This easy Keto Butter Chicken requires no marinating or a long list of ingredients. It’s simply made with coconut cream, tomato sauce, and warm spices like cinnamon but tastes like the authentic version.
Make a batch of this Keto Butter Chicken and you’ll feel like you’re eating takeout. Not only is it amazing tasting with a buttery chicken sauce with warm hints of cinnamon. It’s completely dairy-free and Whole 30 friendly.
To make this keto butter chicken dinner easy, I suggest preparing all of the ingredients ahead of time by doing the following:
1. Chop the chicken into 1-inch pieces.
2. Place all of the spices into a bowl so you can easily add it all in one step when the recipe calls for it.
3. Get your wet ingredients ready like the coconut cream, tomato sauce, and tomato paste. Then you can effortlessly pour it into the skillet and stir and viola your sauce is almost ready.
Love this keto butter chicken recipe? Then I know you’ll enjoy my other keto recipes, like my keto bang bang shrimp, coconut curry chicken, chicken bacon artichoke soup, and cauliflower hummus recipes!
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Keto Butter Chicken
This easy Keto Butter Chicken requires no marinating or a long list of ingredients. It’s simply made with coconut cream, tomato sauce, and warm spices like cinnamon but tastes like the authentic version.Â
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Cuisine: Indian
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- Olive oil for sauteing (I love this brand)
- 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces (you may substitute with boneless skinless chicken thighs)
- 1/2 cup chopped onions
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground chili spice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 cups coconut cream
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- Cilantro, finely chopped for an optional garnish
Instructions
- First, prepare all of your ingredients. Chop the onions and garlic and set aside.
- Place all of the spices, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl and set aside.
- Cut the chicken into 1-inch pieces, and set aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Place the chicken in the hot skillet, season with a little sea salt, and cook until the chicken is browned. Then remove the cooked chicken from the skillet and set aside.
- Add the onion and garlic to the hot pan, season with a little sea salt, and saute until the onions are soft.
- Next, add the bowl of spices to the onions and garlic and stir to incorporate. Saute for about 2 minutes.
- Add the coconut cream, tomato sauce, and tomato paste and whisk to combine. Then add back in the cooked chicken.
- Cook for at least 15 minutes or until the sauce is at your desired thickness. You can increase the temperature to high-medium to speed this up.Â
- Serve with paleo naan bread, or over cauliflower rice and garnish with cilantro.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 1 Serving (4 Total)
- Calories: 383
- Fat: 25.8g
- Carbohydrates: 14g (11.8g Net Carbs)
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 24g
Keto Butter Chicken FAQ
Can I use heavy cream or yogurt instead of coconut cream?
Yes, you can use heavy cream or yoghurt in this recipe instead of coconut cream. I actually tested a few batches using yoghurt and I noticed that the sauce kept separating. Be mindful to use a high quality plain yoghurt.
Does this sauce taste like coconut?
Even though this sauce uses coconut cream I didn’t find that this keto butter chicken has a coconut taste. It tastes very authentic to me, savory, warm with hints of cinnamon but not coconutty.
What is coconut cream?
Coconut cream is the thick cream that rises to the top of a can of coconut milk when you refrigerate it. Coconut cream is also available as a product that you can buy at your local grocery store. I prefer using a brand like Aroy-D when making curries or dishes like butter chicken because the coconut cream never separates for me.
How do I make cauliflower rice?
Use a cheese grater, knife, or a food processor fitted with a grating attachment, grate or finely chop the cauliflower to resemble rice. Then saute the cauliflower rice in olive oil and season with salt until the riced cauliflower is softened. Check out this video for a visual demonstration.
What is garam masala?
Garam masala is a blend of spices that is used in Indian dishes. It often contains cinnamon, cumin, cardamom, and black pepper. It is easy to find in any major grocery store or online through Amazon. You can substitute curry powder for garam masala in this keto butter chicken dish. I do recommend trying it with the garam masala.
Can I use chicken thighs instead of chicken breast?
Yes, you can use chicken thighs instead of chicken breast in this recipe. I prefer it made with chicken breast. It will still taste great if you switch it.
I’m allergic to nuts. Is coconut a nut allergy?
If you are allergic to nuts it makes sense to wonder if you can eat anything made with coconuts. Coconut is not a botanical nut; it is classified as a fruit. If you are allergic to tree nuts, please talk to your allergist/doctor before adding coconut to your diet.
How long does keto butter chicken leftovers last?
You can keep butter chicken leftovers in your fridge for up to 4 days stored in an airtight container or keep them stored in your freezer for up to 3 months.
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My family love this recipe , it’s so simple , quick and full of flavor . Can you tell me if there is an issue with doubling the recipe?
★★★★★
Yes, you can double the recipe. Glad you and your family enjoyed it 🙂
My family love this recipe , it’s so simple , quick and full of flavor . Can you tell me if there is an issue with doubling the recipe?
★★★★★
It says Keto Butter Chicken but I do not see any butter in the recipe.
This was so creamy and delicious. This is my first time making an Indian inspired dish. I had to look up what garam masala is. Tried to buy it at the store but they didn’t have it so found a recipe and made my own. I put it on my cauliflower rice. I will most definitely be making this again.
★★★★★
Butter chicken recipe looks great!
I question the Nutrition info … 94.7grams of Protein in one serving? I’ve never seen that much protein in half a chicken breast… (2 chicken breasts = 4 servings). What/where are all those Proteins coming from?
★★★★★
This was amazing. The flavors were perfect. I waited until I was alone after dinner and literally licked my bowl. Thank you for this df gf delicous and simple recipe!
★★★★★
So glad you liked it! Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment. 🙂
I have Nutiva coconut manna. Can I use it in place of the coconut cream? Thanks for your reply!
Unfortunately not. Coconut manna is creamed coconut butter made from dry coconut flakes. It’s too grainy. If you have canned coconut milk, you can refrigerate it and scoop the coconut cream off the top of the can.