Move over, mac ’n’ cheese, because Nicole Maguire’s easy butter chicken recipe is the perfect family-friendly, winter warmer! 

BY HEJIRA CONVERY, KINDICARE

JULY 1, 2024

Little people love a creamy dinner, and if you’re keen to introduce some aromatics this winter, and make one meal for the whole family, then here’s a recipe you have to try!  

Nicole Maguire’s easy butter chicken is the ultimate fam-friendly curry in a hurry, and it comes from her debut cookbook, The Simple Dinner Edit.   

If you’re one of Nicole’s 1,000,000+ Simple Home Edit followers, you’ll know that she has a special way of transforming everyday ingredients into ahhh-mazing meals, and the easy butter chicken recipe from her book is no exception.  

It’s made with affordable ingredients in minimal time (like, 25 mins all up), and there’s no store-bought sauce, overnight marinating or mid-week food processing involved!  

Instead, this recipe is super simple to put together, and you’ll get that warm feeling, knowing your child is trying something a little bit new and a whole lot nutritious. 

So, without further ado, here’s how you make Nicole Maguire’s easy butter chicken! 

Prep time: 10 minutes 

Cook time: 15 minutes 

Serves: 4  

Ingredients 

• 1 tablespoon olive oil  

• 20g unsalted butter  

• 1 onion, finely diced  

• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped  

• 1 tablespoon finely chopped or grated ginger  

• 500g chicken thigh fillets, cut into bite-sized pieces  

• 2 teaspoons garam masala  

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin  

• 1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds  

• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric  

• 1 teaspoon sea salt flakes  

• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper  

• 2 tablespoons tomato paste  

• 250ml (1 cup) thickened cream  

 

To serve 

• 2 tablespoons plain yoghurt  

• 1 Lebanese cucumber, finely sliced  

• 1/2 red onion, finely sliced  

• 1/4 bunch coriander, leaves picked  

• Pappadums  

• Steamed basmati rice, topped with fried shallots (optional)  

• 2 bird’s eye chillies (optional) 

 

To make 

Heat the olive oil and butter in a large frying pan over medium–high heat. Add the onion, garlic and ginger. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute until fragrant.  

Add the chicken, garam masala, cumin, yellow mustard seeds, turmeric, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes until the chicken is slightly browned.  

Add the tomato paste and cream and stir them through. Simmer over medium-low heat, uncovered, for 8 minutes or until the chicken is cooked.  

Serve with the yoghurt, cucumber, red onion, coriander leaves, pappadums and steamed basmati rice. Top with the chillies, if desired. 

Leftovers 

Refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months.  

Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.  

Cook once, eat twice 

Double the recipe and make butter chicken pot pies!  

Divide 370g (2 cups) cooked rice between four oven-proof ramekins. Top the rice with the butter chicken mixture, top with store-bought puff pastry and brush the pastry all over with whisked egg.  

Bake in a 200°C fan-forced oven for 20 minutes or until the pastry is golden and crispy.  

 

The Simple Dinner Edit by Nicole Maguire is published by Plum and available at all great bookstores for $39.99 (rrp).  

Photography by Jeremy Simons