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 delicious and authentic. 

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.

Keto butter chicken ingredients

The key to delivering great butter chicken is great spices and a thick, wholesome sauce. Fortunately, coconut cream (which you can also make at home from coconut milk) gives you that thickness, and the masala, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, and tomato paste deliver the signature taste. Here’s the full list of ingredients:

• Olive oil for sauteing)
• 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces (you may substitute with boneless skinless chicken thighs)
• ½ cup chopped onions
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• ½ teaspoon ground chili spice
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 cups coconut cream
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• ¼ cup tomato paste
• Cilantro, finely chopped for an optional garnish

Keto butter chicken recipe

To make this keto butter chicken dinner easy, I suggest preparing all of the ingredients ahead of time by doing the first three steps earlier – then follow the rest to deliver this simple and delicious recipe!

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. 
4. 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.
5. Add the onion and garlic to the hot pan, season with a little sea salt, and saute until the onions are soft.
6. Next, add the bowl of spices to the onions and garlic and stir to incorporate. Saute for about 2 minutes.
7. Add the coconut cream, tomato sauce, and tomato paste and whisk to combine. Then add back in the cooked chicken.
8. 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. 
9. Serve with paleo naan bread, or over cauliflower rice and garnish with cilantro.

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!

Print

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. 

Links on this page may be affiliate links, for which the site earns a small commission, but the price for you is the same