Wednesday 18 March 2015

'You-Won't-Believe-There's-No-Butter' Chicken

I love Butter Chicken but as my decade long dairy allergy strengthens, all the butter and cream in this popular Indian dish doesn't love me.  With the cost of eating out on the rise and the struggle to find good dairy-free dishes, I experimented for months on this recipe until I got the quantities right for a tasty version of Butter Chicken without any dairy.

This dish takes literally minutes to make and no skills are required.  My kids love it and it owes its gentle balance of flavors to amazing spices, good quality coconut milk, the sweetness of the carrot contrasted with the tanginess of the tomato paste.

I prefer chicken thighs over chicken breast because they are more tender and are a more flavorful part of the chicken so there is no need to marinate before cooking - a real time saver!  This sauce is so great that you can just add veggies and/or chickpeas for a meat-free curry. 

I'm pretty proud of this recipe and I hope you enjoy it!





  • 2 Tbsps. coconut oil
  • 1 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1 tsp. ground coriander
  • 1 tsp. garam masala
  • 1/2 tsp. turmeric
  • 1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
  • 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
  • 2 tsps. sweet paprika
  • 500g. chicken thighs, cut in chunks
  • 1 cup of carrot, grated
  • 50 g. of tomato paste
  • 1 - 400ml can of coconut milk
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • chopped fresh coriander or parsley to garnish (optional)

In a medium-sized pot, heat the coconut oil; add spices and chunks of chicken. Cook for two minutes until the chicken is lightly browned. Next add the grated carrot and sauté for another two minutes. Finally, add the coconut milk, tomato paste and salt; stir.  Simmer gently for five to ten minutes until all the flavors have combined.

Serve over basmati or cauliflower rice.  Garnish with fresh chopped coriander or parsley.  Serves four.

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