Al dente rotini pasta tossed in a rich, succulent and creamy butter chicken gravy is a culinary marvel in the world of fusion cooking. A blend of two cultures from the bustling city of Delhi to the streets of Italy.
In this innovative fusion dish, tender pieces of chicken, marinated to perfection, are enveloped in a velvety sauce crafted from cashews, tomatoes, cream, and a medley of spices, which is combined with the comforting allure of Italian pasta.
This rich butter chicken sauce is mixed with your favorite al dente pasta topped with fresh basil. Yes, it does make your mouth water. This wholehearted comfort food can be devoured within minutes.
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Butter chicken is a gravy I prepare almost once a month, but why always eat butter chicken with Jeera rice or butter garlic naan. It’s time to bring some spice in your life with this vibrant fusion flavor. This dish can be made with any kind of pasta, but I chose rotini as the grooves hold the buttery sauce in place.
Let’s dive into this recipe which takes us on a culinary adventure from India to Italy that celebrates diversity, uniqueness and creativity.
Ingredients in Butter Chicken Pasta
Herbs and spices: chili powder, turmeric powder, cardamom, peppercorns, garlic, ginger, bay leaf, fenugreek leaves, basil leaves
Liquids: vegetable oil, water, heavy cream
Regular ingredients: boneless chicken thighs, ginger garlic paste, yogurt, onions, tomatoes, butter, sugar, rotini pasta
Specialty ingredients: cashew nuts
See recipe card for quantities.
Walk through the Recipe
Let’s start preparing our butter chicken pasta. We first combine all the ingredients in a bowl for the chicken marinade and let it rest for at least an hour for the flavor to intensify.
Next, we cook the marinated chicken over high heat until its 90% cooked and then set it aside. In the same pan, we sauté the spices along with the remaining ingredients for the sauce. Once cooked, we set it aside allowing it to cool before blending.
Once the mixture is cooled, we blend it into a smooth paste and set it aside. We now sauté red chili powder, fenugreek leaves in the same pan with butter and add back the blended sauce and simmer on low heat allowing the flavors to meld.
Once the sauce is cooked and thickens a little, we add in butter, cream, sugar and salt to taste. We then add the cooked chicken and let it simmer further. As the butter chicken sauce simmers, we prepare the pasta until al dente in a separate pot.
We then transfer the cooked pasta to the butter chicken mixture and toss well, allowing the pasta to absorb the flavors. The dish is finally ready. We now move it to a serving bowl and drizzle over some heavy cream and garnish with fresh basil.
Substitutions
You can replace some of the ingredients in the recipe, to suit what you have at home, or if you don't find them in the store
- Heavy cream: lower-fat dairy option, like Greek yogurt or low-fat cream.
- Dairy-Free Butter Chicken: Replace regular butter with a dairy-free butter substitute made from ingredients like coconut oil or vegetable oils. Substitute heavy cream with coconut milk, almond milk, or cashew milk.
- Protein substitutes: Use tofu, seitan, or even a plant-based meat substitute for a vegetarian or vegan version Instead of chicken.
- Sugar: honey
Tips
- Chicken selection: Use boneless, skinless chicken thighs over chicken breasts as the chicken breast may turn dry while thighs remain juicy.
- Use one pan: Try using only one pan to sear the chicken, sauté the ingredients for the sauce before grinding and for the final dish.
- Adjust the consistency: Save some pasta water or add cream if the sauce becomes too thick to achieve a desired consistency.
- Cook Al Dente: Aim at cooking the pasta al dente, which means it should have a firm texture when bitten and not mushy. Remember, the pasta will continue to cook in the pan along with the butter chicken sauce.
FAQs
Yes, you can make vegetarian or vegan versions. Use tofu, seitan, or even a plant-based meat substitute instead of chicken, and replace dairy ingredients with plant-based alternatives for a vegan version.
Yes, butter chicken can be frozen but not the pasta. Allow gravy to cool completely, then store it in an airtight container or freezer-safe bags. It can be kept frozen for up to three months. Thaw and reheat it gently on the stove or in the microwave and add your favorite pasta when you're ready to eat.
To make butter chicken less spicy, reduce or omit the chili powder in the recipe. You can also add extra sugar or honey to balance out the heat.
Related Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
- Tender Beef Karahi Recipe
- Jerk Shrimp Pasta (Rasta Pasta Recipe)
- Mushroom Pappardelle
- Chicken Fajita Rice Bowl
Fusion Recipes
Try out some of our specialty recipes:
- Jerk Chicken Quesadilla
- Sumac Fries
- Crispy Brussels Sprouts Recipe (Indian style)
- Easy Crab Rangoon Egg Rolls
Recipe
Butter Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
Marination
- 1 lb sliced boneless chicken thighs
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
- 1 tablespoon yogurt
For the sauce
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 3 pods cardamom
- 6 peppercorns
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 inch ginger piece
- 1 onion
- 2 tomatoes
- 50 grams cashews
- 1 cup water
Final dish
- 1 tablespoon red chili powder
- 1 tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves
- 6 tablespoon butter
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 lb rotini pasta/any other pasta
- salt to taste
- basil leaves for garnish
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine all the ingredients for the chicken marinade. Mix well to ensure the chicken is evenly coated. Cover the bowl and let it marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, or overnight.
- In a large pan, melt 2 tablespoon butter over medium heat. Add the marinated chicken and cook over high heat for 5-7 mins or till the chicken is 90% cooked. Set aside.
- In the same pan, add oil and sauté the spices along with ginger and garlic. Add the remaining ingredients for the sauce. Let it cool. Blend all the ingredients to a smooth sauce.
- Melt 2 tablespoon butter in the same pan, add red chili powder and fenugreek leaves. Add the sauce back in the pan and let it simmer for 45 mins on low heat.
- Add salt to taste, sugar, butter and cream to the sauce. Mix the sauce and add in the cooked chicken pieces and let it simmer for another minute.
- Make your pasta according to the package directions. Transfer the cooked pasta to the sauce and toss well, allowing the pasta to absorb the flavors. Pour over some heavy cream and basil for garnish.
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