Easy Butter Chicken Soup

This butter chicken soup is the perfect cozy meal for a chilly night. It’s rich and delicious and great for lovers of classic butter chicken. After all, this recipe is pretty much a standard butter chicken recipe with added stock. Served with fresh crusty bread or pillowy naan, it’s a crowd pleaser of note.

Ingredients

Full recipe with amounts can be found in the recipe card below. 

• Chicken. I prefer using boneless, skinless chicken thighs but breast can also be used. This is also a great recipe to make if you have leftover cooked chicken.
• Butter + Vegetable oil. 
• Fresh garlic. 
• Fresh ginger.
• Spices: I prefer using a combination of Garam Masala, paprika, cardamom and coriander. You can however use any curry powder/blend that you have.
• Tomatoes. I used tomato puree (not paste). Passata can also work. Chopped tomatoes are also fine but I prefer the rich, smoothness the puree adds.
• Chicken stock. 
• Cream. Heavy / Whipping.
• Sugar. Optional, but I like the way it mellows the acidity of the tomatoes.
• Salt and pepper. 

How to make butter chicken soup

1. Cook the chicken: Slice the chicken into small, bite-size pieces. Place the chicken in a medium bowl then add a tablespoon of olive oil and some of the spices. Mix well. In a large, deep pot, sear the chicken until browned on both sides then remove and set asid.
2. Make the soup: In the same pot, melt the butter then add the onion, garlic and ginger. Cook until the mixture is fragrant then add the remaining spices. Cook until the mixture is dry in the pot and the spices are toasted then pour in the tomatoes and stock. Add the chicken back into the soup then reduce the heat and bring to a simmer. Allow to cook for 10-15 minutes until the chicken is soft. Pour in the cream and season with salt, pepper and a pinch of sugar.
3. Serve: Ladle the soup into serving bowls and finish with a drizzle of cream, fresh coriander/cilantro and fresh chillies (optional).

Can I make this ahead?

Soup is always a great make-ahead recipe, this one is no different. The soup can be made then allowed to cool and transferred to airtight containers. Store in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw completely then reheat in over medium heat until hot and bubbling.

Chicken soup recipes

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2. Easy healthy chicken broccoli soup
3. Rotisserie chicken mushroom soup

Butter Chicken Soup

If you love classic butter chicken, you'll love this rich and creamy soup recipe. It's the perfect cozy meal for a chilli night.

4.72 from 14 votes

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Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Indian

Keyword: butter chicken, Butter chicken soup, chicken soup

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes minutes

Servings: 6

Calories: 302kcal

Author: Alida Ryder

Ingredients

For the chicken

• 500 g (1lbs) chicken thighs boneless + skinless
• 1 tbsp canola oil / vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp Garam Masala
• ½ tsp ground cardamom
• ½ tsp paprika
• 1 tsp salt

For the soup

• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 onion finely chopped
• 2 tsp garlic crushed
• 1 tsp ginger crushed
• 2 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp ground cardamom
• 400 g (14oz) Tomato puree (not paste) Passata or crushed tomatoes are good substitutes
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 1-2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1½ cups heavy / whipping cream

Instructions

• Slice the chicken into small, bite-size pieces.
• Place the chicken in a medium bowl then add a tablespoon of olive oil and some of the spices. Mix well.
• In a large, deep pot, sear the chicken until browned on both sides then remove and set aside. 
• In the same pot, melt the butter then add the onion, garlic and ginger. Cook until the mixture is fragrant then add the remaining spices.
• Cook until the mixture is dry in the pot and the spices are toasted then pour in the tomatoes and stock.
• Add the chicken back into the soup then reduce the heat and bring to a simmer.
• Allow to cook for 10-15 minutes until the chicken is soft.
• Pour in the cream and season with salt, pepper and a pinch of sugar. 
• Ladle the soup into serving bowls and finish with a drizzle of cream, fresh coriander/cilantro and fresh chillies (optional). 

Nutrition

Calories: 302kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 95mg | Sodium: 1084mg | Potassium: 659mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 898IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 54mg | Iron: 2mg