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Budget Butter Chicken

Chicken thighs in a spiced tomato and coconut milk sauce over rice. Uses coconut milk instead of cream to cut cost without losing richness.

Total Cost $13.14
Per Serving $3.29
Prep 15 min
Cook 35 min
Servings 4
  • chicken
  • rice
  • curry
  • high-protein
  • indian-inspired

Ingredients

  • 600 g boneless skinless chicken thighs, cubed $5.29
  • 300 g dry long-grain white rice $0.75
  • 1 can (796 mL) crushed tomatoes $2.00
  • 1 can (400 mL) coconut milk $2.80
  • 2 tbsp butter $0.38
  • 1 medium onion, finely diced $1.23
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced $0.32
  • 1 tsp ground ginger $0.07
  • 1.5 tsp garam masala $0.12
  • 1 tsp ground cumin $0.05
  • 1 tsp paprika $0.05
  • 0.5 tsp turmeric $0.03
  • to taste salt and black pepper $0.05
  • Recipe total$13.14

Instructions

  1. Cook the rice according to package directions.
  2. Melt butter in a large skillet or pot over medium-high heat.
  3. Add the chicken pieces in a single layer. Cook without stirring for 3–4 minutes until golden on one side. Flip and cook 2 more minutes. Remove and set aside. (It won't be fully cooked yet — that's fine.)
  4. Reduce heat to medium. Add onion to the same pan. Cook 5–6 minutes until softened.
  5. Add garlic, ginger, garam masala, cumin, paprika, and turmeric. Cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
  6. Pour in the crushed tomatoes. Stir and simmer 5 minutes.
  7. Add the coconut milk. Stir to combine.
  8. Return the chicken to the pan. Simmer uncovered 15 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened.
  9. Taste and adjust salt. Serve over rice.

Nutrition per Serving

Estimated values per serving.

560 Calories
38g Protein
56g Carbs
19g Fat
4g Fiber
430mg Sodium
~20% DV Iron~8% DV Calcium~15% DV Vitamin C

Gluten-Free

This recipe is naturally gluten-free.

All ingredients are naturally gluten-free. Verify spice blends are processed in a GF facility if celiac is a concern.

Budget Notes

  • Boneless skinless chicken thighs run about $12/kg in Ottawa in 2026. At 600 g they're the dominant cost here.
  • Coconut milk replaces heavy cream, which keeps the cost down and makes it dairy-free. Full-fat gives a richer result.
  • Chicken thighs won't dry out during the 15-minute simmer. Breast meat will — avoid it here.
  • Make a double batch of the sauce (without chicken) and freeze it. Defrost and add freshly cooked protein whenever needed.