This dairy free butter chicken is a super satisfying version of this family favourite meal and I guarantee that you won’t miss the dairy! Made using everyday ingredients, it will become a staple in your weeknight recipe repertoire as you’ll love just how easy it is to make.
Serve it with this rice cooker turmeric rice and homemade naan.
Take a peek inside many Australian homes and you’ll find that butter chicken is a favourite gracing the tables of families around the country. It’s a mild, rich and creamy Indian style curry and it’s all things cosy, comforting and delicious.
More often than not though, butter chicken is made with the help of a jar sauce picked up at the grocery store. And while this is a great option if you’re short on time, I cannot stress how much better it tastes when you make it from scratch.
Plus those supermarket jar sauces often contain a lot of extra stuff that we just don’t need, including dairy, making them off limits for me.
Once you realise just how simple it is to make a delicious and flavourful butter chicken from scratch, you’ll never go back. Plus this recipe is allergy friendly as it uses coconut milk instead of cream. The result is a silky smooth and rich dairy free and gluten free dinner that is quick and easy enough to be made on a weeknight!
This has become one of my favourite weeknight dairy free dinner recipes.
Key Ingredients
This dairy free butter chicken recipe uses minimal ingredients, all which you may already have on hand. You will need a few spices, but I always recommend a well stocked spice rack to make sure you can always cook up a delicious dinner during the week.
Note all ingredients and their quantities are laid out in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Chicken – I like using chicken thigh for this recipe as the extra fat ensures more flavour and tender, juicy pieces but you could also use chicken breast if you prefer.
- Spices – using a combination here of garam masala, curry powder, ground coriander and chilli powder for maximum flavour. Adjust the chilli as needed based on how spicy you like it but as written it is mild.
- Onion, garlic and ginger – these three powerhouse flavours give us the base of the dish and a starting point to build flavour from. They are absolutely essential!
- Tomato paste – needed for that rich, punchy tomato flavour.
- Coconut milk – use a really good quality full fat coconut milk here for the best result. Anything less and the sauce won’t be as rich and creamy. I literally only ever use the TCC brand for the best results.
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Step-By-Step Instructions
One of the best things I can recommend to make this recipe super easy to make is to prep and measure out all of your ingredients before starting.
Get a little bowl and measure the spices and set aside. Prepare and chop your chicken, onion, garlic and ginger. This will make actually cooking the recipe so much easier as you won’t be running around, digging through the cupboard looking for the chilli powder while the onion starts to burn.
Step 1: Heat a little olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook, turning occasionally, until browned on the outside. Remove from the pan and set aside on a plate. It doesn’t need to be cooked all the way through just yet.
Step 2: Reduce the heat to medium and add a little more olive oil. Add the onion and sauté, stirring with a wooden spoon, for about 5 minutes until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for another 1–2 minutes.
Step 3: Add the garam masala, curry powder, ground coriander, chilli powder, and salt. Stir well and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the tomato paste and stir through until well combined and let cook for another minute to darken in colour.
Step 4: Pour in the coconut milk and stir gently until the sauce is smooth and everything is evenly mixed. Make sure to scrape up all the bits from the bottom of the pan and really make sure it’s well mixed.
Step 5: Let the sauce simmer for 5 minutes, then return the chicken to the pan. Continue to simmer until the sauce is thick and glossy and the chicken is cooked all the way through.
Step 6: Spoon into bowls, sprinkle over some chopped parsley or coriander/cilantro and serve with basmati rice and homemade naan.
👉Tip! For an extra silky smooth sauce (or for picky eaters who will find the small pieces of onion) use a stick blender or upright blender to blend the sauce before adding the chicken back in and completing the final step.
Storage Instructions
Allow the dairy free butter chicken to cool completely before transferring to an airtight container. It will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through or use a microwave.
You can also freeze it. Store in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, but I recommend using chicken thighs as they stay juicier and more tender through the simmering process. If using chicken breast, keep a close eye on the cooking time as it can dry out quickly.
Yes! it reheats beautifully and the flavours actually deepen overnight, making it a great one to cook ahead.
If you do make this recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating below! And tag any of your creations on Instagram with @eightforestlane as I would love to see.
More weeknight curry recipes:
Yellow Fish Curry
Pumpkin and Chickpea Curry
Slow Cooker Coconut Chicken Curry
Chickpea and Lentil Curry
Dairy Free Butter Chicken
Ingredients
- 500 grams (1 lb) chicken thighs cut into even-sized cubes, roughly 3–4cm
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or vegan butter, divided
- 1 brown onion finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 1 tablespoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ¼ teaspoon chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 400 ml (13.5 floz) can coconut milk
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken thighs and cook, turning occasionally, until browned on the outside. Remove from the pan and set aside on a plate It's ok if the chicken isn’t cooked all the way through at this stage.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add an additional 1 tablespoon of olive oil if needed. Add the onion and sauté, stirring with a wooden spoon, for about 5 minutes until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for another 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add the garam masala, curry powder, ground coriander, chilli powder, and salt. Stir well and cook for 2 minutes. Add the tomato paste and mix through for another minute. You want the tomato paste to start to darken in colour but be careful not to burn it.
- Pour in the coconut milk and gently stir with a wooden spoon until the sauce is well combined.
- Let the sauce simmer for 5 minutes, then return the chicken to the pan. If there's a lot of liquid on the plate, drain it off before adding the chicken back in. Continue to simmer for a further 5–10 minutes, or until the sauce is smooth and thick and the chicken is cooked through.
- Garnish with some chopped fresh parsley or coriander/cilantro and serve with steamed basmati rice or turmeric rice and homemade naan.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as a guide only and is calculated using automated online tools, therefore we cannot guarantee the accuracy. We encourage you to make your own calculations based on the actual ingredients used in your recipe.
This recipe was originally published in August 2021 and has been updated in 2026 with new photos and more helpful information. The recipe remains the same.
sherry says
yes i agree – chicken thighs are the best! what a great idea to use coconut milk. i must give this a go. i can at least say i only ever make this sort of dish from scratch as i don’t like sauces in a jar. always so oily and full of nasty amounts of turmeric! i mean i like turmeric but they seem to use it as a cheap basis for curry pastes and powders. anyway – enough ranting from me …
cheers
sherry