A lower-calorie way to make Butter chicken
Butter chicken with grilled yoghurt chicken and a tomato-first sauce
Yoghurt-marinated chicken, reduced tomato, 25 g butter and 120 ml cream make a rich-tasting 530-calorie butter chicken meal.
The name promises butter, so removing it entirely produces the wrong dish. Instead, this recipe measures a small amount and adds it after tomato has reduced enough to carry flavour on its own. Yoghurt-marinated chicken is grilled separately for charred edges, then folded into the sauce only long enough to heat through. Spinach and a measured rice mound complete the New Zealand weeknight plate.
What changes—and what stays
From often 750–1,000 kcal with more butter, cream and takeaway rice to 530 calories
Limit the entire six-serving sauce to 25 g butter and 120 ml cream, grill 1 kg skinless chicken, and serve 130 g cooked rice each. Charred yoghurt marinade gives smoke, long-reduced tomato supplies sweetness, and butter plus cream added late remain aromatic in a much smaller quantity.
| Part | Conventional | Lighter | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core method | More added fat or a heavier proportion | Limit the entire six-serving sauce to 25 g butter and 120 ml cream, grill 1 kg skinless chicken, and serve 130 g cooked rice each | Charred yoghurt marinade gives smoke, long-reduced tomato supplies sweetness, and butter plus cream added late remain aromatic in a much smaller quantity. |
How the flavor stays
Charred yoghurt marinade gives smoke, long-reduced tomato supplies sweetness, and butter plus cream added late remain aromatic in a much smaller quantity.
A cost rule that survives inflation
Yoghurt tenderises an ordinary chicken pack and tinned tomato forms most of the sauce; a small bottle of cream can cover this dish without buying a large restaurant portion.
Ingredients for 6
Measure first; timing is part of how this recipe uses less fat.
- 1 kgskinless chicken thigh
- 250 gplain yoghurt
- 900 gtomato passata
- 350 gonions
- 25 gbutter
- 120 mlcream
- 30 gginger and garlic
- 20 ggaram masala and spices
- 780 gcooked basmati rice
- 500 gspinach
Method
Each step includes heat, a visible cue, and a recovery.
Step 1 · follow the visible cue
Marinate without leaving a thick wet coat
Mix yoghurt, ginger, garlic and half the spices, coat chicken for two to eight hours, then shake off excess before grilling.
Look for: A thin film remains on the chicken but yoghurt is not dripping heavily onto the grill tray.
Step 2 · follow the visible cue
Char the chicken away from the sauce
Grill on a rack under high heat, turning once, until dark spots form and the centre is nearly at 75°C; rest briefly.
Look for: Edges are blackened in small patches while the chicken bends and releases clear juices.
Step 3 · follow the visible cue
Reduce tomato until naturally creamy
Cook onion deeply golden, add spices and passata and simmer uncovered for twenty minutes before blending smooth.
Look for: The red sauce is darker, loses its watery rim and falls from a spoon in a broad ribbon.
Step 4 · follow the visible cue
Finish with measured richness
Whisk in butter and cream off fierce heat, fold chicken through for three minutes and serve with rice and wilted spinach.
Look for: The sauce is glossy but has no separated fat, and the chicken's char remains visible through its coating.
Calories at the same serving size
239 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
Chill for three days and reheat gently; hard boiling can split the small amount of dairy. Freeze before adding cream for best texture.
Chill for three days and reheat gently; hard boiling can split the small amount of dairy. Freeze before adding cream for best texture.
Frequently asked questions
Why keep any butter?
A measured 25 g preserves the defining dairy aroma across six servings rather than pretending this is another tomato curry.
Can I use chicken breast?
Yes, cut larger pieces and grill only until 74°C because breast dries sooner.
- skinless chicken thigh1 kg
- plain yoghurt250 g
- tomato passata900 g
- onions350 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.
Published and last reviewed: August 25, 2026
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