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Copyright © 2025 Foodies Only
Copyright © 2025 Foodies Only
5 min
23/01/2026
When it comes to butter chicken, the question isn’t ‘which came first, the chicken or the egg?’ – it’s ‘which came first, the tandoori or the makhani?’ This beloved dish was born as a way to rescue leftover grilled chicken and turn it into something extraordinary. Like a perfect recipe, its origin story is a little saucy, a little smoky, and embroiled in a legal dispute even today.
Given its reddish tinge and close resemblance to tikka masala, you might think butter chicken or murg makhani might have been made to cater to the British, but this is not the case. Its origins remain disputed. And yet, few dishes have captured the taste buds of people in India and beyond, like butter chicken. Its rich, velvety sauce and tender, smoky chicken make it a comfort food that has a cross-border history. This culinary legend, like many of the classics, is caught up in a legal dispute of ownership. Read on to learn more.
Most accounts trace the origin of butter chicken to Moti Mahal, a restaurant founded in Peshawar in the early 20th century (then part of British India). The founders, Kundan Lal Gujral and Kundan Lal Jaggi, fled to Delhi after the Partition of 1947 and reopened Moti Mahal in Old Delhi’s Daryaganj area.
The Gujral family maintains that their ancestors invented the dish between the 1930s and 1940s, while still in Peshawar. Faced with unsold or drying tandoori chicken, he developed a sauce of butter, tomato, and spices, in which leftover chicken could be softened and made palatable.
After moving to Delhi, the recipe was refined further at Moti Mahal in Daryaganj. There, butter chicken became popular among residents and VIPs, including political figures, like Jawaharlal Nehru, his daughter Indira Gandhi, and even her sons, helping cement the dish’s reputation.
While the Gujral family claims the invention belongs to Kundan Lal Gujral, there is a competing claim from Kundan Lal Jaggi’s family (now represented by the restaurant chain Daryaganj). They assert that Jaggi invented butter chicken at the Delhi Moti Mahal after Partition in 1947 – arguing that his role in the kitchen was more central to the recipe’s creation.
Following this view, the dish evolved in Delhi, not Peshawar, and the famous ‘one night when guests arrived unexpectedly’ story is often cited – with too little usable tandoori chicken left, Jaggi is said to have added it to a tomato‑butter gravy to serve the guests. This improvisation turned into the now‑classic recipe.
Because of these competing claims, there is a legal case currently before the Delhi High Court. The Gujral family (Moti Mahal Delux) has filed suit seeking to prevent Daryaganj from labelling itself ‘the inventors of butter chicken’, alleging that this is a false claim that undermines their family legacy. Their evidence includes archival documents, including a partnership agreement from 1949, photographs from Peshawar and Delhi, and testimonies from family members and people with memories of the restaurant. Neither side has definitive proof, and much relies on oral history, memories, and circumstantial evidence.
A truly excellent butter chicken hinges on a few key things done well – first, the marinade, made with yoghurt plus spices (garam masala, ginger, garlic, lemon), which must penetrate the meat so it stays juicy and fragrant. Then comes the tomato‑based gravy, made using ripe tomatoes roasted or cooked down to a concentrated mix. The gravy is thickened with butter, cream, or nuts like cashews, for that luxurious smoothness.
The critical part of this dish is the smoky char on the chicken – traditionally from tandoor or high‑heat grilling. The secret, perhaps, is the skilful seasoning (including kasuri methi or fenugreek for aroma) and texture – the sauce should be silky, not watery; the chicken pieces should be tender and cooked through, slightly charred outside; and all flavours (butter, tomato, spice) should complement each other and not compete.
Butter chicken continues to indulge and delight food lovers (whether or not they know how to cook it) worldwide with its rich creaminess and juicy chicken. From viral videos of foreign nationals falling for this Indian dish, (a Kentucky man described is as ‘absolutely delicious’, rating it a near-perfect 9.9), to home cooks sharing praises they’ve received for it (a Redditor shared, “The family said it was the best meal I’ve made and I’d have to agree,”), butter chicken connects people everywhere. You will also see it popping up on the channels of popular YouTube mukbang creators, who often hail butter chicken as an ‘ultimate experience’, praising the buttery smoothness of the dish, which keeps fans coming back for more. And of course, you’ll see family, friends, and even colleagues build new memories and relive old ones over a shared plate of butter chicken.
Butter chicken’s story is as rich and layered as the dish itself. Whether it was born in the kitchens of Peshawar or Delhi, the debate over its origins only adds to its universal fondness. What remains undeniable is the magic created when smoky tandoori chicken meets the luscious tomato-butter sauce, with a crispy, flaky naan for company.