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butter chicken recipe vs tikka masala

Butter Chicken Recipe vs Tikka Masala Recipe (Easy Expert Guide)

A simple, expert-friendly guide with two full recipes: a mild, creamy butter chicken and a bold, smoky tikka masala. Clear steps, soft words, and beginner tips.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Resting Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Curry, Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Asian, Indian, Pakistani
Calories: 320
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Ingredient For Butter Chicken
  • 500 g Chicken cut small
  • 2 tbsp Butter
  • 2 pcs Tomato chopped
  • 1 pc Onion sliced
  • 3 cloves Garlic minced
  • 1 tbsp Ginger minced
  • 1 pc Chili optional
  • ½ cup Cream add at end
  • 1 tsp Salt adjust to taste
  • 1 tsp Sugar optional
  • 1 tsp Kasuri methi crushed
Ingredient For Tikka Masala
  • 500 g Chicken
  • ½ cup Yogurt for marination
  • 3 cloves Garlic minced
  • 1 tbsp Ginger minced
  • 1 pc Chili
  • 2 pcs Tomato chopped
  • 1 pc Onion chopped
  • 1 tbsp Masala spice any tikka blend
  • 1 tsp Cumin ground
  • 1 tsp Coriander ground

Equipment

  • 1 Blender For smooth sauces
  • 1 Grill pan or skillet For tikka masala char
  • 1 Frying pan For cooking both dishes
  • 1 Mixing bowl For marination

Method
 

Instruction For Butter Chicken
  1. Marinate chicken with spice, garlic, ginger, and chili.
  2. Cook chicken in a pan until lightly browned.
  3. Cook onion and tomato until soft.
  4. Blend the base to make a smooth sauce.
  5. Strain the sauce for a silky texture.
  6. Add butter and cream to enrich the sauce.
  7. Simmer on low with the cooked chicken.
  8. Serve warm with rice or naan.
Instruction For Tikka Masala
  1. Marinate chicken in yogurt and spice for tenderness.
  2. Char or grill the chicken for a smoky flavor.
  3. Cook onion and spice until fragrant.
  4. Add tomato and blend for a smooth base.
  5. Simmer the sauce with the charred chicken.
  6. Adjust chili and salt to taste.
  7. Serve hot with rice or naan.

Notes

You can use the same base sauce for both dishes. Add more cream for butter chicken and more chili + char for tikka masala. Both freeze well for meal prep.