Butter Chicken Meatballs

A twist on one of your favorite Indian takeout.

I loved my Butter Chicken (Murgh Makhani) recipe so much, I turned it into a meatball dish that’s just as delicious. These Butter Chicken Meatballs deliver the same bold, rich, aromatic flavors as the original, but with juicy chicken meatballs in the iconic creamy, spiced tomato-based sauce. Perfect for meal prepping, yet quick enough to make during the week. All you need is the naan!

WHAT IS BUTTER CHICKEN?

What! You’ve never had Butter Chicken before? Or maybe you have and just need a refresher. Either way, Murgh Makhani is one of my favorite dishes to order when we get Indian food. While it shares similarities with Chicken Tikka Masala, Butter Chicken has a creamier, milder flavor profile. Originating from Northern India, it’s not only one of the easiest and quickest curries to prepare, but also—if you ask me—one of the most delicious. The tomato-based sauce is infused with warm spices like coriander, cumin, and the essential garam masala. It’s generously garnished with cilantro and traditionally served with long-grain rice and naan. If you’re new to Indian cuisine, this is a great place to start.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED FOR BUTTER CHICKEN MEATBALLS

The ingredients for this recipe are split into two categories

CHICKEN MEATBALLS

• Ground Chicken – Ground turkey is a good substitute, though it will result in slightly softer, squishier meatballs.
• Italian Breadcrumbs – Unseasoned, Italian breadcrumbs.
• Egg
• Garlic – Fresh only!
• Garam Masala – Never used garam masala before? It’s a great spice blend to keep in the pantry. Typically made from ground cinnamon, cloves, cumin, cardamom, coriander, nutmeg, mace, and bay leaf, it’s commonly used in Indian cooking. Garam masala has an earthy, aromatic flavor and can vary in spice level depending on the brand. For this recipe, I recommend The Spice House; their blend is well-balanced and won’t overpower the dish.
• Greek Yogurt – Unflavored and thick. Think Fage.
• Cumin
• Coriander
• Sweet Paprika – Use sweet, not smoked, paprika. If the packaging doesn’t specify, it’s most likely sweet.
• Onion Powder – To keep these meatballs smooth and tender, we’re swapping out fresh minced onions for onion powder.

SAUCE + SERVING

• Crushed Tomatoes – Don’t worry about the chunks—the sauce will be blended. I find crushed tomatoes offer a better flavor than purée or diced. Try to find plain, unseasoned crushed tomatoes, though I’ve used the “basil” seasoned ones plenty of times and the dish still turns out great.
• Garlic – Fresh only!
• Onion – Yellow, Spanish or Vidalia all work.
• Garam Masala
• Cumin
• Coriander
• Sweet Paprika
• Heavy Cream
• Cilantro
• Butter
• Basmati Rice – You can’t have Indian food without the iconic long-grain basmati rice. That said, any medium to long-grain rice will work in a pinch.
• Naan or Pita Bread – *Optional (but is it really?).

TOOLS NEEDED

• Blender or Immersion Blender – The final sauce is smooth, rich, and velvety—and to achieve that consistency, you’ll need to run it through a blender. I’m usually not a fan of using a traditional blender, but it does have its perks. Either a traditional blender or an immersion blender will work, so go with whichever you prefer.

HOW TO MAKE BUTTER CHICKEN MEATBALLS

Assemble the Meatballs – In a bowl, combine the ground chicken, breadcrumbs, egg, Greek yogurt, grated garlic, and all the meatball spices. Add a generous pinch of kosher salt and mix with your hands until fully combined. Make sure there are no visible breadcrumbs or pockets of spices, but avoid over mixing.

Divide the mixture into 16 equal meatballs. Cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and refrigerate until ready to cook.

Start the Base – In a sauté pan over low heat, melt the butter. Once hot, add the onions and garlic and cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and fragrant. Add the spices and cook for another 1–2 minutes to let them bloom. Pour in the crushed tomatoes and simmer on low, covered, for 10 minutes.

Once the sauce has finished simmering, remove it from the heat. You can either use an immersion blender directly in the pan or carefully transfer the sauce to a traditional blender and blend until smooth. Both methods work—an immersion blender is more convenient, but a traditional blender tends to yield a smoother consistency. Once blended, stir in the heavy cream.

Add the Chicken + Simmer – Add the chicken meatballs directly into the sauce. What!? No searing first? Nope! Simmering them in the sauce keeps them juicy, and honestly, the payoff from searing just isn’t worth the extra time here.

Cover the pan with a lid and simmer on low. About 6 minutes in, gently flip the meatballs and continue cooking for another 5–6 minutes, or until they’re cooked through.

Garlic + Serve – Top with a generous amount of chopped cilantro and serve these butter chicken meatballs over some basmati rice and warm naan.

RECIPE VIDEO

STORING/REHEATING

Butter Chicken Meatballs can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3–4 days. This is a great recipe to meal prep at the beginning of the week—not only do the bold flavors hold up well, but it’s also super easy to reheat. Simply warm the meatballs in a saucepan over low heat until heated through, or microwave in 30-second intervals until hot.