Butter chicken is, for many people, the dish that opens the door to Indian food. Mild, creamy, gently spiced, and deeply comforting, it has become one of the most-loved Indian dishes in Canada — and one of the most searched. But what actually is butter chicken? Where did it come from, what spices go into it, and how is it different from tikka masala? This guide answers all of that — and tells you where to find the best butter chicken in Ontario.
Craving butter chicken right now?
Balti Indian Restaurant serves authentic butter chicken at our three Ontario locations — Whitby, Toronto Bloor West, and Niagara Falls. Dine in, take out, or order for delivery.
What Is Butter Chicken?
Butter chicken — known in India as murgh makhani — is a North Indian dish of marinated, tandoor-cooked chicken simmered in a rich, mildly spiced tomato and cream sauce finished with butter. The chicken is first marinated in yogurt and spices, then roasted in a clay tandoor oven (or grilled), and finally folded into the sauce. The result is tender pieces of smoky chicken in a velvety, slightly sweet, deeply savoury gravy.
It is one of the mildest curries on most Indian menus, which is part of why it is so popular — it delivers all the aromatic complexity of Indian spicing without significant chilli heat. It is the dish most often recommended to anyone trying Indian food for the first time.
The Origin of Butter Chicken
Butter chicken was invented in Delhi in the 1950s at the Moti Mahal restaurant. The story goes that the kitchen, not wanting to waste leftover tandoori chicken that had dried out, tossed the pieces into a makeshift gravy of tomatoes, butter, and cream to rehydrate and revive them. The improvised dish was a hit — and went on to become one of the most famous Indian dishes in the world.
That origin story explains the dish’s character: the sauce was designed to make tandoori chicken rich, moist, and indulgent. To this day, the best butter chicken still starts with properly tandoor-cooked chicken — the smoky char from the tandoor is what separates a great butter chicken from a merely good one.
What Spices Are in Butter Chicken?
Despite its mild flavour, butter chicken is built on a surprisingly complex spice base. The marinade and sauce typically draw on:
- Garam masala — the warm, aromatic backbone (cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, cumin, coriander, black pepper)
- Kashmiri chilli — used more for its deep red colour than for heat
- Ginger and garlic — the aromatic foundation of nearly every Indian curry
- Fenugreek (kasuri methi) — dried fenugreek leaves crushed in at the end, giving butter chicken its signature slightly sweet, almost maple-like aroma
- Turmeric and cumin — earthy, warming base notes
- Tomato, cream, and butter — the rich body of the sauce
It is the kasuri methi — dried fenugreek — that gives a truly authentic butter chicken its distinctive aroma. If a butter chicken tastes one-dimensional, a missing pinch of fenugreek is often the reason.
Butter Chicken vs Tikka Masala — What’s the Difference?
This is one of the most common questions about Indian food, and the two dishes genuinely are close cousins. Both feature marinated, grilled chicken in a creamy tomato-based sauce. The differences are subtle but real:
| Butter Chicken | Tikka Masala |
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In short: if you want the milder, richer, sweeter dish, order butter chicken. If you want something a little tangier and more robustly spiced, go for tikka masala. Both are excellent introductions to Indian food.
How to Eat Butter Chicken
Butter chicken is best enjoyed with something to soak up the sauce. The classic pairings are:
- Naan — especially garlic naan or butter naan, for scooping up the rich gravy
- Basmati rice — fragrant, fluffy, and perfect for absorbing the sauce
- Jeera (cumin) rice — a slightly more aromatic alternative to plain basmati
For drinks, a mango lassi or a cold lager both pair beautifully with butter chicken’s richness. For a complete guide to drink pairings, see our post on what to drink with Indian food.
Where to Get the Best Butter Chicken in Ontario
At Balti Indian Restaurant, our butter chicken is made the traditional way — chicken marinated overnight, cooked in the tandoor for that essential smoky char, and finished in a sauce built from scratch with fresh tomatoes, cream, butter, and hand-blended spices. No shortcuts, no powdered mixes. It is one of our most-ordered dishes for a reason.
Visit us at any of our three Ontario locations to try it for yourself.
Frequently Asked Questions — Butter Chicken
Is butter chicken spicy?
No — butter chicken is one of the mildest Indian curries. It is rich and aromatic rather than hot, which makes it a great choice for anyone new to Indian food or anyone who prefers gentle spice levels. Most of its colour comes from Kashmiri chilli, which adds vibrancy without significant heat.
What does butter chicken taste like?
Butter chicken has a creamy, mildly sweet, deeply savoury flavour with a smoky note from the tandoor-cooked chicken and a warm aromatic complexity from garam masala and fenugreek. The sauce is rich and velvety, balanced by the slight tang of tomato.
Is butter chicken the same as tikka masala?
They are similar but not identical. Both use grilled chicken in a creamy tomato sauce, but butter chicken is smoother, sweeter, and milder, while tikka masala is tangier and slightly more spice-forward. Butter chicken originated in Delhi; tikka masala is generally credited to Britain.
What goes well with butter chicken?
Butter chicken pairs best with naan (especially garlic or butter naan) and basmati rice for soaking up the sauce. A mango lassi or a cold lager complements the dish’s richness perfectly.
Ready to try the real thing? Visit Balti Indian Restaurant at any of our three Ontario locations — we look forward to serving you.