A lower-calorie way to make Butter chicken
Butter chicken with smoky tomato sauce and a measured butter finish
Charred chicken, smooth tomato sauce and a small measured butter finish create butter chicken for about 510 kcal with rice.
Butter chicken should taste rounded and smoky, not simply fatty. The chicken is grilled separately, tomato and onion are reduced until naturally sweet, and blended cashews give the sauce body. A small quantity of real butter is added at the end so its aroma remains noticeable.
What changes—and what stays
From with cream, generous butter and takeaway rice commonly 850–1,150 kcal to 510 calories
Grill the chicken, thicken the tomato sauce with a modest amount of cashew and reserve only twenty grams of butter for the finish. Grilled edges, concentrated tomato, kasuri methi, garam masala, ginger and a final small butter addition deliver the recognisable restaurant aroma.
| Part | Conventional | Lighter | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core method | More added fat or a heavier proportion | Grill the chicken, thicken the tomato sauce with a modest amount of cashew and reserve only twenty grams of butter for the finish | Grilled edges, concentrated tomato, kasuri methi, garam masala, ginger and a final small butter addition deliver the recognisable restaurant aroma. |
How the flavor stays
Grilled edges, concentrated tomato, kasuri methi, garam masala, ginger and a final small butter addition deliver the recognisable restaurant aroma.
A cost rule that survives inflation
Tinned tomatoes and chicken thigh fillets keep the six-serving dish affordable; a small bag of cashews replaces much more cream and butter.
Ingredients for 6
Measure first; timing is part of how this recipe uses less fat.
- 900 gskinless chicken thigh fillets
- 800 gtinned tomatoes
- 350 gonions
- 300 glow-fat Greek yoghurt
- 360 gdry basmati rice
- 60 gunsalted cashews
- 20 gbutter
- 15 grapeseed oil
- 35 gginger and garlic
- 20 ggaram masala and kasuri methi
Method
Each step includes heat, a visible cue, and a recovery.
Step 1 · follow the visible cue
Coat and grill the chicken
Cut the chicken evenly, coat with yoghurt, garlic and half the spice mixture, then grill on a rack until browned and cooked through.
Look for: The pieces have dark smoky corners, reach 75°C internally and remain separate rather than steaming in marinade.
Step 2 · follow the visible cue
Cook tomato until concentrated
Brown onions in the measured oil, add ginger, spices and tomatoes, then simmer uncovered until the raw acidity softens.
Look for: The sauce is brick red, noticeably reduced and thick enough to expose the pan when stirred.
Step 3 · follow the visible cue
Blend with soaked cashews
Soak cashews in hot water, blend them with the tomato base until completely smooth, then return the sauce to gentle heat.
Look for: The sauce pours in a broad satin ribbon with no visible onion pieces, nut grit or cream layer.
Step 4 · follow the visible cue
Warm chicken and finish with butter
Add the grilled chicken and fenugreek, warm without hard boiling, then swirl in the measured butter immediately before serving with rice.
Look for: The sauce clings in a thin glossy coat and smells buttery, but no yellow fat pools around the plate.
Calories at the same serving size
230 kcal · 31% lower estimated
The estimate uses the listed ingredients divided into 6 servings. Brand labels, trimming, and the amount left in the pan can change the result.
Keep the leftovers in the same spirit
Refrigerate curry and rice separately for two days or freeze the curry for two months. Reheat once to steaming without prolonged boiling.
Refrigerate curry and rice separately for two days or freeze the curry for two months. Reheat once to steaming without prolonged boiling.
Frequently asked questions
Is this still butter chicken with so little butter?
Yes. Adding real butter at the end preserves its aroma, while cashew and tomato provide the sauce body.
Can I omit the cashews?
Use extra yoghurt tempered off the heat, but the sauce will be tangier and less silky.
- skinless chicken thigh fillets900 g
- tinned tomatoes800 g
- onions350 g
- low-fat Greek yoghurt300 g
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Recipe development and nutrition review: CaloNote Editorial
This editorial recipe uses ingredient-level nutrition estimates and reviewed cooking principles. It is not represented as physically test-cooked, and nutrition is approximate.
- Food Safety Authority of Ireland — Healthy eating guidance
- Irish Universities Nutrition Alliance — Food composition data
Published and last reviewed: August 25, 2026
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