Butter chicken, also called murgh makhani, is a very popular Indian dish. It is a type of curry made with tender chicken in a creamy, spiced sauce. The sauce is usually made from tomatoes and lots of butter (makhan). It has a rich and smooth texture that many people love. This dish is similar to chicken tikka masala, another well-known curry.
One of the most well-known Indian dishes in the world is butter chicken. With its thick, creamy tomato-based gravy and juicy chicken pieces that have been marinated, it’s easy to see why it’s so popular around the world. But how did this delicious curry get its name?.
Butter chicken was first made in India in the middle of the 20th century. Here’s the interesting story of how it came to be and how it got its famous name.
Born Out of Ingenuity in 1950s Delhi
Butter chicken was created by chance in the 1950s at Moti Mahal restaurant in Delhi. The chefs, Kundan Lal Gujral and Kundan Lal Jaggi, found themselves with a dilemma – what to do with leftover tandoori chicken from the day before?
Rather than wasting the unsold chicken, they had the ingenious idea to create a tomato-based gravy enriched with butter (makhan) and fresh spices. They then simmered the tandoori chicken pieces in this creamy, fragrant sauce.
This innovation transformed their leftovers into an incredibly flavorful, velvety curry. And with that, the earliest version of butter chicken was born!
A Name That Simply States the Facts
So how did this improvised curry get the name butter chicken? Quite simply, it’s a literal description of the dish’s two key components:
-
Butter – The gravy contains a generous amount of butter, which gives it a rich, silky texture.
-
Chicken – Specifically tandoori chicken, chicken pieces that are marinated in yogurt and spices before being roasted in a tandoor clay oven.
The creators chose a name that transparently conveyed the contents of the dish. While it may seem plain, the no-frills name speaks to the honesty of the recipe.
Gaining Popularity Across India in the 1960s-70s
After its creation in the 1950s, butter chicken steadily gained popularity across North India over the next two decades. Its reputation grew as both a specialty restaurant dish and homemade meal.
By the 1970s, the term “butter chicken” had become commonly used to describe the dish. Several early cookbooks featured recipes for butter chicken, cementing its position as a prized Indian curry.
International Fame from the 1980s Onwards
From the 1980s onwards, butter chicken catapulted to international fame. As Indian restaurants spread around the world, butter chicken became a common dish on their menus. It was liked by everyone because it had mild, creamy flavors and a smooth texture.
Soon, it was known all over the world as one of the best Indian dishes. Even though other dishes like chicken tikka masala became popular, butter chicken stayed a classic at Indian restaurants.
An Iconic Name for an Iconic Dish
While its inception was unplanned, butter chicken has become legendary. Its memorable name encapsulates the essence of the recipe – velvety, tomato-tinged curry punctuated by buttery notes.
The moniker “butter chicken” turned an impromptu meal into one of India’s gifts to the global culinary stage. Its origins may be humble, but its taste has made it a worldwide sensation.
So the next time you savor butter chicken’s signature flavors, you can appreciate the fascinating history in each bite! From creative beginnings in 1950s Delhi to international icon status today, the journey of this famous curry is as rich as its taste.
The Story of Butter Chicken
Butter chicken was first made in the 1950s. Two friends, Kundan Lal Jaggi and Kundan Lal Gujral, created it. They were the founders of a famous restaurant called Moti Mahal in Delhi, India.
Cooking the Chicken
After marinating, the chicken is traditionally cooked in a tandoor. A tandoor is a special clay oven that cooks food at very high heat. If a tandoor isnt available, the chicken can also be grilled, roasted in a regular oven, or pan-fried.
Who invented butter chicken? Two restaurants battle it out
FAQ
Is Butter Chicken made of butter?
Though this dish has a lot of similarities with Chicken Tikka Masala, both smell and taste very different. Originally, Butter Chicken is a mild dish, does not include onions and is cooked with butter. But tikka masala is spicy, hot, includes onions and is cooked in oil.
What’s the difference between tikka masala and Butter Chicken?
While both are popular Indian dishes featuring chicken in a flavorful sauce, Chicken Tikka Masala and Butter Chicken have distinct differences. Tikka Masala typically has a more tomato-based, tangy, and spicier sauce, often with a thicker consistency.
What is a fun fact about Butter Chicken?
Legend has it that Butter Chicken, also known as ‘murgh makhani’ in Hindi, was invented in the 1950s at the iconic Moti Mahal Delux restaurant in Delhi. It resulted from a cooking experiment when the leftover marinated chicken was combined with a rich tomato-based gravy, resulting in a heavenly creation.
Is Butter Chicken Indian or African?
…the Daryaganj neighborhood of Old Delhi in the 1950s, after India was split into two parts by Punjabi Hindus Kundan Lal Jaggi and Kundan Lal Gujral…