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Butter Chicken Tacos

Butter chicken tacos with a creamy tomato-butter sauce—tender chicken is simmered until cooked through, then finished with heavy cream for a thick, silky coating. Serve in warm flour tortillas with cilantro and lime for an Indian-Mexican fusion dinner.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner, Main
Cuisine: Fusion, Indian, Mexican
Calories: 780
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 1.5 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs Cubed.
Butter chicken sauce
  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 1 onion Diced.
  • 3 garlic cloves Minced.
  • 1 tbsp ginger paste
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
  • 0.5 cup heavy cream
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 0.5 tsp paprika
  • Salt To taste.
  • pepper To taste.
Tacos
  • 8 flour tortillas Warm.
  • 1 Fresh cilantro For serving.
  • 1 lime wedges For serving.

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Cook the butter chicken
  1. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat, then sauté the diced onion until softened, about 3–5 minutes. The onion should look translucent around the edges.
  2. Add the minced garlic and the ginger paste; cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. You should smell a fragrant aroma without browning.
  3. Add the cubed chicken thighs and cook until golden on all sides, 6–8 minutes total. Turn frequently so each piece develops color.
  4. Stir in the tomato paste, diced tomatoes, garam masala, cumin, and paprika. Cook and stir for 1 minute so the spices bloom.
  5. Simmer the mixture for 12–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through. The sauce should thicken slightly as it bubbles.
  6. Stir in the heavy cream and simmer for 2–3 minutes until the sauce is creamy and thick. The coating should cling to the chicken.
  7. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Taste and adjust so the sauce is balanced and savory.
Assemble the tacos
  1. Warm the flour tortillas in a dry skillet or microwave until flexible and lightly heated. They should be warm enough to fold without cracking.
  2. Fill each tortilla with butter chicken, spooning sauce over the top. The chicken and sauce should be visible in the taco.
  3. Serve with fresh cilantro and lime wedges. Finish with cilantro for color and squeeze lime over the sauce at the table.

Notes

Pro tip: If the sauce feels too thin after simmering, keep it at a gentle simmer for 2–3 extra minutes until it coats the back of a spoon. Refrigerate butter chicken and sauce in a sealed container for up to 3 days; rewarm gently on the stove. Freezing is yes—freeze the chicken sauce only for up to 2 months and thaw before reheating. For a lighter option, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream (the sauce will be slightly less thick, but still creamy).