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Vegan Butter Chicken

This homemade vegan butter chicken recipe is buttery, ultra creamy with a subtle hint of sweetness and pairs perfectly with fluffy basmati rice or naan!
Prep Time40 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: butter chicken, indian food
Servings: 3

Ingredients

Marinade for 'Chicken'

  • 300 g firm tofu
  • 150 g plant based chicken (or more tofu)
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp kashmiri chili powder
  • 3 tsp coconut cream

Butter Chicken Gravy

  • 20 red cherry tomatoes (4 large tomatoes)
  • 15 cashews (soaked)
  • 2 tbsp vegan butter
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 5 cloves
  • 5 green cardamom pods
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1 green chili
  • 2 tsp ginger paste
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/4 cup coconut cream
  • salt

Garnish

  • 1 tbsp coconut cream
  • chopped coriander

Instructions

  • Soak cashews overnight or in boiling water for 30 minutes.
  • Thaw frozen tofu in the microwave for 2 minutes and drain excess water. Break it up into chunks. Add thawed plant based chicken and combine the ingredients required for the marinade.
  • Marinate for 30 minutes at least, but you can even leave it overnight for more flavour. Preheat your oven to 200°C.
  • Add soaked cashews and tomatoes to a high speed blender to get a smooth and creamy paste.
  • Spray some olive oil on the marinated tofu chunks and bake* in oven for about 15 minutes until the flavours are fully absorbed.
  • Add 1 tbsp vegan butter to a pan and add whole spices - bay leaves, cardamom, cinnamon stick and cloves. Saute until fragrant.
  • Add green chili and ginger paste. Saute until fragrant.
  • Add cashew-tomato paste, chili powder, sugar, salt, onion and garlic powder. Saute until the mixture thickens and you can see oil floating at the sides. Another way to check is you don't smell the raw tomatoes anymore.
  • Add water, mix and do a taste test. Adjust salt if necessary.
  • Add 1/4 cup coconut cream and give it a good mix.
  • Lower the heat and add 1 tbsp of vegan butter on top. If the mixture is too thick, you can add a bit more water or more coconut milk. (Use the rest of the coconut cream/milk in smoothies, desserts)
  • Garnish with more coconut cream and chopped coriander. Serve with naan, paratha or plain basmati rice!

Notes

  1. If you don't have vegan butter, you can use vegetable oil. 
  2. This recipe is entirely gluten free (just ensure you're using a gluten free version of plant based meat if using).
  3. You can also pan fry them in oil until crispy or air fry for 10 minutes!