Cheat’s Butter Chicken with naan and lime wedges - 1 Cheat’s Butter Chicken with naan and lime wedges - 2

This Cheat’s Butter Chicken is the ultimate shortcut to an indulgent and comforting dish! It’s made with juicy rotisserie chicken, which cuts your cooking time down to just 15 minutes, without sacrificing any of the rich, creamy flavour you love. The aromatic spices, silky cream, and tangy yoghurt come together to create a mouth-watering sauce that’s perfect for serving with naan, roti, or rice. It’s simple, satisfying, and makes for a quick, fuss-free weeknight dinner. What’s not to love?

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50g butter

3 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed

1 cinnamon stick

1 tbsp finely grated ginger

2 garlic cloves, finely grated

250ml tomato puree or tomato passata

½ tbsp Kashmiri red chilli powder*

1 tsp sweet paprika

1 tbsp sugar

1 tsp sea salt

1 x rotisserie chicken, breast meat cut into 3cm chunks*

½ cup cream

2 tbsp natural yoghurt mixed with 2 tsp water, to serve

Kasoori methi* (dried fenugreek leaves), to serve

Naan or roti bread and/or rice, to serve

Finely sliced red onion, to serve

Finely sliced green chilli, to serve

Lime wedges, to serve

  • Melt the butter in a large, deep frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the crushed cardamom pods and cinnamon stick, cooking for about 1 minute until aromatic. Stir in the ginger and garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
  • Add the tomato puree, along with the Kashmiri red chilli powder, paprika, sugar, and salt. Stir, then reduce the heat to a simmer for 10 minutes, occasionally stirring, until the sauce becomes rich and full of flavour.
  • Add the chicken to the sauce and gently toss to coat. Pour in the cream and stir through until warmed through.
  • To serve, drizzle the yoghurt over the chicken and sprinkle with kasoori methi. Serve with naan and/or rice, red onion, green chilli, and lime wedges.
  • Notes: – Kashmiri chilli powder is key to achieving that beautiful colour and smoky depth in this dish. If you can’t find it, substitute with regular chilli powder and a little sweet paprika. – Kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves) is a must for that authentic flavour. You can find it at Indian grocers or online, but dried mint can be a good substitute if you’re in a pinch.