This vegan butter chicken (murgh makhani) is a delicious lightly-spiced combination of tangy yoghurt and sweet tomatoes, with butter and cashew cream to add a decadent richness. It's definitely not an everyday recipe... but it's perfect for celebrations and special occasions!
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I recently made this show-stopping, protein-packed curry for my oldest friend, Sue, when she recently came over to stay with me. A confirmed omnivore and self-confessed foodie, she absolutely loved this!
Do you remember a little while ago I mentioned in my bagels post that when I was 18, I did some photoshoots with a photographer called Anita Corbin? Anita is currently following-up her 1981 Visible Girls exhibition, with Visible Girls Revisited (the new exhibition is touring Europe for the next three years), and wanted to come over to Slovenia to re-shoot me. Since the VG shoot we did 36 years ago also involved Sue, she came over to Slovenia as well.
Because I've been moving around a lot, although we'd kept in touch, Sue and I hadn't actually seen each other for around 24 years!
I know, right!
As soon as the doors opened in the arrivals lounge, the past 40 years melted away, and we were our teenage selves again. It was brilliant! We had four days of shooting and hanging out, and I have to tell you that it was the best.
What is Butter Chicken?
This Punjabi dish is essentially tandoori chicken to which a rich and creamy, buttery tomato-based gravy has been added.
Although tandoors (bell-shaped clay ovens, sunk into the ground) have been used to cook food since the time of the Mughal dynasty (1526-1707), it took one enterprising restaurateur, Kundan Lal Gujral, to put the now world-famous tandoori chicken on the global gastronomy map.
Gujral is also credited with inventing butter chicken at his Moti Mahal restaurant, in Delhi, shortly after the partition of India in 1947.
There are plenty of amazing vegan substitutes around for chicken and dairy, so if you don't want to make your own butter or chikkin (as I shall henceforth be calling it!), there are plenty of options available in supermarkets and online.
I actually wrote this recipe almost 20 years ago – or rather, the tandoori marinade part - when I was volunteering at a primary school in Britain.
The upper school (years 5 & 6) did a world food project one summer, and each of the three classes studied a different part of the world; African countries, India, and The Caribbean. At the end of the summer term, each class dressed in a manner representing the country they’d studied, and performed games, music, dances, and plays relating to each one.
We invited parents, helpers, and school governors on each of the last three Fridays of term to come and sample some typical food. This is one of the recipes I devised... although at the time, it didn’t involve seitan, it was for chicken. It proved to be a great hit with pupils and adults alike, and the kids loved cooking it too.
Obviously, this is a scaled-down version – the original was for 120 people! I’ve also updated it to reflect my somewhat more authentic knowledge and experience of cooking Indian food.
Making Vegan Murgh Makhani
It may look like a lot of ingredients and steps but like all Indian food, this vegan butter chicken is actually incredibly simple to make, although it does take a little bit of time to prep.
If you’ve made any of my other Indian recipes, however, you’ll know that the basics don’t really change much. The main difference with this dish is that the chikkin is marinated and grilled before being added to the gravy, which is really what takes the time. But it’s mostly inactive time, not time you need to spend slaving over a hot stove!
If you like this vegan butter chicken recipe, why not check out these other Indian yums while you're here?
Vegan Butter Chicken
Is...
- mildly-spiced
- rich
- creamy
- tangy
- packed with protein
- full of vitamins
- easy to make
- satisfying
- filling
- delicious
- incredibly more-ish!
Everyone I've ever cooked this for loves it - I bet you will too! Why not serve it with some of my vegan naan?
Enjoy this vegan butter chicken!
📖 Recipe
Vegan Butter Chicken (Murgh Makhani)
Ingredients
For the marinade:
- 250 g plain dairy-free yoghurt
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 2 cloves garlic smashed
- 5 cm piece ginger root, chopped
- 1 large green chilli chopped
- 6 green cardamom pods seeds only
- 2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon jaggery chopped
- 1 Indian bay leaf (tej patta)
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 500 g seitan chikkin (recipe below)
For the gravy:
- 2 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin seed
- 1 large onion finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic
- 5 cm ginger root
- 1 large tomato finely chopped
- 125 g passata
- remaining chikkin marinade
- 25 g vegan butter or margarine
- 2 tablespoon cashew cream
- 1 teaspoon dried kasuri methi (fenugreek leaves)
- Sea salt to taste
Instructions
Make the marinade:
- In a blender or food processor, blitz together all the marinade ingredients for a few seconds, until you have a smoothish cream. It doesn't matter if it has a few bits in it.
- Cut the chikkin into bite-size pieces, and add to the marinade, mixing well to make sure that every piece is well-coated.
- Cover the bowl with cling film, and leave in the ‘fridge for at least two hours. (I leave it overnight so that the flavours really develop well.)
Grill the chikkin:
- Heat up a grill pan over a high heat until it’s really hot, then cook the marinated chikkin pieces for a few minutes, turning over to char each side.
Make the gravy:
- While the chikkin is grilling, heat the oil in a wok, kadai, or large skillet, and once it’s hot, add the cumin seeds. Splutter for 30 seconds.
- Add the onions, and sauté for five minutes or so, until they start to become translucent.
- While the onions are cooking, pound (or blitz) the garlic and ginger together to make a paste.
- Mix the garlic paste into the onions, and cook - stirring all the time - for another five minutes, until the smell of raw garlic has gone.
- Add the tomato, reduce the heat, and cook for 5 minutes, until the paste begins to come cleanly away from the side of the pan.
- Stir in the passata, and cook for another 10 minutes.
- Mix the remaining chikkin marinade with the gravy, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- If you want, at this stage, you can blitz the gravy to make it smooth, then return to the pan. (I don't but you might like a smoother gravy.)
- Mix in the butter and cashew cream (reserving 1 teaspoon butter for finishing). Stir until the butter has melted.
- Add the grilled chikkin, and simmer for 5 minutes, to warm through.
- Add the methi by rubbing the dried leaves between your palms over the gravy. Stir in. (Doing it this way releases the fenugreek oil, and adds more flavour and fragrance to the finished dish.)
- Taste, season with salt if necessary, and serve.
- Store any leftovers for up to a week in an airtight container in the ‘fridge.
Notes
- Butter chicken is traditionally served with naan or kulcha but it’s entirely up to you whether you have it with rice, roti, paratha, chapati, etc.
- Kashmiri chilli may look fiery but it’s actually quite mild. Its vibrant colour belies its true nature.
- If you don't have jaggery, you can use coconut palm sugar, or dark brown instead.
- Indian bay leaves (tej patta) are not interchangeable with Mediterranean ones, so if you don't have tej patta, don't be tempted to sub your usual bay leaves - just omit from the recipe.
- Yes, this is quite high in sodium. No, it's not an everyday dish.
- If you don't have a grill pan or electric grill, you can char the chikkin under a normal grill (broiler/toaster oven). A George Foreman-type grill also works very well, and it means you don’t have to turn the chikkin pieces over.
- store-bought seitan
- Butler soy curls
- dried soya chunks
- dried beancurd skin (yuba)
- extra firm tofu
- 1 cup = US cup = 240 ml
- 1 tablespoon = US/UK = 15 ml
- 1 fl oz = US = 30 ml
📖 Recipe
How to Make Seitan 'Chicken'
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients:
- 200 g extra-firm tofu
- 150 ml vegetable broth
- 1 tablespoon white miso paste
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Dry Ingredients:
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary needles
- 150 g vital wheat gluten
- 2 tablespoon nutritional yeast flakes
- 2 tablespoon dried onion flakes
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
Instructions
- Press the tofu to remove as much moisture as possible. I find the best way to do this is by wrapping it in plenty of kitchen roll, then using my body weight to press down on it. It doesn't matter if the tofu breaks or starts to crumble.
- Blitz the wet ingredients together in a blender until smooth and creamy.
- Place the dry ingredients into a large bowl, stir together, then add the wet.
- Mix in very well, ensuring there are no pockets of flour.
- Knead for 3-5 minutes to activate the gluten – the dough will feel firm and springy.
- Set aside to rest for 5 minutes.
- Divide into two, shape into logs, and tightly wrap each one in thick aluminium foil, making sure that the ends are well-sealed.
- Steam for 60 minutes. (see notes)
- Remove from the steamer, and without unwrapping, allow the chikkin to cool down to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least three hours, to firm up.
Notes
- If you don't have an electric steamer, take a large pan, place a steamer basket (or colander) inside, then add enough water to just touch the bottom of the basket. Cover the pan with a lid, and bring the water to a boil. Reduce the heat, place the chikkin logs into the basket, replace the lid, and steam on a low heat. I use this ZEAL Silicone Food and Vegetable Steamer, which is lightweight and portable, and fits inside my rucksack. It's been travelling the world with me for years!
- Alternatively, you could wrap the chikkin in some baking parchment or muslin, then wrap the whole thing in cling film. Put a couple of litres of water into a large pan, along with a carrot, an onion, and a couple of bay leaves. Cover the pan, bring the broth to the boil, add the chikkin, and then simmer, covered, for an hour, turning over halfway through.
- 1 cup = US cup = 240 ml
- 1 tablespoon = US/UK = 15 ml
- 1 fl oz = US = 30 ml
Jennifer
Thank you very much for this! We have made it today and was superb! So many flavours in a dish.. Incredible!
We have noted down this blog and will have it as a reference for our vegan meals.
Greetings from Barcelona,
Jennifer
Nico
I am really happy you enjoyed it, Jennifer - thank you so much for letting me know. I have to admit that it's one of our favourites here! xx
Claudia
sounds absolute mouthwatering, Nico! And Iove the photos of you ...well done!!!
Nico
Aww, thank you so much, Claudia! xx
Harry Singh
Yay! I made it and it turned out really good. Thanks.
Nico
Excellent, Harry - thanks for letting me know! xx
Jhuls @ The Not So Creative Cook
I wish I could see an authentic tandoor! So cool! This vegan butter chicken sounds so yummy! Thanks for sharing!
Nico
I would love to have an authentic tandoor, Jhuls! How cool would that be? 😉 xx
Mel | avirtualvegan.com
My mouth is quite literally watering. It sounds and looks so delicious! I've been editing photos for hours and skipped lunch. Now i just want to go and make this. Thank you so much for including my butter in this wonderful recipe!
Nico
Oh, tell me about the photo editing - I did tons today too! Plus today was a fasting day, and then we had visitors, so I didn't get to eat anything until 9.30 tonight. I was famished! xx
Sue-B-Doo
Sounds yummy! Any thoughts on how to make this recipe gluten-free?
Nico
Thanks Sue! Yes, as I said in the recipe notes, you could use tofu or soy curls instead of seitan. Enjoy! xx
Mari
Oh, in past few crazy weeks I somehow overlooked this recipe, but I was wondering how the reunion went! Looking forward to see the pics! I'm so glad you and your dear friends got together again, I can only imagine how much emotions, words, tears, memories you've been overwhelmed with! And time means nothing, I suppose, in terms of friendship and distance, because your ties are beyond that.
And as for Indian dishes - I must say I'm still learning and experimenting. And trying to force myself not to put onions in the pot first like my mom does and garlic in the end but get playful start with opulent Indian spices as I often see it done. And of course, this is the chicken I would gladly eat 🙂 so this one goes into my must try list!
Nico
You're so right, Mari, time and distance are meaningless with true friends. Within minutes of seeing each other, we were finishing sentences and giggling over private jokes. It was wonderful!
I know what you mean about not putting onions in first, that's how I learned to cook too! In Asian cooking though, the aromatics generally go in first, which makes sense... but of course, in Western cooking, aromatics just aren't used as much, so naturally, we learn a different way. Does that make sense? My brain is not firing on all cylinders today! xx
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche
Oh gosh this looks so amazing. I can't resist a thick and creamy sauce, especially one with so much flavour. Perfect for a celebration! 🙂
Nico
You and me both, Becca - and this really does fit the bill! xx
Pretty
Glad you have a nice time with your friends Nico, I love reunions. This is a good vegan version of butter 'chicken'. Very detailed recipe and perfect for sharing with family and friends.
Nico
It was wonderful, Pretty, and all the intervening years just melted away. Thanks so much for the feedback on the recipe! xx
Amber | Quite Good Food
Um, yum! I've actually never had butter chicken, though have enjoyed versions of the sauce served with tofu. Your 'chikkin' sounds awesome, I might have to try it. I've only made seitan once and it wasn't exactly a success, but your recipe sounds very straight forward. Thanks 🙂
Nico
I had it a few times, Amber, many many moons ago, before I stopped eating meat, and loved it... but mostly because of the gravy! Ha ha! Sorry to hear that your previous seitan wasn't successful, this one is pretty foolproof, so I hope you give it a go. Do let me know how you get on, won't you? xx
Nina
Wow!! I have to try this!
What's even better is that I thought I could replace the chikkin with tofu to make vegan shahi paneer, but then I saw that you have an actual "vegan paneer butter masala" recipe which I presume to be the same thing as a vegan shahi paneer. Thank you!!!
Nico
Hi Nina, thanks for dropping by and leaving a comment. Yep, PBM is also called shahi paneer, and is gorgeous! It is different to this one though, not least because it doesn't contain any yoghurt. Why not make both?! 😉 xx
Eb Gargano / easypeasyfoodie.com
Oh Nico, you are a clever lady...this is such a wonderful interpretation of a usually very un vegan friendly dish...it sounds incredible - my mouth is watering!! I am still yet to try seitan...but I must. In fact until I started reading your blog, I'd never even heard of it! And I am such a terrible foodie - I hate there being something in the world I haven't tried!! Eb x
Nico
If you are going to give seitan a go, I really would urge you to make your own, Eb; in my experience, the shop-bought stuff ranges from bland and tasteless to OK but really expensive. It's so much more cost-effective to make it at home (a kilo of vital wheat gluten costs less than a fiver from Buy Wholefoods Online), and the other ingredients are probably already in your store cupboard. You may not have nooch (nutritional yeast flakes) but you could leave it out, and just add a bit more of another seasoning of your choice. When I first started making seitan - about a million years ago (OK, it was 2006) - I'd not heard of vital wheat gluten, and made it from bog-standard plain flour, which I rinsed and rinsed and rinsed and rinsed... for ages... to get the starch out. In fact, I've only been using VWG for a couple of years but I really wish I'd discovered it sooner! Oh, and as an added bonus, you can use it in breads too.
Do let me know if you get around to making this... and of course, there's nothing to stop you using chicken instead of seitan, and dairy. xx
Corina
It sounds delicious! I'm always happy to eat Indian food! I'm sure it was lovely to catch up with your old friends too and must have been sad to say goodbye again. Thank you so much for sharing!
Nico
Oh, Corina, it was brilliant - it was like no time had passed at all. We finished each other's sentences, got each other's jokes, confused those around us with our own private jokes and language... and yes, were really sad to bid each other farewell. But we're hoping to be able to get together in another few months. Huzzah for cheap international travel - even if it's not terribly eco-friendly! xx