Butter chicken (murgh makhani) is an Indian dish that is served as curry.
This dish is similar to British tikka masala, except that it’s milder and it has more of a buttery taste.
We’ve also compliled a list of 24 Delicous Sides for Butter Chicken Here. If you’re just looking for Indian Sides for Butter Chicken then you’re in the right place.
It can be a perfect dinner for a cold night.
What to serve with butter chicken?
You can pair butter chicken with basmati rice, pulao rice, naan, chapati, kachumber salad, roasted cauliflower, or steamed broccoli.
Basmati Rice
Basmati rice is a type of long-grain rice with an amazing aroma that can make a great match for almost any condiment.
It’s easy and quick to cook. This can be a beginner-friendly option when you need a carbohydrate source for the dinner, especially when you already have a spicy or ‘heavy’ condiment.
However, since it’s a kind of refined grain, basmati rice should be eaten in moderation (not every day) because higher consumption of refined grains has been associated with a higher risk of type 2 Diabetes.
Now if you don’t really have refined grains in your daily meal plan, you can try to include basmati rice in your dinner once in a while, especially when you have butter chicken.
QUICK TIP: When cooking basmati rice, don’t add too much water or it will become mushy and sticky. The ideal ratio of rice and water is 1:1.5 for this rice.
Pulao Rice (Pilaf)
Though simple basmati rice can be a great pair for butter chicken, if you’re willing to go the little extra mile, you can make pulao rice and make a fantastic indian side dish.
If you have stumbled upon pulao rice and biryani at different times, maybe you get the impression that those dishes are the same.
No, pulao rice is not biryani rice. They both are spiced rice that is closed to Indian culture but pulao rice is simpler.
Pulao rice needs less time to cook, a less complicated process, and fewer spices.
Although biryani is often served as a whole meal, both pulao rice and biryani can be paired with various dishes.
But if you have to choose one between them to pair with your butter chicken, you can pick the pulao rice because you can prepare it quicker, easier, and most importantly it has a “milder” taste (compared to biryani) so the whole dinner won’t taste too ‘heavy’.
Naan
Don’t forget that India has various kinds of bread that can be paired with various dishes.
Naan is a leavened flatbread that is often paired with curry, so it’s a good idea to serve this bread with butter chicken.
Naan is chewy and soft while the butter chicken is creamy. So, they can make a great combo.
Chapati
Chapati is another bread that is closely related to Indian dishes.
Unlike naan, chapati is unleavened and it’s thinner.
It’s almost like a Mexican tortilla on the appearance, but if you touch it and try to eat it, the difference is noticeable.
Mexican tortilla doesn’t break easily even when it’s used to wrap meat and veggies while chapati is easier to tear.
Kachumber Salad
If you’re really into healthy food and calorie-counting, you might feel that butter chicken is such a guilty pleasure. You know how buttery and thick the curry is!
If so, try to pair it with kachumber salad. This can be a delicious indian side dish that provides that “healthy taste” to help you forgive yourself.
Roasted Cauliflower
Serving roasted cauliflower next to butter chicken can make them look even more appetizing.
The silky-velvety texture of butter chicken paired with the soft-crunchy texture of roasted cauliflower sounds so good, doesn’t it?
You can roast the whole cauliflower (except the leaves, of course) and serve it as it is. You can also cut the cauliflower head into small florets before roasting it.
Add in some Tikka or Tandoori spices to give it a kick.
Steamed Broccoli
Butter chicken, although it’s mild and buttery, can still feel ‘heavy’ for some people.
If you prefer something light and refreshing as a side dish, maybe you can serve your butter chicken with steamed broccoli.
What To Serve With Butter Chicken? 7 Side Dishes Ideas for Murgh Makani
IDEAS
basmati rice
pulao rice
naan
chapati
kachumber salad
roasted cauliflower
steamed broccoli
DIRECTIONS
- Choose your favorite idea
- Prepare the dish
- Serve it with butter chicken
