30 Minute Butter Chicken Pasta Recipe
Butter Chicken Pasta is a delightful fusion of a traditional Indian curry chicken dish and pasta, which is traditionally Italian. It’s a delicious blend of creamy, savory, slightly spicy, and slightly sweet flavors. This recipe is also an easy 30-minute dinner, so it’s perfect for busy weeknights.
Servings 4 servings
Ingredients
- 16 ounces Chicken Breasts, boneless, skinless
- 1.5 Tablespoon Extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Salt divided for chicken and sauce
- 1 teaspoon Ground black pepper divided for chicken and sauce
- 1 Medium onion, diced
- ½ cup chicken broth or stock
- 3 cloves Garlic, minced
- 23 ounces Tomato sauce, canned
- 4 Tablespoon Butter, salted
- 2 teaspoons Ground Cumin
- 1 teaspoon Garam masala
- 1 teaspoon Ground Turmeric
- 1 teaspoon Ground Cayenne Pepper
- 2 Tablespoon Honey
- ½ cup Heavy cream
- 16 ounces Fusilli Pasta, dried
- Fresh Cilantro for garnish
Instructions
Prep Ahead
- Mince the garlic Clove.
- Cut the chicken breast into 1-2 inch pieces and then season all sides with salt and pepper.
Cook
- Cook the pasta to al dente according to package instructions then set aside until you are ready to add to the sauce. NOTE: you do not want to over cook the pasta as it will continue to cook in the sauce.
- Preheat a large skillet on high heat. Add 2 teaspoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil and spread it around the skillet. Add the seasoned chicken pieces in a single layer so each piece gets a nice brown sear. Let the chicken cook on medium-high heat for at least 3-5 minutes, or until it easily lifts from the pan without sticking. Then flip each piece to brown the other side and cook the chicken through until there is no longer any pink. Total cooking time takes about 10 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate.
- To the same pan, add another ½ tablespoon or so of olive oil and the diced onions. Once they start to glisten, you can add the minced garlic and the broth. Scrape up all of the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the butter next and stir to melt it.
- Continue to add the tomatoes sauce, garam masala, turmeric, cumin, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, cayenne, and honey. Stir gently to combine. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes. TIP: If you do not have a cover for your skillet, you can use a sheet pan or just aluminum foil.
- Next, mix in the heavy cream and add the chicken and any juices back to the sauce in the pan and let warm through again for 1-2 minutes. Finally, gently fold in the pasta. If the sauce is too thick, add ¼ cup of the reserved pasta water at time until you get your desired consistency.
