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Roasting the marinated chicken in the oven instead of grilling it on skewers, the way restaurant butter chicken traditionally starts, is what makes this realistic to batch for five days of lunches at once. The tomato-cream sauce is what actually defines the dish, so as long as that's made properly, the shortcut on the chicken barely registers.
Prep Time
40 min
Cook Time
30 min
Servings
4 people
Difficulty
medium
Per serving
500kcal
Calories
30g
Protein
46g
Carbs
24g
Fat
2g
Fiber
8g
Sugar
Follow step-by-step with voice guidance.
In a bowl, mix the yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, red chili powder, turmeric, and a pinch of salt. Add the chicken pieces, coating thoroughly, and marinate for at least 30 minutes (up to overnight).
Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Spread the marinated chicken on the baking sheet and roast for 18-20 minutes, until charred at the edges and cooked through.
Meanwhile, heat the butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook for 4-5 minutes, until softened.
Add the minced garlic and grated ginger, cooking for 1 minute, then stir in the tomato puree, garam masala, and a pinch of salt. Simmer for 8-10 minutes, until thickened.
Blend the tomato mixture until smooth using an immersion blender, then return to low heat.
Stir in the heavy cream and honey, and simmer for 3-4 minutes.
Add the roasted chicken to the sauce, tossing to coat, and simmer for another 2-3 minutes to warm through.
Cook the rice according to package instructions.
Divide the rice and butter chicken evenly among meal-prep containers, garnishing with fresh coriander.
Roast, Don't Grill, for Efficient Batching: Cooking all the marinated chicken at once on a sheet pan in the oven is far quicker than grilling skewers in batches, without losing much of the characteristic char. Blend the Sauce for Restaurant-Style Smoothness: Blending the cooked tomato mixture until smooth before adding the cream is what gives butter chicken its signature velvety texture rather than a chunky tomato base. Cool Completely Before Sealing: Letting the finished dish cool to room temperature before closing meal-prep containers prevents condensation that can water down the rich sauce.
Yes, shredded rotisserie or leftover roast chicken can be simmered directly in the finished sauce for the last few minutes, skipping the marinating and roasting steps entirely to save time.
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