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–+ servings
black bowl with white rice and butter chicken and vegetables
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5 from 3 votes

Easy Dairy Free Butter Chicken with Vegetables

This rich and flavorful Indian-inspired butter chicken is fast and easy to make, and includes vegetables to make it a complete meal! Bonus: it's Low-FODMAP!
Course One pot
Cuisine Indian
Diet Gluten Free
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 717kcal
Author Caitlin Self, MS, CNS, LDN

Ingredients

  • 4 Tablespoons ghee or coconut oil
  • 1 Tablespoon garam masala
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 3 oz tomato paste or about ⅓ cup
  • 1 teaspoon fine salt
  • 1.25 pounds chicken thighs chopped into bite-sized cubes
  • 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 cup coconut milk
  • 2 sweet bell peppers sliced
  • 2 medium zucchini chopped into bite-sized chunks
  • 2 cups cooked basmati rice
  • For topping: lemon wedges and fresh cilantro
  • For serving: rice of choice! Cauliflower rice, brown rice, basmati rice, etc. Or try some roti or naan!
  • Optional: this dish is often made with garlic which you can definitely add in the step with the chicken if you'd like!

Instructions

  • In a large pot, melt the coconut oil or ghee (can use butter here if preferred)
  • Add in the spices - garam masala, cayenne, cumin, turmeric, black pepper - and the tomato paste. Stir and sauté gently for a 30-60 seconds, until fragrant and well mixed.
  • Add the chopped chicken to the pot, stirring well to cover with the spice mixture. Cook until chicken starts to brown, about 3-5 minutes.
  • Pour in the apple cider vinegar and stir to degalze the pan. This also cuts through the richness, so I don't recommend skipping it.
  • Add the bell peppers, zucchini, and the coconut milk to the pot and stir.
  • Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes.*note, you can simmer uncovered if you prefer a thicker sauce.
  • Top with a squeeze of fresh lemon (don't skip this step!!), and some fresh cilantro (optional) and serve with the rice of your choosing!

Notes

Nutrition Label includes 2 cups white rice (½ cup per serving), and is for 4 servings. However, this is more like 5 servings for many people. 👍
Feel free to toss in a can of drained chickpeas to stretch this dish to feed 5-6 adults.

Nutrition

Calories: 717kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 52g | Saturated Fat: 27g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 177mg | Sodium: 879mg | Potassium: 1077mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 2710IU | Vitamin B1: 0.2mg | Vitamin B2: 0.4mg | Vitamin B3: 9mg | Vitamin B5: 2mg | Vitamin B6: 1mg | Vitamin B12: 1µg | Vitamin C: 99mg | Vitamin D: 0.1µg | Vitamin E: 2mg | Vitamin K: 13µg | Calcium: 65mg | Copper: 0.4mg | Folate: 69µg | Iron: 5mg | Manganese: 1mg | Magnesium: 100mg | Phosphorus: 389mg | Selenium: 34µg | Zinc: 3mg | Choline: 93mg