Gordon Ramsay Butter Chicken Recipe (Curry in a Hurry)

Gordon Ramsay’s butter chicken recipe is a curry in a hurry he built in under 15 minutes on Next Level Kitchen, using a spiced yoghurt marinade, caramelised red onions, and a velvety sauce finished with double cream (heavy cream) and lemon zest. Every step overlaps: the sauce cooks while the chicken sears, so you plate a rich butter chicken curry before the rice is even done.

Ramsay is specific about one thing: if you can marinate the butter chicken the night before, the spices go all the way through, which is why it sits near the top of my Gordon Ramsay curry recipes list. I tried this as an easy 10-minute curry on a Wednesday and it worked, but the overnight version with cream and all the spices on Friday was a different dish altogether.

Try More Curry Recipes:

• Chicken Curry
• Tikka Masala
• Korma

Why Ramsay Uses Red Onions, Not White

Gordon says red onions are less harsh than white and give the sauce a milder, sweeter flavour once they caramelise. He slices them roughly because the sauce gets blended later, so there is no point doing fine knife work here.

I used white onion once because I had nothing else. The sauce came out sharper and needed more butter to balance it. Red onion is worth the trip to the shop.

Butter Chicken Ingredients

For the chicken marinade:

• 500g (1.1 lbs) chicken breast or thighs, cut into small cubes
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 0.5 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 3 tbsp natural yoghurt
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• Salt and pepper

For the sauce:

• 2 red onions, sliced
• 2 tbsp grapeseed or vegetable oil
• 4-5 cardamom pods, bashed
• 3-4 whole cloves
• 2.5cm (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, sliced
• 1 fresh red chilli, sliced (seeds in for heat)
• 3 garlic cloves, sliced
• 40g (3 tbsp) unsalted butter, plus 2 knobs to finish
• Handful fresh coriander (cilantro) stalks, leaves saved for garnish
• Light dusting each: garam masala, turmeric, cumin, cayenne
• 200ml (3/4 cup) tomato passata
• 150ml (2/3 cup) double cream (heavy cream)
• Juice of half a lemon
• Zest of 1 lemon

How To Make Gordon Ramsay Curry in a Hurry

1. Marinate the Chicken: Cut the chicken into small cubes. Toss with salt, pepper, turmeric, cumin, coriander, cayenne, garam masala, yoghurt, and oil. Set aside while you build the sauce.
2. Start the Sauce Base: Heat oil in a large pan over high heat. Add sliced red onions with the bashed cardamom pods and whole cloves. Spread the onions up the sides of the pan to caramelise them faster.
3. Add the Aromatics: Stir in the ginger, chilli, and garlic. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
4. Build the Flavour: Add 40g (3 tbsp) butter to the onions and let it caramelise. Add the coriander (cilantro) stalks, then lightly dust with garam masala, turmeric, cumin, and cayenne. Toast the spices for 1 minute.
5. Sear the Chicken: In a second pan, cook the marinated chicken over high heat for 2-3 minutes until coloured on all sides. Do not worry about the dark colour from the marinade.
6. Add Tomato and Cream: Pour the tomato passata into the sauce pan and bring to the boil. Stir in the double cream (heavy cream) and let it simmer for 2 minutes.
7. Blend the Sauce: Pour the sauce into a blender and blend until smooth. For a velvety finish, pass it through a sieve back into the pan.
8. Combine: Add the seared chicken and all the pan juices into the sauce. Stir through on low heat for 2 minutes.
9. Finish with Butter: Add 2 knobs of butter and the lemon zest. Do not boil. Stir the butter in gently until it melts into the sauce. Season with salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Scatter fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves on top and serve with steamed basmati rice.

Can I Skip the Blending Step?

You can, but you will end up with a chunky sauce instead of the smooth, velvety butter chicken Ramsay makes in the video. The whole point of slicing the onions roughly is that the blender does the work. Passing it through a sieve after blending removes the cardamom pods and cloves, so you get a completely smooth finish.

I skipped the sieve once and bit into a whole clove halfway through dinner. It was not pleasant. The blending takes 30 seconds and the sieve takes another 30, so I would not skip either.

What If the Curry Is Too Spicy?

Gordon says butter is a cooling agent, so add more butter. This is one of the few times a chef tells you to fix a problem by adding more fat, and it actually works. The butter rounds off the cayenne heat without dulling the other spices.

If you want it mild from the start, remove the chilli seeds and cut the cayenne in half. I make it this way for my family and it still has plenty of warmth from the ginger and garam masala.

Best Thing to Eat Alongside This

Ramsay serves this quick butter chicken with steamed basmati rice and homemade chapattis. The rice catches the sauce, and the chapattis are good for scooping. I also like warm naan bread if I do not feel like making chapattis from scratch.

A side of tomato chutney works well here too. If you want a full spread, add a cucumber raita and some poppadoms. This chicken curry uses a different method if you want a second option on the table.

Making This Ahead

The sauce keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days and actually improves overnight. Cook the chicken fresh when you reheat, or store it in the sauce and warm everything gently on the hob. Do not boil it or the cream can split.

You can freeze the sauce without the chicken for up to 2 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight and reheat on a low flame. Add the fresh butter and lemon zest again when you serve, because both lose their punch after freezing.

FAQs

• Is this the same as butter chicken? Yes. Ramsay calls it “curry in a hurry” on his YouTube channel, but the dish is murgh makhani, an authentic Indian butter chicken. The name comes from the speed, not a different recipe.
• Can I use chicken thighs? Gordon says yes in the video. Cut them into four pieces. They take slightly longer to cook through but stay juicier than breast.
• What curry paste can I use instead of whole spices? If you are short on time, 2-3 tablespoons of a good tikka masala paste replaces the turmeric, cumin, coriander, cayenne, and garam masala. You still need the cardamom, cloves, and fresh ginger for depth.
• Does it have to be done in 15 minutes? No. Ramsay set the clock as a challenge for the show. His Great Escape cookbook has a longer version with overnight marination. At home, take your time. The overnight marinade alone makes it a two-day recipe anyway, and the result is worth it.

More Recipes To Try:

• Madras
• Curry Sauce
• Lamb Curry

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

• Calories: 480 kcal
• Total Fat: 32g
• Saturated Fat: 16g
• Cholesterol: 110mg
• Sodium: 580mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 14g
• Protein: 34g

Gordon Ramsay Butter Chicken Recipe (Curry in a Hurry)

Recipe by Sophie Lane

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

5

minutes

Cooking time

10

minutes

Total time

15

minutes

Gordon Ramsay’s butter chicken recipe is a curry in a hurry he built in under 15 minutes on Next Level Kitchen, using a spiced yoghurt marinade, caramelised red onions, and a velvety sauce finished with double cream (heavy cream) and lemon zest. Every step overlaps: the sauce cooks while the chicken sears, so you plate a rich butter chicken curry before the rice is even done.

Ramsay is specific about one thing: if you can marinate the butter chicken the night before, the spices go all the way through and you skip food colouring entirely. I tried this as an easy 10-minute curry on a Wednesday and it worked, but the overnight version with cream and all the spices on Friday was a different dish altogether.

Ingredients

• 500g (1.1 lbs) chicken breast or thighs, cut into small cubes

• 1 tsp ground turmeric, plus extra for sauce

• 1 tsp ground cumin, plus extra for sauce

• 1 tsp ground coriander

• 0.5 tsp cayenne pepper, plus extra for sauce

• 1 tsp garam masala, plus extra for sauce

• 3 tbsp natural yoghurt

• Salt and pepper

• 2 red onions, sliced

• 2 tbsp grapeseed or vegetable oil, plus 1 tbsp for marinade

• 4-5 cardamom pods, bashed

• 3-4 whole cloves

• 2.5cm (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, sliced

• 1 fresh red chilli, sliced (seeds in for heat)

• 3 garlic cloves, sliced

• 40g (3 tbsp) unsalted butter, plus 2 knobs to finish

• Handful fresh coriander (cilantro) stalks, leaves for garnish

• 200ml (3/4 cup) tomato passata

• 150ml (2/3 cup) double cream (heavy cream)

• Juice of half a lemon

• Zest of 1 lemon

Directions

• Marinate the Chicken: Cut the chicken into small cubes. Toss with salt, pepper, turmeric, cumin, coriander, cayenne, garam masala, yoghurt, and oil. Set aside while you build the sauce.
• Start the Sauce Base: Heat oil in a large pan over high heat. Add sliced red onions with the bashed cardamom pods and whole cloves. Spread the onions up the sides of the pan to caramelise them faster.
• Add the Aromatics: Stir in the ginger, chilli, and garlic. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
• Build the Flavour: Add 40g (3 tbsp) butter to the onions and let it caramelise. Add the coriander (cilantro) stalks, then lightly dust with garam masala, turmeric, cumin, and cayenne. Toast the spices for 1 minute.
• Sear the Chicken: In a second pan, cook the marinated chicken over high heat for 2-3 minutes until coloured on all sides.
• Add Tomato and Cream: Pour the tomato passata into the sauce pan and bring to the boil. Stir in the double cream (heavy cream) and let it simmer for 2 minutes.
• Blend the Sauce: Pour the sauce into a blender and blend until smooth. For a velvety finish, pass it through a sieve back into the pan.
• Combine: Add the seared chicken and all the pan juices into the sauce. Stir through on low heat for 2 minutes.
• Finish with Butter: Add 2 knobs of butter and the lemon zest. Do not boil. Stir the butter in gently until it melts into the sauce. Season with salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Scatter fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves on top and serve with steamed basmati rice.