By Nik, founder of 東歐嚴選｜kefir.link and former chef · Updated 2 November 2026
Butter chicken is North India's mild, silky curry: tender chicken in a thick red tomato gravy that is creamy and faintly sweet. Here milk kefir does the work of both yogurt and cream, first tenderising the chicken in the marinade and then turning the sauce smooth and gently tangy. Butter, garam masala and a little cane sugar keep the warm, rounded flavour the dish is loved for.
A Delhi curry born from leftover tandoori chicken
Butter chicken is closely tied to a restaurant in Old Delhi, and its fame grew in the 1950s, although several families still argue over who created it. The best-known story says it began as a way to use up leftover tandoori chicken by stirring it into a tomato sauce rich in butter. The early versions used bone-in chicken, crushed fresh tomatoes, very little spice beyond garam masala and a finish of freshly churned butter.
Today it is known as a dish of the Punjabi kitchen and is a reliable choice for a dinner party. Unlike chicken tikka masala, which is hotter and cooked with onions in oil, butter chicken has no onions, so the sauce stays mellow and silky.
Why fermented kefir beats milk and lemon
Indian cooks often leave chicken in a spiced yogurt marinade for four to six hours, preferably overnight. The acid in fermented dairy changes the structure of the meat's proteins and helps them hold on to water, while salt reduces the moisture lost during cooking. Kefir behaves the same way, so the chicken stays juicy in the pan. Milk soured with lemon juice is not a true substitute, because it lacks the lactic acid that fermentation produces.
A thick, smooth sauce without cream
Milk kefir is thinner than yogurt, so tomato paste gives the sauce its body. Kefir can split in a hot sauce, which is why it goes in at the end, off the heat, and the sauce is only warmed gently afterwards without bubbling. Serve it with basmati rice or naan and a simple cucumber and tomato salad. If you prefer a vegetarian version, cubes of paneer can replace the chicken.
Kefir butter chicken
Ingredients
Chicken and marinade
- 900 g chicken thighs Boneless and skinless; cut into pieces about 2.5 cm across.
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 3 garlic cloves Finely chopped.
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger Grate before measuring.
- 120 ml plain whole-milk kefir Unsweetened.
- 2 tsp garam masala Available at Indian grocery shops.
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1½ tsp sea salt
- 1 pinch ground black pepper
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
Sauce
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter Or the same amount of ghee.
- 4 tsp unrefined cane sugar Or the same amount of coconut sugar.
- 150 g tomato paste
- 120 ml plain water
- 240 ml plain whole-milk kefir Unsweetened.
Optional garnish
- 1 small handful fresh coriander (about 10 g) Finely chopped; omit if preferred.
You will need
- Mixing bowl with a lid
- Deep, heavy-bottomed frying pan with a lid
- Knife and chopping board
- Kitchen scale, measuring jug and measuring spoons
- Cooking spoon
- Food thermometer
- Fine grater
Instructions
Marinate and cook
- Mix the chicken and all the marinade ingredients in the bowl so every piece is coated.
- Cover and marinate in the refrigerator at 4°C (40°F) or below for at least 4 hours or overnight, but no longer than 24 hours.
- Melt the butter in the deep frying pan over low heat.
- Cook the chicken and all its marinade in the pan over high heat for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Over low heat, stir in the sugar, tomato paste and 120 ml water until evenly mixed.
- When small bubbles appear, cover and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking and keeping the sauce at a gentle bubble.
- Use a food thermometer to check that the centres of the thickest chicken pieces reach at least 74°C (165°F); cook longer if needed.
- Take the pan off the heat and stir in the 240 ml kefir for the sauce until smooth; warm it gently if needed, without letting the sauce bubble.
- Sprinkle with the chopped coriander, if using, once the pan is off the heat.
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