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Recipe Index Chicken

Easy Dairy Free Butter

Chicken
This Easy Dairy-Free Butter Chicken is the
perfect Indian-style easy weeknight meal
with no dairy! Healthy ingredients & better
than take-out!
BY CHRISSIE
MODIFIED: 01/20/23


 JUMP TO RECIPE VIDEO

+ 4.9/5

This Easy Dairy-Free Butter Chicken

is the perfect Indian-style easy
weeknight meal that’s made with
healthy, whole-food ingredients –
and no dairy! Serve it with rice and
naan bread for an easy meal that’s
better than take-out

easydairyfree
BUTTERCHICKEN

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Table of contents
• Easy Dairy Free Butter Chicken
• Easy Dairy Free Butter Chicken
Meal Prep Tips
• What to serve with this Easy Dairy
Free Butter Chicken Recipe
• Kitchen items needed for this
recipe
• Ingredients for Dairy Free Butter
Chicken
• How to Make Butter Chicken (Dairy-
Free)

Easy Dairy Free Butter Chicken

This Easy Dairy Free Butter Chicken
is one of my family’s favourite
weeknight meals lately and I just
know you’ll love it as much as we
do!

Easy Dairy Free Butter Chicken Meal

Prep Tips
One of the ways I solve busy
weeknight meal dilemmas is meal
prep, and this Easy Dairy Free Butter
Chicken recipe is awesome for
prepping ahead of time because it’s
one of those recipes that tastes
even better on day 2! I often make a
skillet full of it and place it in
containers in the fridge to heat
up throughout the week.

If you have an extra big skillet or

pot, this is a great recipe to double
and then freeze half for later in
single or family-size servings.

What to serve with this Easy Dairy

Free Butter Chicken Recipe
These are two of our favourite
recipes to serve with this butter
chicken:

Easy Homemade Naan Bread

Easy Coconut Lime Rice

www.thebusybaker.ca

Kitchen items needed for this recipe

One of my absolute favourite
kitchen items for prepping easy
weeknight meals is my basic cast
iron skillet. I use it almost every day
and I’ve had it for years – it has
never failed me. If you don’t have
one and you’re looking to add an
inexpensive cast iron skillet to your
kitchen, I’d recommend this basic
12-inch Lodge Cast Iron Skillet
(affiliate link). It won’t break the
bank, it’s easy to use, clean and
store, and it’s perfect for searing
meats or cooking dishes that go
from the stovetop to the oven to the
table. It’s truly an essential item in
my kitchen!!

We also recommend these kitchen

items for this recipe (affiliate links):

a large heavy bottom frying pan

with a lid
a microplane zester for grating
ginger
a garlic press
a sharp chef’s knife
a sturdy cutting board
a wooden spatula or other
similar utensil
measuring spoons

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Looking for more East Asian

inspired dishes? You’ll love my
Easy Lentil Daal Curry recipe
recipe,, or
this One Pan Coconut Curry Shrimp
recipe
recipe!!

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Ingredients for Dairy Free

Butter Chicken
olive oil
onion
fresh garlic
fresh ginger
ground turmeric
garam masala
ground cumin
chili powder
red pepper flakes
ground cinnamon
lime juice
carrot
red bell pepper
boneless skinless chicken
thighs
salt
ground black pepper
canned coconut milk
canned tomato sauce

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How to Make Butter Chicken

(Dairy-Free)
Time needed: 40 minutes.
Follow these tips for the perfect
dairy-free butter chicken

[. Choose the right pan.

Use a large skillet or frying pan
with a lid for this recipe.
]. Develop the flavours.
The spices in this recipe create
the most delicious flavour. Toast
them well as you cook the
veggies to bring out their
flavours.
^. Choose chicken thighs.
Chicken thighs are the best cut
of chicken for this recipe
because they won’t become
tough or dry as they cook in the
sauce – they’ll stay tender and
juicy.
_. Choose a high quality
coconut milk.
Choose a can of coconut milk
that’s high quality with a high fat
content (don’t use light coconut
milk for this recipe). This will
ensure the butter chicken sauce
is creamy and thick and full of
flavour.
a. Serve with rice.
Choose your favourite rice to
serve with this butter chicken
 recipe – we love basmati or
jasmine rice!

Is butter chicken spicy?

What is butter chicken?

Is butter chicken
healthy?

FREE Easy
Weeknight Meal
Solutions Guide!
Tips & strategies for
simplifying dinner time!

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I hope you love this delicious recipe

as much as we do! Let me know in
the comments below, what’s your
favourite easy weeknight meal? I’d
love to know!

Looking for more delicious recipes

like this? You’ll LOVE these:

Easy One Pan Coconut Curry

Shrimp
Easy One Pan Lentil Daal Curry
Classic Dairy-Free Garlic Mashed
Potatoes (Vegan)
Vegan Banana Bread
Paprika Chicken Sheet Pan
Dinner
Italian Sausage Sheet Pan Dinner
Easy One Pan Coconut Curry
Shrimp
Creamy Instant Pot Mashed
Potatoes

LOOKING FOR MORE EASY

WEEKNIGHT MEAL IDEAS?
Get my Quick and Easy 4-Week Meal
Plan Guide!
Click HERE to learn more!

Easy Dairy Free Butter Chicken

Recipe Video
Watch the video below to see
exactly how I make this delicious
recipe. You can find more
deliciously simple recipe tutorials
on my YouTube channel.

IF YOU MADE THIS, SHARE A

PHOTO!

Are you trying this recipe? Use the

comment form below to share your
take; now with support for image
uploads and comment voting!

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Easy Dairy-Free Butter Chicken

This Easy Dairy-Free Butter Chicken
is the perfect Indian-style easy
weeknight meal with no dairy!
Healthy ingredients & better than
take-out!

4.94 PRINT
FROM 16 VOTES
BY CHRISSIE

YIELD PREP COOK

8 servings 10 mins 30 mins

Learn more

Ingredients SCALE: 0.5X 1X 2X

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion diced
5 cloves garlic finely minced
1 tablespoon grated ginger
1 tablespoon ground turmeric
1 tablespoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons lime juice
1 large carrot diced
1 red bell pepper diced
2 pounds boneless skinless
chicken thighs cut into 1-inch
chunks
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black
pepper
15 ounce canned coconut milk
15 ounces canned tomato sauce
chopped cilantro, rice and naan
bread for serving

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US CUSTOMARY METRIC

Instructions
[. Heat a large heavy-bottom skillet
over medium-high heat and add
the olive oil.
]. Once the skillet is heated add
the onion and garlic. Saute for a
moment, until fragrant.
^. Add the ginger, turmeric, garam
masala, cumin, chili powder, red
pepper flakes, cinnamon and
lime juice. Stir everything around
to toast the spices.
_. Add the carrots and red pepper,
and saute until the vegetables
are slightly soft.

a. Season the chicken pieces with

salt and pepper and add them to
the skillet with the veggies,
stirring everything together well
as the chicken begins to cook.
l. Add the tomato sauce and
coconut milk and stir well to
combine.
m. Reduce the heat to medium and
cover the skillet, letting the
chicken cook for about 15
minutes, or until the chicken is
cooked through completely.
Remove the lid and cook for an
additional 5 minutes or so,
reducing the sauce slightly.

n. Serve over cooked rice with some

fresh cilantro, and naan bread
(optional).

Notes
Prepare in advance as a meal prep
recipe and store in an airtight
container in the fridge until ready to
serve (keeps for up to 3 days).
C O U R S E : Main Course, Main Dish
C U I S I N E : Asian, Dairy-free, Dinner, Family Meal, Indian,
Weeknight Meal
K E Y W O R D S : Butter Chicken Recipe, Dairy Free Butter
CHicken, Easy Dairy-Free Butter Chicken

Nutrition

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uploads and comment voting!

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42 Comments
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OLDEST 

AUTHOR: DARA
Posted: 2 Years Ago

I have been craving Indian food lately, so

thanks for this delicious recipe!

0 REPLY

AUTHOR: POL
Posted: 2 Years Ago

I’ve made this Butter Chicken recipe twice

now. So delicious and easy to make.

0 REPLY

AUTHOR: CHRISSIE AUTHOR

Posted: 2 Years Ago

I’m glad you like it!!

0 REPLY

AUTHOR: MEGHAN MCMORROW

Posted: 2 Years Ago

Wonderful recipe! My husband declared it

to be his new favorite. Tastes just like
restaurant quality, you won’t be
disappointed.

1 REPLY

AUTHOR: CHRISSIE AUTHOR

Posted: 2 Years Ago

I’m SO glad!!

0 REPLY

AUTHOR: ELA
Posted: 2 Years Ago

Great recipe! As good as we get in Indian

restaurants. Delicious!

0 REPLY

AUTHOR: NAZAR VESELOVICH

Posted: 2 Years Ago

Thank you for this recipe! I love curry but

never cook it at home. This was even better
than ordering in. Next time I’ll double the
recipe so there are more leftovers.

0 REPLY

AUTHOR: CHRISSIE AUTHOR

 Posted: 2 Years Ago

I’m so glad you enjoyed it!!

0 REPLY

AUTHOR: MOLLY
Posted: 2 Years Ago

I made this last night and it was very

tastey.

0 REPLY

AUTHOR: CHRISSIE AUTHOR

Posted: 2 Years Ago

So glad you liked it!

0 REPLY

AUTHOR: JANICE SMITH

Posted: 2 Years Ago

Where is the butter?

0 REPLY

AUTHOR: ANA (THE BUSY

BAKER TEAM)
EDITOR

Posted: 2 Years Ago

As this is a dairy free version of the

dish, all fats that give the sauce its
classic creamy texture come from
the coconut milk.

1 REPLY

AUTHOR: DANIEL OLSEN

Posted: 2 Years Ago

Love the recipes. Too much advertising and

pop up freaking cooking videos that I could
care less about.
Goodbye.

0 REPLY

AUTHOR: ANA (THE BUSY

BAKER TEAM)
EDITOR

Posted: 2 Years Ago

I’m sorry that you had a bad

experience, unfortunately in order to
keep offering free recipes to my
readers, the ads are necessary to
cover the cost of running the
website. Thanks for your feedback,
as I am always adjusting the
frequency of the ads on my website. I
hope you stick around and keep
enjoying the free recipes!

1 REPLY

AUTHOR: BREE
Posted: 2 Years Ago

Could I use a slow cooker to make this?

0 REPLY

AUTHOR: CHRISSIE AUTHOR

Posted: 2 Years Ago

I’d recommend making it on the

stove top and then transferring to a
slow cooker to cook on low to finish
cooking. The liquid amounts in slow
cooker recipes are often different
than stove-top ones, so it might end
up being very liquidy if you made it
in the slow cooker.

0 REPLY

AUTHOR: GARU
Posted: 2 Years Ago

Would like it to be a bit more spicy.

0 REPLY

AUTHOR: CHRISSIE AUTHOR

Posted: 2 Years Ago

Feel free to add some extra spice to

your taste!

0 REPLY

AUTHOR: CYNTHIA B.
Posted: 2 Years Ago

I was looking for a dairy free chicken recipe

that was tasty and easy….this fits the bill,
even better than I expected Yummm!

0 REPLY

AUTHOR: ANA (THE BUSY

BAKER TEAM)
EDITOR

Posted: 2 Years Ago

I’m so glad you liked it! Happy

cooking!

0 REPLY

AUTHOR: KRISTEN
Posted: 1 Year Ago

Seriously amazing. I followed the recipe

exactly and this is now my favorite dish
thank you so much!!!

0 REPLY

AUTHOR: MADALINA (THE

BUSY BAKER TEAM)
EDITOR

Posted: 1 Year Ago

You’re welcome Kristen!!

0 REPLY

AUTHOR: SARAH
Posted: 1 Year Ago

I’m looking forward to trying this. Just

wondering what you mean by “canned
tomato sauce” — do you mean crushed
tomatoes, pasta sauce, tomato paste, etc.?

0 REPLY

AUTHOR: ANA (THE BUSY

BAKER TEAM)
EDITOR

Posted: 1 Year Ago

Crushed tomatoes or tomato

passata works just fine. Let us know
how it turned out!

0 REPLY

AUTHOR: IVONNE
Posted: 1 Year Ago

Made this today for me and my boyfriend’s

lunch. Very flavorful! Unfortunately he
couldn’t taste it since his normal taste and
smell haven’t gone back to normal since
getting covid. I kept assuring him it’s
amazing haha. Thank you for sharing this
recipe : ) <3

0 REPLY

AUTHOR: ANA (THE BUSY

BAKER TEAM)
EDITOR

Posted: 1 Year Ago

I’m so happy you enjoyed it! Thank

you for taking the time to leave your
feedback! Get well soon!

0 REPLY

AUTHOR: ROSS R
Posted: 1 Year Ago

10s across the board!

0 REPLY

AUTHOR: ANA (THE BUSY

BAKER TEAM)
EDITOR

Posted: 1 Year Ago

I’m so happy you enjoyed it! Thank

you for taking the time to leave your
feedback!

0 REPLY

AUTHOR: KC
Posted: 11 Months Ago

Hi there, have you tried freezing this after

cooking? I could always half the recipe but
don’t want to waste the extra ingredients,
ie half a can of coconut milk.

0 REPLY

AUTHOR: ANA (THE BUSY

BAKER TEAM)
EDITOR

Posted: 11 Months Ago

Yes! You can keep it for up to 3

months in an airtight container in
the freezer!

0 REPLY

AUTHOR: CAROLINE
Posted: 11 Months Ago

Hello is this gluten free?

0 REPLY

AUTHOR: ANA (THE BUSY

BAKER TEAM)
EDITOR

Posted: 10 Months Ago

As long as the tomato sauce you’re

using is gluten free, yes!

0 REPLY

AUTHOR: SHANNON
Posted: 9 Months Ago

Magnificent! This dish was delicious and

warm! Perfect flavour combination!

0 REPLY

AUTHOR: ANA (THE BUSY

BAKER TEAM)
EDITOR

Posted: 9 Months Ago

We’re so happy you enjoyed it! Thank

you for taking the time to leave your
feedback! You can try pairing it with
our easy lime coconut rice
https://thebusybaker.ca/easy-
coconut-lime-rice/

0 REPLY

AUTHOR: REBECCAH
Posted: 5 Months Ago

My son helped me make this and it was a

success all around. 3 year old loved it too.
We’ll definitely make it again!

0 REPLY

AUTHOR: ANA (THE BUSY

BAKER TEAM)
EDITOR

Posted: 5 Months Ago

We’re so happy you enjoyed it! Thank

you for taking the time to leave your
feedback!

0 REPLY

AUTHOR: JENNIFER HOWARD

Posted: 5 Months Ago

Great recipe, 2nd time making this for my

family. Thank you!

0 REPLY

AUTHOR: ANA (THE BUSY

BAKER TEAM)
EDITOR

Posted: 5 Months Ago

We’re so happy you enjoyed it! Thank

you for taking the time to leave your
feedback!

0 REPLY

AUTHOR: GENNY
Posted: 5 Months Ago

Sooo good my daughter is a picky eater and

ate a bowl serving.

0 REPLY

AUTHOR: ANA (THE BUSY

BAKER TEAM)
EDITOR

Posted: 5 Months Ago

We’re so happy you and your

daughter enjoyed it!Thank you for
taking the time to leave your
feedback!

0 REPLY

AUTHOR: KIRSTEN
Posted: 2 Months Ago

Delicious and so easy to make. Thanks for

the great dairy free recipe! Will be a regular
on our rotation.

0 REPLY

AUTHOR: ANA (THE BUSY

BAKER TEAM)
EDITOR

Posted: 2 Months Ago

We’re so happy you enjoyed it! Thank

you for taking the time to leave your
feedback!

0 REPLY

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