Keto Indian Butter Chicken - Recipe (Video) - Diet Doctor (2024)

Keto Indian Butter Chicken - Recipe (Video) - Diet Doctor (1)

Namaste! We have a confession to make. Butter chicken is one of our favorite Indian dishes, and we know we're not the only ones! Luckily, we have Jill who invites you to try her keto version of this fabulous butter chicken, served with oven-roasted cauliflower.

March 26 2018 recipe by Jill Wallentin, photo by Frida Ström, nutritional review by Franziska Spritzler, RD, CDE in Recipes, Dinner, Meal

Namaste! We have a confession to make. Butter chicken is one of our favorite Indian dishes, and we know we're not the only ones! Luckily, we have Jill who invites you to try her keto version of this fabulous butter chicken, served with oven-roasted cauliflower.

USMetric

6 servingservings

Ingredients

Indian butter chicken

  • 1 (4 oz.) 1 (110 g) tomato, choppedtomatoes, chopped
  • 1 (4 oz.) 1 (110 g) yellow onion, choppedyellow onions, chopped
  • 2 tbsp 2 tbsp fresh ginger
  • 2 2 garlic clove, choppedgarlic cloves, chopped
  • ½ tbsp ½ tbsp dried coriander (cilantro) leaves
  • 1 tbsp 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tbsp 1 tbsp garam masala seasoning
  • ½ tbsp ½ tbsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp 1 tsp salt
  • ¾ cup 180 ml heavy whipping cream
  • 2 lbs 900 g boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 3 oz. 85 g butter or ghee
  • ½ cup (¼ oz.) 120 ml (8 g) fresh cilantro, for serving (optional)
  • ¼ cup 60 ml heavy whipping cream, for serving (optional)

Oven-roasted cauliflower

  • 1 lb 450 g cauliflower, chopped into bite-sized pieces
  • ½ tsp ½ tsp turmeric
  • ½ tbsp ½ tbsp coriander seed
  • ½ tsp ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp ¼ tsp ground black pepper
  • 2 oz. 55 g butter

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Keto Indian Butter Chicken - Recipe (Video) - Diet Doctor (4)

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Making low carb simple

Instructions

Indian butter chicken

  1. Add tomato, onion, ginger, garlic, coriander, tomato paste, and spices to a food processor. Mix until smooth. Add the cream and mix for a couple of seconds.

  2. Marinate the chicken in the mixture for at least 20 minutes, but preferably more, in the refrigerator.

  3. Heat a third of the butter over medium-high heat in a large frying pan. Remove the chicken from the marinade (reserve the marinade), and fry in the butter for 5 minutes.

  4. Pour the marinade over the chicken and add the rest of the butter. Simmer over medium heat for 15 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked. Season with salt to taste.

  5. Garnish with fresh cilantro and drizzle with a splash of cream.

Oven-roasted cauliflower
  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

  2. Spread the cauliflower out on a large sheet pan into an even layer.

  3. Season with spices and butter. Bake for 15 minutes.

Tip

If you have time, you can marinate the chicken the day before you're actually cooking it. The chicken will be incredibly soft and it's going to taste even more heavenly!

Slow cooker

This stew is an excellent dish to make in a slow cooker. Place fried chicken in the cooker and add the marinade and butter. Cook for 4–6 hours on low temperature. Season with salt.

On the grill

You can also grill the chicken instead of frying it. To do so, thread the marinated chicken cubes onto skewers and grill over medium heat, turning occasionally, for about 15 minutes, or until the chicken is done.

Put the marinade together with the butter in a frying pan and let simmer for about 15 minutes. Serve the sauce with the grilled chicken and cauliflower.

Dairy free

You can use canned coconut milk in place of heavy cream to make this dish dairy-free.

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💬 Have you tried this recipe?

What did you think? Please share your thoughts in the comment section below!

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111 comments

  1. 101

    Jacqueline

    January 31 2021

    I was a bit disappointed in the texture of this recipe - the photo suggests more liquid than is actually the case. Ours turned out a bit dry. Any suggestions?

    Reply: #102

  2. 102

    Reply to comment #101 by Jacqueline

    Kerry Merritt Team Diet Doctor

    January 31 2021

    I was a bit disappointed in the texture of this recipe - the photo suggests more liquid than is actually the case. Ours turned out a bit dry. Any suggestions?

    Was there perhaps not enough marinade?

    Reply: #105

  3. 103

    Megan

    February 2 2021

    This was amazing! Thank you!!

  4. elkoncz

    February 4 2021

    I've made this dish a few times before and loved it. This time it just didn't taste as good - a bit bland. Is there something i'm doing wrong?

  5. 105

    Reply to comment #102 by Kerry Merritt

    Jacqueline

    February 10 2021

    I followed the recipe to the letter - not sure what's going on here!

  6. 106

    T Fran

    February 23 2021

    How many cups equals the 1 serving once prepared? Trying to keep my tracker accurate. BTW, made this last night and it was delicious! Thank you for posting.

  7. 107

    Hannah

    June 24 2021

    This recipe is lovely but it should be amended to say that marinade should be kept separate from the meat apart from what you need to cover it. Its not food safe to reuse marinade that the chicken has sat in as a sauce because of the bacteria. People could get sick!

    Reply: #108

  8. 108

    Reply to comment #107 by Hannah

    Kristin Parker Team Diet Doctor

    June 25 2021

    This recipe is lovely but it should be amended to say that marinade should be kept separate from the meat apart from what you need to cover it. Its not food safe to reuse marinade that the chicken has sat in as a sauce because of the bacteria. People could get sick!

    This dish simmers for an additional 15 minutes after the marinade is added in.

  9. 109

    Sarah Hart

    August 14 2021

    No, didn't like this at all. The chicken didn't cook even with some extra time in the pan, likewise the cauliflower, which was still undercooked after 10 more minutes in the oven, and way, way too salty.

    Very disappointing, it's in the bin now.

  10. 110

    Susan Packwood

    September 28 2021

    This was wonderful! The chicken was so tender….I had to sub ketchup for tomato paste and sour cream for whipping cream but it was fab!!!

  11. 111

    Anna-Carin & Niclas Havrup

    December 3 2021

    loved it but changed it :-) Had cooked chicken from the day before. - so it was not marinated. Fried the cauliflower florets in butter and then cooked it for appr 10-15 minutes in the wonderfully tasting "marinade". Also added (unsweetened!) coconut flakes to the marinade before blending it. Added chicken at the end to heat up. This way i needed less time and could cook it during my working-from-home-lunch-hour. It tasted wonderful!

    Reply: #112

  12. 112

    Kerry Merritt Team Diet Doctor

    December 3 2021

    loved it but changed it :-) Had cooked chicken from the day before. - so it was not marinated. Fried the cauliflower florets in butter and then cooked it for appr 10-15 minutes in the wonderfully tasting "marinade". Also added (unsweetened!) coconut flakes to the marinade before blending it. Added chicken at the end to heat up. This way i needed less time and could cook it during my working-from-home-lunch-hour. It tasted wonderful!

    Sounds delicious! Glad you enjoyed it!

  13. 113

    Rose

    March 20 2022

    This was superb. Because I mixed up the marinade using my stick blender, not a food processor, I ended up adding a splash of water to make a smooth mixture. I also added in a bit extra cream because the marinade seemed too thick. The end result was perfect. As far as flavour, I used curry powder instead a garam masala and it tasted great. This recipe is a keeper.

    Reply: #114

  14. 114

    Reply to comment #113 by Rose

    Kerry Merritt Team Diet Doctor

    March 21 2022

    This was superb. Because I mixed up the marinade using my stick blender, not a food processor, I ended up adding a splash of water to make a smooth mixture. I also added in a bit extra cream because the marinade seemed too thick. The end result was perfect. As far as flavour, I used curry powder instead a garam masala and it tasted great. This recipe is a keeper.

    Sounds good! So glad you enjoyed it!

  15. 115

    Tina

    September 2 2022

    So, I started out doing this butter chicken recipe, but then it ended up more closely resembling the slow-cooker butter chicken recipe from twosleevers because the additional ingredients and their quantities felt more authentic (plus it was pretty much hands off): https://twosleevers.com/slow-cooker-butter-chicken/ It was yummy, but I did need to add a splash of lemon to give it more fullness.

    This DD cauliflower recipe was one side dish and it was great. But instead of putting everything on a pan and then adding the spices, I put the chopped cauliflower into a bag, poured all the spices over top and mixed well. Then, before putting it in the oven, I melted the butter and poured that into the bag as well, mixing well. Then I poured the contents of the bag onto a tray and put it in the oven. It was fantastic that every piece of cauliflower was seasoned and yummy, and it did cook in about 15 minutes as I had chopped the pieces on the small side.

    For another side dish, I decided to try the Indian cucumber salad from twosleevers because it peaked my interest (it was yummy too): https://twosleevers.com/indian-cucumber-peanut-salad/

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Keto Indian Butter Chicken - Recipe (Video) - Diet Doctor (2024)

FAQs

How many carbs are in keto butter chicken? ›

This keto butter chicken is keto because there are only 2.9 g net carbs per serve, 22.4 g protein, and only 399 calories. It is served with keto cauliflower rice rather than high-carb rice such as basmati rice. How to store cooked butter chicken?

Is butter chicken good for weight loss? ›

The traditional butter chicken is, in fact, not healthy, packed with excessive calories and saturated fats, and not a good fit for your weight loss diet. But vegan butter chicken, on the other hand, is just perfect for your weight loss journey and weeknight dinners.

Does butter chicken spike insulin? ›

But, studies have suggested that butter chicken has high-fat and high-calorie content. This can lead to insulin resistance and impair glucose levels. It also increases the risk of type 2 diabetes.

Which butter is good for keto? ›

Grass-grazed raw butter may be one of the healthiest dairy products on a ketogenic diet menu. Grass-grazed raw butter is basically pure raw fat; it has zero carbs, zero sugars and zero grams of protein. As you can see, most of butters' fat is saturated.

What Indian food can I eat on keto? ›

Just a few Indian dishes containing Keto-friendly proteins include tandoori chicken/fish/shrimp, chicken ginger kabob, seekh kabab, and lamb chops. In general, meats that are not accompanied by sauce are a safe bet.

What are low-carb Indian foods? ›

Milk, curd and paneer are rich in protein and lower-carb. They also have healthy fats and will help you stay fuller for longer. A bonus – curd and buttermilk are also probiotic and good for our gut! Dal, channa, rajma are lower in carbs compared to grains and can be included as part of a low-carb diet plan.

What are the disadvantages of butter chicken? ›

High in Sodium

Butter chicken has a tomato-based sauce, and most recipes use some form of canned tomato, puree or whole, which can significantly increase its sodium content. One serving of butter chicken contains about 763 milligrams of sodium.

Is butter chicken healthier than tikka masala? ›

Regarding nutrition, Butter Chicken and Tikka Masala are high in calories, fat, and sodium. Butter Chicken has more fat and calories than Tikka Masala due to the use of cream and butter in the sauce. However, Tikka Masala has more sodium than Butter Chicken due to the use of canned tomato puree.

What is the healthiest Indian curry? ›

Any Indian curries that are tomato-based, like tandoori, madras, jalfrezi, rogan and bhuna, are the lowest in calories. They average around 200-300 calories. If you want an even healthier option, consider a sauce-free dish like fish tikka (which is only 180 calories).

What are the 5 worst foods for blood sugar? ›

You limit dairy products, red meat, sweets, added sugars, sodium (salt), and highly processed foods. Some additional guidelines include focusing on seasonal produce and reading food labels to help you avoid added sodium and sugar.

What raises A1c the most? ›

It's true that carbohydrates affect your blood sugar more than other nutrients you eat. Chances are that if you overdo starchy carbs on a regular basis, your A1c number will start to creep up. But remember, all carbs aren't a problem.

What carbs don't spike blood sugar? ›

When choosing carbohydrate foods: Eat the most of these: whole, unprocessed, non-starchy vegetables. Non-starchy vegetables like lettuce, cucumbers, broccoli, tomatoes, and green beans have a lot of fiber and very little carbohydrate, which results in a smaller impact on your blood glucose.

Is ghee keto-friendly? ›

If you following a ketogenic diet, the good news is that ghee is keto-friendly and can easily be added into a variety of healthy recipes.

How many carbs a day on keto? ›

The ketogenic diet typically reduces total carbohydrate intake to less than 50 grams a day—less than the amount found in a medium plain bagel—and can be as low as 20 grams a day. Generally, popular ketogenic resources suggest an average of 70-80% fat from total daily calories, 5-10% carbohydrate, and 10-20% protein.

Can you eat garlic on a keto diet? ›

Garlic has Low Carb Profile: A typical garlic clove has about 1 gram of carbs, fitting well within the keto diet's daily carb intake limits of 20-50 grams, making it a keto-friendly option. Black garlic has even less carbohydrates than fresh garlic.

How many carbs in a serving of butter chicken? ›

Nutrition Facts
NutrientValue
Carbs36g
Net carbs34g
Fiber2g
Sugar4g
83 more rows

How many carbs are in chicken keto? ›

Meat and poultry are considered staple foods on the keto diet. Fresh meat and poultry contain no carbs and are rich in B vitamins and several important minerals. They're also a great source of high quality protein, which may help preserve muscle mass during a very low carb diet ( 18 , 19 , 20).

Does butter chicken sauce have carbs? ›

3 ⅞ oz of butter chicken sauce (A Taste of India) contains 240 Calories. The macronutrient breakdown is 10% carbs, 85% fat, and 5% protein. This has a moderate calorie density, with 218 Calories per 100g.

Can I eat unlimited chicken on keto? ›

However, if you want your chicken to have more flavor, then chicken thighs are considered the best kind of meat. Can you eat as much chicken as you want on keto? If you've decided to get started on a ketogenic lifestyle, you should be aware that you can't eat an unlimited quantity of meat on the keto diet.

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