What Is Butter Chicken? The Story Behind India’s Most Beloved Dish

Butter chicken, known as murgh makhani in Hindi, is a creamy, mildly spiced North Indian curry made with tandoori chicken simmered in a velvety tomato-butter sauce. It is one of the most ordered Indian dishes on the planet, and for good reason: the combination of smoky charred chicken, rich cream, and warm spices creates a flavour that is both comforting and deeply satisfying. At Indian Bites, where we have served over 200,000 customers across our two Copenhagen-area locations, butter chicken has been our most popular dish since day one. Here is everything you need to know about what butter chicken is, where it comes from, and what makes a truly great version.

The Origin of Butter Chicken: A Delhi Kitchen in the 1950s

Butter chicken was born in Old Delhi sometime in the late 1940s or early 1950s. The dish is credited to Kundan Lal Gujral, the founder of the famous Moti Mahal restaurant in Daryaganj. The story goes that leftover tandoori chicken, which had dried out after sitting in the clay oven, needed to be repurposed. The kitchen simmered it in a sauce of tomatoes, butter, and cream, and the result was murgh makhani: tender, smoky chicken in a luscious gravy.

Why It Spread Worldwide

The genius of butter chicken lies in its accessibility. Unlike many North Indian curries that build heat with chillies, butter chicken leads with sweetness from tomatoes, richness from butter and cream, and warmth from garam masala and fenugreek. That mild, rounded flavour profile makes it a natural entry point for anyone trying Indian food for the first time. From Delhi, butter chicken spread across India, then to the UK, the US, Scandinavia, and the rest of the world. Today it is a staple on nearly every Indian restaurant menu, including ours at Indian Bites in Copenhagen and Klampenborg.

What Goes Into Authentic Butter Chicken

A proper butter chicken starts with two separate preparations: the chicken and the sauce. Understanding both is key to appreciating what makes the dish special.

The Chicken

The chicken is marinated in yoghurt, lemon juice, and a blend of spices including garam masala, turmeric, cumin, and chilli powder. Traditionally, it is cooked in a tandoor, a cylindrical clay oven that reaches temperatures above 400 degrees Celsius. The intense, dry heat chars the exterior while keeping the inside juicy. This smoky char is what distinguishes butter chicken from other creamy curries. At Indian Bites, we prepare our chicken using traditional methods so every piece carries that authentic tandoori flavour.

The Sauce (Makhani Gravy)

The makhani sauce is built from ripe tomatoes cooked down with ginger and garlic, then blended until smooth. Butter goes in generously (this is not a dish for calorie counting), followed by cream, a pinch of sugar to balance the tomato acidity, and a careful measure of spices: garam masala, kashmiri chilli for colour, and dried fenugreek leaves (kasoori methi). The fenugreek is the signature note. It adds a slightly bitter, earthy fragrance that ties the entire sauce together. Without it, butter chicken tastes flat.

How It Is Served

Butter chicken is traditionally served with basmati rice or naan bread, and often both. At Indian Bites, a portion of butter chicken costs 149 DKK and comes with fluffy basmati rice. Add a garlic naan for 30 DKK or a cheese naan for 35 DKK to complete the meal.

Butter Chicken vs Chicken Tikka Masala: What Is the Difference?

This is one of the most common questions about Indian food. Both dishes feature chicken in a creamy, orange-red sauce, but they are not the same.

Butter chicken is a Delhi original. Its sauce is smooth, buttery, and relatively mild, with fenugreek as a defining ingredient. Chicken tikka masala is widely believed to have been invented in the UK (Glasgow or Birmingham, depending on who you ask) and uses a more heavily spiced sauce, often with a sharper tomato flavour and more chilli heat. The chicken in tikka masala is also cut into smaller pieces (tikka means “pieces”), while traditional butter chicken can use larger tandoori portions.

At Indian Bites, we serve both dishes so you can taste the difference side by side. Butter chicken is 149 DKK and chicken tikka masala is also 149 DKK at both our locations.

Where to Try Authentic Butter Chicken in Copenhagen

If you want to taste butter chicken made with imported Indian spices and traditional recipes, Indian Bites has two locations to choose from.

Our Copenhagen city centre restaurant is at Pustervig 4, 1126 Kobenhavn K, open every day from 11:00 to 20:30. You can dine in, order takeaway, or get delivery through Wolt. With a 4.7-star Google rating from 533 reviews, it is one of the highest-rated Indian restaurants in the city.

Our Bakken location is at Dyrehavsbakken 207, 2930 Klampenborg, inside the world’s oldest operating amusement park. Open seasonally (Monday to Friday 11:00 to 20:00, Saturday and Sunday 11:00 to 21:00), it is the perfect stop for authentic Indian food during a day at Bakken. Take the S-tog to Klampenborg Station (lines C or F) and walk through Dyrehaven to reach us. Our Bakken location holds a 4.8-star Google rating.

All chicken at both locations is halal-certified, and we offer vegetarian alternatives like palak paneer (135 DKK) and dal tadka (125 DKK) for guests who do not eat meat.

Ready to try it? Visit us at Indian Bites Copenhagen or Indian Bites Bakken and order our butter chicken today.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is butter chicken?

Butter chicken (murgh makhani) is a North Indian curry made with tandoori-style chicken simmered in a rich, creamy tomato sauce flavoured with butter, garam masala, and fenugreek. It was invented in Delhi in the 1950s and is now one of the most popular Indian dishes worldwide.

Is butter chicken spicy?

Butter chicken is mild to medium in heat. The tomato-cream sauce and butter mellow the spices, making it one of the most approachable Indian curries for people who prefer less heat. At Indian Bites, you can ask for your preferred spice level.

What is the difference between butter chicken and chicken tikka masala?

Butter chicken originated in Delhi, India, and uses a smooth, buttery tomato-cream sauce with fenugreek. Chicken tikka masala is believed to have been created in the UK and typically uses a spicier, more heavily spiced tomato-based sauce. Butter chicken is generally milder and richer.

Is butter chicken halal at Indian Bites?

Yes. All chicken and meat served at Indian Bites is halal-certified. This applies to both our Copenhagen city centre location at Pustervig 4 and our Bakken location in Klampenborg.

How much does butter chicken cost at Indian Bites?

Butter chicken at Indian Bites costs 149 DKK at both the Pustervig (Copenhagen) and Bakken (Klampenborg) locations. The dish is served with basmati rice.

Where can I try butter chicken in Copenhagen?

You can try authentic butter chicken at Indian Bites at two locations: Pustervig 4 in Copenhagen city centre (open daily 11:00 to 20:30) or at Dyrehavsbakken 207 in Klampenborg during Bakken’s season.