Butter Chicken

Age suitable:

6 months +

Egg free, Gluten Free, Iron rich, Nut free, Protein rich, Soy free

5 stars

About the recipe

This is one of those meals I make when I want everyone at the table to eat the same thing… and actually enjoy it. It feels like a proper comfort dinner, but it’s still gentle enough for babies. The pumpkin softens into the sauce and makes it naturally sweet and creamy, which means you get all those beautiful warming spices without it feeling “spicy”.

I love this for early eaters because the chicken becomes so soft it practically falls apart, and the thick sauce clings beautifully to rice or a preloaded spoon. It’s nourishing, freezer-friendly and makes the house smell amazing while it cooks. A proper family meal, just made baby-friendly.

This recipe has three methods – a slow cooker version, pressure cook or an oven version. I’m partial to using the oven, I think it just really brings out the flavours and gives the meal that delicious ‘jamminess’ as it reduces.

To read more about slow-cookers/pressure-cookers and which one I personally use, read this blog here: Slow-Cooking 101

Age Appropriate:

Suitable from 6 months+, once your baby is developmentally ready for solids.

Notes for Serving BLW or Puree:

For baby-led weaning, serve shredded chicken with soft pumpkin pieces and thick sauce spooned on top. I like to mix the sauce through the rice to make the rice a bit less messy.

For puree, blend or mash the chicken and pumpkin with extra sauce or a little additional broth to reach your desired consistency.

Serving Suggestions:

Serve over steamed rice

Pair with Greek/natural yoghurt or tzatziki

Add a side of steamed greens or some yoghurt flatbreads

Use leftovers as a filling for wraps or spoon over baked potatoes

Storage (Fridge and Freezer):

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Freeze in portion-sized containers for up to 3 months.

Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave until heated through. Stir well and ensure internal temperature reaches 74°C before serving.

Ingredients

700 g chicken thighs, whole, skin off, bone-in or boneless

1 tbsp ghee or butter*

1 small brown onion, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp garam masala

½ tsp ground coriander

1 tsp sweet paprika

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground turmeric

½ tsp ground cinnamon

1 knob fresh ginger, grated

2 tbsp tomato paste

400 ml pure cream or coconut cream*

500 ml passata or 1 × 400 g tin diced tomatoes

2 cups raw butternut pumpkin, chopped into small cubes

Salt and pepper, to taste

Chicken broth or water:

OVEN: 125 ml (½ cup)

SLOW COOKER: 60 ml (¼ cup)

PRESSURE COOKER: 125 ml (½ cup)

Method

Oven Method

Preheat the oven to 130°C fan-forced.
Heat the ghee in a stovetop-safe oven dish or large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until soft and fragrant.
Stir in the ginger, garam masala, ground coriander, paprika, cumin, turmeric, cinnamon and tomato paste. Cook for about 30 seconds to release the flavours.
Pour in a little of the chicken broth and deglaze the pan, scraping up any flavourful bits from the base.
Add the passata or diced tomatoes, remaining chicken broth, cream and pumpkin. Stir to combine, then nestle in the whole chicken thighs.
Cover with a lid and transfer to the oven. Cook for 2½ hours, or until the chicken is very tender and pulls apart easily.
Remove the chicken, shred it with two forks and return it to the sauce. Season to taste and serve.

Slow Cooker Method

Heat the ghee in a pan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until soft and fragrant.
Stir in the ginger, garam masala, ground coriander, paprika, cumin, turmeric, cinnamon and tomato paste. Cook for about 30 seconds to release the flavours.
Pour in the chicken broth and deglaze the pan, scraping up any flavourful bits from the base.
Transfer everything to the slow cooker. Add the passata or diced tomatoes, cream and pumpkin, then nestle in the whole chicken thighs.
Cook on LOW for 5–6 hours or HIGH for 3–4 hours, until the chicken is very tender and pulls apart easily.
Remove the chicken, shred it with two forks and return it to the sauce. Season to taste and serve.

Pressure Cooker Method

Select the sauté setting and heat the ghee. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until soft and fragrant.
Stir in the ginger, garam masala, ground coriander, paprika, cumin, turmeric, cinnamon and tomato paste. Cook for about 30 seconds to release the flavours.
Pour in the chicken broth and deglaze the pot really well, scraping up anything stuck to the base.
Nestle in the whole chicken thighs and add the pumpkin. Pour the passata or diced tomatoes over the top. Avoid stirring once the tomatoes have been added, as the thicker sauce can catch on the base.
Secure the lid and cook on HIGH pressure for 8 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes, then carefully release the remaining pressure.
Remove the chicken and shred it with two forks. Stir the cream into the sauce, then return the chicken to the pot. If needed, use the sauté setting for a few minutes to thicken the sauce.
Season to taste and serve.

Ingredient Swaps

Chicken thighs can be replaced with chicken breast, though thighs stay more tender.
Pure cream can be swapped for coconut cream for a dairy-free option. Butter or ghee can be swapped for coconut oil or olive oil.
Butternut pumpkin can be replaced with sweet potato or carrot.
PLEASE READ LIQUID QUANTITIES FOR CHOSEN COOKING METHOD.