Butter chicken is one of those meals I genuinely make on repeat — rich, warmly spiced, creamy tomato sauce with tender chicken, served alongside soft naan stuffed with gooey mozzarella and brushed with garlic butter. It’s cozy, satisfying, and the kind of dinner that makes everyone at the table happy. This recipe is also super flexible, so whether you want to keep it simple or go all out, it works both ways.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Rich, warmly spiced butter chicken with a creamy tomato sauce
• Cheesy garlic naan stuffed with melty mozzarella — way better than store bought
• Everything comes together in under two hours including marinating time
• Completely customizable for spice level and richness
• Cashews are optional — skip the blender if you want to keep it simple
• The kind of meal that tastes like it took way more effort than it did

Butter Chicken and Cheesy Garlic Naan: The Best Dinner Combo

Butter chicken is one of my absolute favorite foods and I could genuinely eat it every single week. There’s something about that combination of warm spices, creamy tomato sauce, and tender marinated chicken that just hits differently than almost any other dish. Pairing it with homemade cheesy garlic naan takes the whole meal to another level — the naan is soft and pillowy with pockets of melted mozzarella inside and garlic butter brushed all over the top. It’s the kind of dinner I make when I want something that feels special without being complicated.

Butter Chicken and Cheesy Garlic Naan Ingredients

Chicken Marinade

• 2 lb chicken breast or thigh, cubed
• 1 tbsp garlic, grated or paste
• 1 tbsp ginger, grated or paste
• 1 cup yogurt
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp garam masala

Curry Sauce

• 2 tbsp butter or ghee
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 cup passata, crushed canned tomatoes, or diced canned tomatoes
• 1/2 tbsp garlic, grated or paste
• 1/2 tbsp ginger, grated or paste
• 1/2 cup cashews (optional)
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tbsp garam masala
• 2 tsp cumin
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1/4 cup hot water, optional for consistency

Cheesy Garlic Naan

• 425g bread flour or all purpose flour
• 1 cup water
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 2 tsp instant yeast
• 1 tsp salt
• 120g yogurt
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Garlic Butter

• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tbsp parsley or cilantro, finely chopped

The Butter Chicken

The marinade is what makes this recipe. The yogurt tenderizes the chicken while the spices — garam masala, cumin, cayenne, turmeric — build that deep layered flavor that good butter chicken is known for. Marinate for at least an hour but overnight is genuinely better if you have the time. For the curry sauce, passata is my go-to because it’s already smooth and concentrated so you don’t have to blend anything. If you only have canned tomatoes that’s totally fine — use crushed or diced depending on whether you want a smoother or chunkier sauce. The cashews are optional but when blended in they add a subtle creaminess and richness that takes the sauce up a notch. If you’re not in the mood to pull out a blender just skip them — the curry is still delicious without.

The Cheesy Garlic Naan

This naan dough comes together quickly and the technique is straightforward — mix, knead until smooth, let it rise, then stuff each piece with a generous amount of mozzarella before rolling and cooking on a hot pan. The key is getting your pan properly hot before the naan goes in so you get those dark golden spots on the outside while the cheese melts fully inside. Brush the garlic butter on immediately when they come off the pan while they’re still hot so it soaks in. You can use either parsley or cilantro depending on what you have and what you prefer — both work really well with the garlic butter.

How To Make Butter Chicken and Cheesy Garlic Naan

1. In a large bowl combine the cubed chicken with yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, ginger, and all the marinade spices. Mix until the chicken is fully coated, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
2. Heat a pan over medium-high heat with a splash of oil and a little butter or ghee. Cook the marinated chicken until browned and all the liquid has evaporated. Set aside.
3. In a large pan melt butter or ghee over medium heat. Add the diced onion and sauté until soft and translucent.
4. Add garlic, ginger, coriander, garam masala, and cumin and cook for about a minute until fragrant.
5. Stir in your passata or tomatoes and the heavy cream. Mix well to combine.
6. If using cashews, add them now and simmer for 5 minutes, then transfer to a blender and blend until smooth. Add hot water to reach your desired consistency. Strain back into the pan for a silky texture. If skipping cashews, just continue simmering directly in the pan.
7. Add the cooked chicken to the sauce, stir in the sugar, and simmer together for a few minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning.
8. In a large bowl combine flour, water, sugar, yeast, salt, yogurt, and olive oil. Mix until a dough forms then knead for 7 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Form into a ball, lightly oil the bowl, cover, and let rise for 1 hour.
9. Punch down the dough and divide into 6 equal pieces. Flatten each piece into a small circle, place about half a cup of shredded mozzarella in the center, and pinch the edges to seal. Rest for 10 minutes then roll out flat.
10. Heat a pan over medium heat. Cook each naan for 1 to 2 minutes per side until golden with dark spotty patches and puffed in places.
11. Brush generously with garlic butter immediately while hot. Serve alongside the butter chicken.

Storage and Reheating

Both components store well separately.

Butter chicken: refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat on the stovetop over low heat, adding a splash of water or cream if the sauce has thickened.

Naan: store at room temperature in an airtight bag for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 1 month. Reheat in a dry pan over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes per side or wrap in foil and warm in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes.