Description
This aromatic, flavorful Vegan Indian Butter Chicken makes the best weeknight meal. This easy Indian-inspired dinner recipe is made with tender plant-based chicken or tofu simmered in a rich and creamy dairy-free butter, coconut milk tomato sauce spiced with fragrant Indian spices and served with basmati rice and gluten-free naan.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup dairy-free butter, divided
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped (about 2 cups)
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 10 ounces plant-based chicken (I used Abbot’s) or 16 ounce firm tofu
- 4 teaspoons homemade Indian spice mix (below)*
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 can (14.5 ounce) diced tomatoes
- 1/3 cup dairy-free unsweetened yogurt/sour cream
- 1 cup lite coconut milk
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Homemade Indian Spice Mix
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 2 teaspoons ground cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/4 teaspoon ground smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons ground tandoori masala
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
For Serving
- Basmati rice
- Gluten-free naan
- Fresh cilantro
Instructions
- If serving with rice, cook the rice according to package directions first.
- To make the Indian Butter Chicken sauce, melt half of the butter (¼ cup) in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and minced garlic and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt. Cook the onion for about 5 minutes, until translucent, stirring occasionally. Once the onion is soft, add the plant-based chicken or tofu to the skillet. Cook the chicken with the onions for about 5 minutes stirring occasionally. While the chicken is cooking, stir together the Indian spice mix: ground cumin, ground coriander, ground cardamom, ground cinnamon, ground turmeric, ground smoked paprika, ground tandoori masala, and ground ginger to a small bowl. Add 4 teaspoons of the Indian spice mix to the skillet and stir to evenly disperse the spices. Allow the mixture to cook for another 5 minutes or so.
- Next, add the remaining ¼ cup of butter, tomato paste, canned diced tomatoes, dairy-free yogurt, and coconut milk to the skillet. Allow the mixture to cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn the heat down to low, add the ground pepper, stir, and then allow the mixture to simmer over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. The longer the sauce simmers, the more flavorful it gets, so keep that in mind.
- Serve over rice and with gluten-free naan bread. Garnish with chopped cilantro if desired.
Notes
READ THE BLOG POST FOR TIPS, SERVING SUGGESTIONS, AND STORAGE INFO
* you will use half of the spice mix for this meal, and then save the other half in an airtight container to make this recipe another time, cutting out one step in your meal prep!
** Store leftover Vegan Indian Butter Chicken in an airtight container in the fridge and enjoy within 3 days. You may store the rice and butter chicken in the same container or separately- according to your own preference and how much rice you have leftover. If you have a lot of rice compared to sauce, it might be better to store them separately.
You may also store leftovers in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Additional Time: 0 hours
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Lunch & Dinner
- Cuisine: Indian