This is one of those recipes that completely changes how you think about midweek curry. No standing over the hob, no juggling pans, no endless list of spices. You marinate the chicken, stir the sauce in one dish, bake it, and somehow it still delivers proper butter chicken vibes. It’s also one of the recipes I’m most proud of in my book Speedy Comfort.
One Pan Baked Butter Chicken
Butter chicken is one of those dishes that everyone loves, but very few people make regularly at home. Not because it’s difficult, but because it usually comes with a long list of steps, multiple pans, and the feeling that you need a full spice drawer and an afternoon free to do it justice.
This version changes all of that.
This one pan baked butter chicken is about stripping things back without stripping out the flavour. You marinate the chicken for tenderness and depth, stir together a rich, creamy tomato sauce straight in the baking dish, lay the chicken on top, and let the oven do the work. No frying. No simmering. No mess everywhere. Just one pan, big flavour, and a curry that feels far more indulgent than the effort involved.
It’s exactly the kind of recipe Speedy Comfort was built around. Comfort food you genuinely want to eat, cooked in a way that fits real life.
Why this recipe works
Traditional butter chicken relies on building flavour in stages on the hob. Browning chicken, cooking spices, reducing sauce, finishing with butter and cream. All brilliant, but not always realistic on a Tuesday night.
This baked version takes the same core flavours and lets time and heat do the heavy lifting instead.
The yoghurt-based marinade tenderises the chicken thighs and gives them that signature butter chicken tang. Curry powder keeps things accessible but still warm and aromatic. Garlic, ginger, and lemon juice bring freshness and balance. Once the chicken hits the oven, the marinade melts into the sauce rather than sitting separately, which is where a lot of the flavour comes from.
The sauce itself is deliberately simple. Tinned tomatoes for body, double cream for richness, butter for that unmistakable silkiness, tomato paste for depth, and curry powder to tie everything together. As it bakes, the sauce thickens naturally, the chicken stays juicy, and everything ends up tasting like it’s been simmering for hours.
It’s low effort cooking that doesn’t taste like a shortcut.
One pan, real flavour
The beauty of this recipe is that everything happens in one dish. You don’t need to brown anything first. You don’t need to reduce the sauce separately. You don’t need to watch it like a hawk.
You mix, bake, baste once halfway through, and that’s it.
That’s also why this recipe works so well for batch cooking or feeding people. Double it up, use a bigger dish, and you’ve got dinner sorted for days. It reheats beautifully and arguably tastes even better the next day once the flavours have had more time to settle.
This is comfort food that doesn’t ask too much of you, which is exactly the point.
Ingredients
For the chicken & marinade
6 chicken thighs, skinless
150 g natural yoghurt
2 tbsp curry powder
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
15 g ginger, grated
½ lemon, juiced
For the sauce
210 g tin of tomatoes
150 ml double cream
40 g butter, melted
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp curry powder
Optional
10 g fresh coriander, chopped
How to make One Pan Baked Butter Chicken
Preheat the oven to 180°C fan.
Add the yoghurt, curry powder, garlic, ginger, lemon juice, and a good pinch of salt and pepper to a large bowl. Mix well.
Add the chicken thighs to the marinade and stir until fully coated.
In a large ovenproof dish, add the tinned tomatoes, double cream, melted butter, tomato paste, and curry powder. Stir until everything is well combined.
Lay the marinated chicken thighs on top of the sauce, then spoon over any remaining marinade.
Bake uncovered for 45–50 minutes, basting the chicken with the sauce halfway through cooking.
Once the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is thick and glossy, remove from the oven.
Sprinkle over chopped coriander if using, then serve with rice and naan bread.
What to serve it with
Steamed basmati rice is the obvious choice, but this also works brilliantly with pilau rice, flatbreads, or naan for scooping up that sauce. A simple cucumber yoghurt on the side or some quick-pickled onions cut through the richness nicely if you want something fresh alongside it.
FAQs
Can I use chicken breast instead of thighs?
You can, but thighs are better here. They stay juicier during the longer bake and are much more forgiving. If you do use breast, keep an eye on them and don’t overcook.
Is curry powder enough for proper flavour?
Yes. A good quality curry powder does a lot of work here, especially combined with garlic, ginger, butter, and cream. This recipe is about balance, not heat.
Can I make this dairy-free?
You can swap the yoghurt for a dairy-free alternative and use a plant-based cream and butter, but the flavour will change slightly. Still good, just different.
Can I prep this ahead of time?
Absolutely. Marinate the chicken earlier in the day, assemble everything in the dish, cover, and refrigerate. Bake when ready.
Is this spicy?
It’s gently warming rather than hot. If you want more heat, add chilli powder or fresh chilli to the marinade.
This is the kind of recipe that earns repeat status. Minimal effort, maximum comfort, and proof that good food doesn’t have to be complicated. It’s exactly why it earned its place in Speedy Comfort, and exactly why it ends up on so many people’s regular rotation.
One Pan Baked Butter Chicken
Ingredients
For the chicken & marinade:
- 6 Chicken thighs skinless
- 150 g Natural yoghurt
- 2 tbsp Curry powder
- 2 Cloves of garlic chopped
- 15 g Ginger grated
- 1/2 Lemon juiced
For the sauce:
- 210 g Tin of tomatoes
- 150 ml Double cream
- 40 g Butter melted
- 1 tbsp Tomato paste
- 1 tbsp Curry powder
Optional:
- 10 g Coriander chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C (fan).
- Add the yoghurt, curry powder, garlic, ginger, the juice of half of the lemon, and a pinch of salt and pepper into a large mixing bowl and mix it well.
- Add the chicken into the marinade and stir well to coat.
- Add the tinned tomatoes, double cream, melted butter, tomato paste, and curry powder into an oven proof dish and stir it until it’s well combined.
- Lay the marinated chicken on top, then spoon over any remaining marinade.
- Bake it for 45-50 minutes, basting the chicken in the sauce half way through.
- Sprinkle over some chopped coriander, then serve with rice, and maybe even some naan bread. Enjoy!
35 comments on “One Pan Baked Butter Chicken”
Can’t wait to try this recipe. Was wondering if I can substitute 18 percent coffee cream for the whipping cream. Thanks
Would really like to make this however stuck on which curry powder to get? May i ask which one you used? I’m in SA and there’s only a few different brands at my supermarket.
Hi, I don’t think the brand will matter too much. I use thr supermarkets own brand ones, and usually the mild one.
Very nice, but I think I’d use the juice of 1/4 lemon next time I make it as it came out a bit acidic.
do I leave the chicken in the marinade any length of time before cooking?
You can if you like, but you don’t have to
Can I use chicken breast , struggling in France to get thighs at our local supermarket all the time ?
Yes!
This recipe has become a family favourite, I make it all the time. I substitute the cream with creme fraiche to reduce the guilt and add madras curry powder to spice it up a bit. I freeze it in portions so I can take some to my son who lives a few hours away.
We love this recipe and cook it all the time now. Ive previously cooked other butter chicken recipes which have been tasty but a bit laborious. This recipe matches them on flavour but is just so quick and easy to make!
Made this last night and was so impressed, its not often you get an easy recipe and so much flavour!
We love this recipe, it’s so easy to make, a favourite of my grandchildren visiting from Mexico. I don’t use the tomato puree as I feel it makes it a bit too tomatoey for my liking. Other than that it’s perfect.
Hello from New Zealand, we love a good Butter Chicken and this is now my go to receipe.
This is so lovely, an easy mid week meal. Everything I have tired from your recipes Jon has been really good, thank you 🙂
Made this tonight and it was a massive hit. Really easy to make (even with a toddler hanging out of my leg) Looking forward to trying more recipes !
Can we use a slow cooker for this? Thanks!
Hi, yes a slow cooker will work. The sauce b=might be a bit runny though so I would suggest adding some cornflour (mixed with water) to thicken it slightly.
Made today 12/3/24 absolutely awesome as is your book. Thank you
Erm, do I cover the chicken whilst it’s baking in the oven??
No need. Just bake as it is
Do the leftovers freeze ok?
yes
Delicious!
Hello from two Brits in Los Angeles who really miss a good curry ! They are always very bland here. We tried your butter chicken recipe last night and thought it was great. Thanks!
Another hit recipe! So fast to do and still so tasty.Loving recipes like this (quick and easy) as i have a small baby n i end up having to prep while shes asleep early in the morning or its a late dinner for me as my husband cooks but doesn’t cook like me. He made your paprika chicken once and it wasnt the same as when i make it. It really helps having a speedy delicious recipe to just bang in the oven.Definitely is one i will be making often like lots of your other recipes.
Keep then coming ,thank you Jon
Hi
We loved your jalfrezi recipe and it’d now my go to curry. I want to try this butter chicken recipe but I’m wondering if I can swap the cream for coconut milk or would this change the flavour to much
Yes that will work fine.
Really good Jon, made a good batch for the family and everyone cleared their bowls…….thanks 😉
Hi what is double cream?
Thanks
It might be called ‘heavy whipping cream’ in your country
Hi Jon
Boneless or bone in thighs? Looking forward to trying this!
Hi, either is fine, I used bone in, and just removed the skin.
Tried so many options cooking Indian food and never got it right. Came to this recipe and completely nailed it. I was also please to see how little preparation time there was. Thank you and now onto your next recipes!
Wonderful and tasty! Love it and so did the kids <3
Just made this and it was delicious! So easy to make and really flavoursome. Served with rice