combine marinade ingredients in a non-reactive bowl coating chicken well. Cover and chill for 1-2 hours or leave overnight.

• Melt ghee in a pan over moderate heat. Add onion, garlic, ginger, cardamom, coriander, garam masala, turmeric, and chilli powder. Stir well and sauté for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.

• Add fenugreek leaves, tomatoes and tomato paste. Bring to a simmer and reduce by a third. Add the chicken to the pan and reduce heat to a low simmer. Simmer chicken for 10-12 minutes or until cooked through.

• Add the butter, cream and almond meal. Stir continuously until the butter has melted and the sauce begins to thicken. Leave to rest, covered, for 10-15 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken. Season to taste. Serve with cauliflower rice, coriander leaves and extra yoghurt.

THERMOMIX METHOD

• Combine marinade ingredients in a non-reactive bowl coating chicken well. Cover and chill for 1-2 hours.

• Place onion and garlic into mixer; chop 3 sec/speed 6. Add the ghee, ginger, cardamom, coriander, garam masala, turmeric, and chilli powder to mixer; cook 2 min/100℃/MC off/stir.

• Add fenugreek leaves, tomatoes and tomato paste; cook 14 min/100℃/MC off/basket on top/stir.

• Add the butter, cream almond meal and chicken. Stir using a spatula to ensure chicken is completely covered in the sauce. Cook 12 min/100℃/basket on top/reverse /stir. Leave to rest, covered, for 10-15 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken. Season to taste. Serve as above.

INSTANT POT OR PRESSURE COOKER METHOD

• Combine marinade ingredients in a non-reactive bowl coating chicken well. Cover and chill for 1-2 hours.

• Add all ingredients to Instant Pot except butter, cream and almond meal. Set Pot to 10 minutes high pressure/naturally release for 10 minutes then release remaining pressure.

• Add the butter, cream and almond meal. Stir continuously until the butter has melted and the sauce is thickened. Leave to rest, covered, for 10-15 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken. Season to taste. Serve with cauliflower rice, coriander leaves and extra yoghurt.

TO SERVE

I recommend a small serving of Cauliflower Rice, extra Greek yoghurt (or our 2 Ingredient Yoghurt) and coriander leaves. Simple and delicious. Serve with Stuffed Keto Naan which you will find in our Keto Breads eBook.

STORING Low carb butter chicken will also store in the fridge for up to 3 days. Otherwise, freeze in individual serves in an airtight container for when you need an easy meal.

INGREDIENTS & SUBSTITUTES

Kashmiri chilli powder is a very mild Indian chilli powder. It adds flavour and colour to the low carb Butter Chicken without adding heat.

Black or brown cardamom pods are available at Indian/Asian grocers and have a different flavour profile than green cardamom pods.

Fenugreek leaves are authentic to a butter chicken gravy. They are completely different to the powder or seeds for adding flavour and I strongly recommend sourcing them and using them in this recipe.

To make dairy free butter chicken or paleo butter chicken recipe replace butter with coconut oil and swap cream to coconut cream. Swap breast or chicken on the bone, if preferred. The chicken can be grilled before adding it to the gravy.

For a vegan butter chicken alternative, use tofu or cauliflower. For more tasty low carb chicken recipes try our Baked Italian Chicken Thighs, Chicken Tikka, Baked Tandoori Chicken or Chicken Korma.

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