Murgh makhani, or butter chicken, as it’s more widely known across the West, is one of the most popular Indian dishes in the world. According to one study by search engine marketing firm Semrush, in 2019, the dish garnered 400,000 searches per month on average globally.
Butter chicken is undeniably popular because it’s aromatic, creamy, and packed with flavor. It’s also mild, likely making it a hit with Western palates. According to one 2023 survey by Hunt Valley, 36 percent of Americans prefer medium levels of spice in their food, while 33 percent prefer mild flavors.
In India, there are many different ways to make butter chicken—recipes differ from region to region and from family to family—but in general, it’s often made with a simple blend of yogurt, tomatoes, and spices like garam masala, cumin, and coriander. Of course, traditionally, it’s made with marinated chicken, but this crowd-pleasing curry can also be made with many different plant-based ingredients.
In fact, everything from tofu to tempeh to seitan tastes delicious in vegan butter chicken—find some of our favorite recipes below.
Where was butter chicken invented?
Butter chicken was first served up in New Delhi, India’s bustling capital city, in the early 20th century, but where it was actually invented has long been up for debate.
According to Monish Gujral, who runs the popular Delhi restaurant, Moti Mahal, it was his grandfather, Kundan Lal Gujral, who first invented the recipe while he was living in Pakistan. But the owners of another Delhi restaurant, called Daryaganj, say it was actually their relative Kundan Lal Jaggi, who first came up with butter chicken, while he was working with Gujral’s grandfather in Delhi. That’s why the official tagline of their restaurant is “the inventors of butter chicken.”
The issue has become so fraught that, throughout 2024, the two restaurants have been battling out the right to claim butter chicken’s heritage in court. But the true claim to the dish’s invention probably lies in collaboration, say experts.
“If food history teaches us anything, it’s that cuisines and dishes are part of an ever-evolving chain of inventions and interventions, built over centuries of not just intellectual labor but the manual labor of unnamed protagonists,” cultural historian Neha Vermani, PhD said to BBC .
What is vegan butter chicken made of?
Recipes for butter chicken are still constantly evolving. A quick Google search, for example, brings up many fusion recipes for butter chicken lasagna, butter chicken linguine, and even butter chicken tacos.
Plenty of recipes don’t even require chicken to make butter chicken. Instead, many use tofu, for example, which can mimic the taste and texture of meat when marinated and fried. Soy curls, tempeh, seitan, and jackfruit are also popular chicken-free alternatives.
Aside from the different protein sources, the rest of the recipe is much the same—only the yogurt and cream are swapped out for dairy-free alternatives. If you want to learn more about how to make chicken-free butter chicken, check out some of our favorite plant-based recipes below.
How to make vegan butter chicken: 5 recipes
Hold the chicken and butter—you don’t need either for these delicious, plant-based butter chicken recipes.
Pick Up Limes
1 Vegan Butter Chicken with Baked Tofu
In this dairy-free version of butter chicken, Pick Up Limes swaps out dairy for a delicious cashew cream, which helps to give the dish its signature velvety texture. Baked tofu gives that delicious chicken-like texture, while spices like garam masala, cumin, coriander, and turmeric bring all of the iconic flavors. “This veganized butter chicken is sure to become a new dinner favorite,” notes the blog. “It’s beautifully spiced and wonderfully creamy.”
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Vegan Richa
2 Vegan Butter Chicken with Soy Curls & Chickpeas
Similar to tofu, soy curls have a delicious meaty texture when they’re simmered and combined with butter chicken spices. Chickpeas bring added texture and protein to this recipe from Vegan Richa, while cashew cream, again, is responsible for that must-have buttery texture. “The garnish of fresh minced ginger and [chilies] and some dried fenugreek takes this dish to an amazing flavor level,” says recipe developer Richa Hingle. “Make it!”
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Sanjana Feasts
3 Vegan Seitan Butter Chicken
If you’re looking for a butter chicken dish with maximum protein, you can’t beat seitan. Per 100 grams, this popular plant-based protein packs 75 grams of protein (chicken, on the other hand, has just under 30 grams for the same amount). But seitan isn’t just a great protein source, it also has a great meaty, tender texture, especially when it’s served up in a creamy curry, just like this recipe from Sanjana Feasts demonstrates. “Vegan seitan chicken is tender and moist, and the sauce is so flavourful that it’s hard to believe that it’s vegan,” says recipe creator Sanjana Modha.
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From The Comfort Of My Bowl
4 Vegan Butter Chicken With Cauliflower and Tempeh
Tempeh, made with fermented soybeans, is a popular plant-based protein in Indonesia, but it also works well in Indian-inspired dishes, like this vegan butter chicken recipe from From The Comfort of My Bowl. “Tempeh is easy to flavor and has a firmer texture than tofu,” explains recipe developer Jhanelle Golding. Instead of cashew cream, she uses coconut milk to give the recipe the right texture. “It adds the richness and creaminess that this recipe needs,” she explains.
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Donut Follow The Crowd
5 Vegan Jackfruit Butter Chicken
Jackfruit is another popular vegan chicken option–it’s tender and a little meaty, and it beautifully soaks up the flavors of any sauce or marinade it’s paired with. That’s why Donut Follow The Crowd chose to include it in this delicious dairy-free butter chicken dish. “Get ready to savor a symphony of spices, creamy textures, and a delicious culinary experience like never before,” declares recipe developer Julia. “Your taste buds won’t be disappointed.”
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Charlotte is a VegNews editor and writer based in sunny Southsea on England’s southern coast.
