One pan butter chicken is a lazy cook's dream dinner

Butter chicken is a favourite takeaway option. But, if it’s not the weekend, or you don’t feel like going over budget, this recipe is just as easy to make at home. Our one-pan butter chicken recipe is made all in one tray. Mix up your ingredients and throw them straight in the oven.

While your oven is doing all the hard work, prep a simple mint yoghurt to serve with your delicious traybake dinner. The best (and easiest) fakeaway option yet!

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups Greek-style yoghurt

1/3 cup butter chicken paste

1 tablespoon lemon juice

6 (850g) boneless, skinless chicken thigh fillets, trimmed

1 brown onion, halved, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 cup tomato passata

1/2 cup full-fat thickened cream

1/2 cup chopped mint leaves, plus extra to garnish

Coriander sprigs, cooked basmati rice and naan, to serve

Method

Step 1

Preheat oven to 220°C /200°C fan-forced.

Step 2

Combine 1/2 cup yoghurt, 2 tablespoons butter chicken paste and lemon juice in a bowl. Add chicken and stir, making sure the chicken is well coated.

Step 3

Lightly grease a 5 1/2 cm deep, 20x30cm ovenproof dish. Scatter onion over its base. Drizzle in the oil, stirring to coat the onion, then spread the onion across the base of the dish. Place chicken on top of the onion, then spoon over all the marinade. Bake, uncovered, for 10 minutes.

Step 4

Meanwhile, whisk remaining 2 tablespoons paste, passata and cream together until smooth. Pour over the chicken. Bake, uncovered, for a further 20 minutes, basting halfway through. Cover and let the chicken rest for 5 minutes, if time permits.

Step 5

Combine remaining 3/4 cup yoghurt and the mint. Garnish butter chicken with extra mint leaves or coriander. Serve with rice, naan and the mint yoghurt.

easy butter chicken traybake one pan butter chicken in the over in small dish with handles and mint yoghurt on top — (Photography: Con Poulos, Styling: Lucy Busuttil)

Can you bake butter chicken in the oven?

You can easily bake butter chicken in the oven. This recipe bakes the chicken uncovered with aromatics for 10 minutes, before covering with the butter chicken sauce and cooking for a further 20 minutes.

How long should butter chicken take to cook?

Butter chicken takes a short amount of time to cook, depending on whether you’re cooking it on the stove or in the oven. This recipe takes 30 minutes of cooking time in the oven.

Senior food editor Sarah Murphy Senior food editor

Sarah Murphy is a Senior Food Editor who has worked across leading Australian food magazines since 2010. She holds a Bachelor of Communications (Advertising and Public Relations) and has contributed to magazines including delicious., The Australian Women’s Weekly Food, Super Food Ideas and Woman’s Day. Sarah has also worked across multiple cookbooks for delicious. magazine and The Australian Women’s Weekly Cookbooks. Currently, Sarah is the Senior Food Editor for Better Homes and Gardens Magazine and oversees all food content, creating and developing achievable recipes for readers that still excite and impress.