Dairy Free Butter Chicken

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I love Indian food. It’s warm, the smell is intoxicating, the problem is that it doesn’t love me. Due to my allergy I can’t eat it so I’ve been in a quest to find recipes for DF replacements.

I finally found and easy one for butter chicken and now it been placed in heavy rotation in our house (our week meals are a funny mishmash of country, Indian, Middle Eastern, and more!).

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the replacement for heavy cream here is canned coconut milk. It doesn’t take over in flavor but adds just the right consistency for this creamy meal. Also this meal takes 30 mins max if you are crammed on time or you can make it and let it simmer for a few hours, your choice!

* PS Look to the bottom for crock pot notes. I’ve been digging my Dutch oven lately but this is easily made into a slow cooker meal

INGREDIENTS
Servings 5

  • 1/2 yellow onion diced

  • 4ish chicken breast depending on size

  • 5 cloves garlic (1-2 Tbsp minced garlic)

  • 1 knob ginger (we use the Good & Gather brand frozen ginger cubes from target)

  • 1 Tbsp Garam Masala (can be found at any local spice shop or your grocery will sometimes carry it by McCormick or WholeFoods)

  • 2 tsp turmeric

  • 1 Tbsp Cumin

  • salt and pepper to taste

  • 1/4 tsp sweet chili powder

  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon

  • 1 15oz can coconut milk (any variety)

  • 1 15oz can tomato sauce

  • 2 Tbps lemon juice

  • Fresh or frozen green beans - as many as you like we go heavy and use frozen haricot vert bc they are crisper and sweeter)

DIRECTIONS

  1. mix together spices from garlic through cinnamon in a small bowl

  2. sauté diced onion over medium heat

  3. Add in chicken and brown.

  4. As chicken begins to cook add in half of spice mixture. Continue to brown while storing for 3-5 minutes

  5. add in coconut milk and tomato sauce and lemon juice and let simmer for 20 minutes - 1.5 hours.

  6. Just before serving (5mins or so) add in green beans. Cook just enough for soften but still snap when you bite into them.

  7. Inhale the warm spices while it is cooking.

  8. serve over Basmati rice and enjoy!

    * CROCK POT NOTE * this meal can be made in the crock pot you still need to sauté the chicken and onions briefly (3-5 mins) but then dump everything in the crock pot and set on low for 5-6 or high 3-4. Make sure you add your veggies at the last hour

    ** I sprinkled some cilantro on top for this picture only! No need to serve it like this.