Butter Chicken Meatballs

butter chicken but make it meatballs 🧈🔥 same rich, creamy tomato sauce you know and love, just in fun little bite-size form. these are SO good scooped up with warm naan — i could eat this sauce with a spoon honestly. great for meal prep too since it reheats beautifully!

Ingredients

Meatballs
1lb. ground chicken
1 egg
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
1 tsp salt, pepper, paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, turmeric, ground ginger, garam masala, cumin

Sauce
1 tbsp butter
1 yellow onion, diced
14 oz can of fire roasted tomatoes (or regular crushed/diced tomatoes)
1/4 cup water
1/2 tsp salt, pepper, paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, turmeric, ground ginger, garam masala, cumin
1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
2 tbsp sugar, if needed

---

Serves 3-4

Prep time ~20mins

Cook time ~30mins

---

Cooking Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

• Combine all meatball ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Use a bit of oil on your hands to roll into meatballs.
  Place on a baking tray leaving about 1/2 inch apart. Bake for 22 mins and flip half way through.

• In a medium sauce pan, heat up 1 tbsp butter. Add onions and cook until soft. Add in the can tomatoes, water, and seasonings. Cook on medium heat for about 10 mins and stir occasionally. Remove from heat and add the sauce mixture into a blender. Blend until smooth.

• Add the sauce back to the sauce pan and add meatballs. Taste the sauce, add sugar if it’s too acidic from the tomatoes.

• Top with yogurt and cilantro. Serve with basmati rice and naan.

Tips & Notes

• Bake meatballs instead of pan-frying for less mess — 400°F for 18–20 min

• Blend the sauce after simmering for an ultra-smooth restaurant texture

• Adjust cream to taste — less for lighter, more for richer sauce

• Serve with naan or basmati rice — naan is non-negotiable for me