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The 12 Best Butter Chicken Vegetables

By: Author Carrie Boyd

Posted on Last updated:

Have you ever wanted to know what the 12 best butter chicken vegetables are? Well, this article provides all the insight you need.

It dives into the different types of vegetables that go hand in hand with a delicious Indian-style butter chicken dish.

From potatoes and peppers to greens, onions and even some more unique options like baby corn, if you’re looking for vegetable inspiration, this is your one-stop shop.

For those who may be unfamiliar with how to prepare these accompaniments and combine them with butter chicken, the article also explains everything step by step.

So readers don’t have to worry about being perplexed when it comes time to put together the plate.

All in all, this ultimate guide will have everyone ready to cook up a yummy Indian dish worthy enough for any dinner party or date night.

Table of contents

Why Use Vegetables with Butter Chicken Recipes?

Vegetables are a great addition to butter chicken recipes.

They bring more flavor and texture to an already delicious dish.

Not to mention, vegetables add a boost of nutrition in the form of vitamins, minerals, and fiber.

In particular, vegetables with butter chicken can help you control your portion sizes so that you don’t overdo it on calories and fat.

And there’s no denying that vegetables simply enhance the flavor of this traditional Indian dish.

When it comes to selecting vegetables for your butter chicken recipes, a variety of seasonal favorites work well.

Broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, mushrooms, potatoes, carrots and peas are all excellent choices.

Plus they’re also easy to prepare ahead of time or thrown into the pot at the last minute – whichever works best for you.

The 12 Best Butter Chicken Vegetables

Vegetable Butter Chicken is a delicious dish that can be prepared in several different ways.

The key to a successful vegetable butter chicken is choosing the right vegetables.

This recipe utilizes 12 of the best butter chicken vegetables and combines them to create an incredible dish that is full of flavor, texture, and nutrition.

The 12 best butter chicken vegetables included in this recipe are bell peppers, carrots, celery, onions, cauliflower, zucchini, eggplant, and mushrooms.

Bell peppers provide a nice crunch and bright color to the dish.

Carrots offer sweetness and nuttiness to the flavor profile while celery adds a pop of crunchy texture.

Onions provide umami richness that completes the taste balance of the vegetable butter chicken dish perfectly.

Cauliflower gives the main dish an amazing base layer as well as fantastic nutritional value including Vitamin C and K as well as folate.

Zucchini adds moisture while also offering plenty of nutrients such as manganese and Vitamin A & C.

Eggplant adds heftiness to deepen the flavor profile while mushrooms add substance to make this vegetarian meal more satisfying than ever before.

Overall these ingredients work together beautifully to make an amazing Vegetable Butter Chicken main dish that everyone will love.

Tips for Cooking Chicken Breasts in Your Instant Pot for a Perfect Dinner

Cooking chicken breasts in an Instant Pot allows for juicy, tender, and flavorful results every single time.

To ensure that you’re getting the best possible dinner with the least amount of effort and worry, it’s important to know the ins and outs of using your pressure cooker.

Here are a few tips to keep in mind when you get ready to make dinner:

  • Use chicken breasts that are all roughly the same size so they cook evenly. If you can’t find pieces that are all uniformly sized, cut up the larger pieces so they will cook through before the smaller ones dry out.
  • If there is still time before dinner, marinate your chicken for extra flavor. A simple combination of oil, lemon juice or any acid such as balsamic vinegar or white wine vinegar , salt, pepper, garlic and herbs makes a great marinade for chicken breasts as well as other poultry cuts. Marinating also helps achieve juicier results when cooking with an Instant Pot.
  • Season chicken with salt and pepper prior to placing in the Instant Pot – this adds flavor and helps bring out more of its natural juices around it during cooking time.

How To Choose the Right Vegetable For Your Recipe

When making butter chicken, it is important to choose the right vegetables to enhance the flavor of the dish.

Different types of vegetables have different textures, flavors and nutritional values which can affect how your butter chicken will turn out.

The most essential component for making a good vegetable butter chicken is to make sure that you use fresh ingredients.

Using frozen or previously cooked vegetables may alter the flavor and may not create a rich creamy dish like you would while using fresh ingredients.

When selecting vegetables for a vegetable butter chicken, look for ones that are in season and preferably organic if possible.

The following list of vegetables are some of the best options for using in a vegetable butter chicken:

  • Broccoli.
  • Cauliflower.
  • Asparagus.
  • Mushrooms.
  • Potatoes.
  • Carrots.
  • Zucchini.
  • Corn.
  • Bell Peppers.
  • Tomatoes.
  • Eggplant.
  • Spinach.

Since all these vegetables differ in their taste profile and texture, make sure to adjust your cooking time accordingly to ensure they all cook evenly with your other ingredients while maintaining as much nutrition as possible within your dish.

FAQs

FAQs can be a great source of information when it comes to understanding the preparation of vegetable butter chicken.

Here are some frequently asked questions (and answers) that may help you as you prepare this delicious recipe.

What goes well with butter chicken?

Adding vegetables to your butter chicken will not only provide added texture and flavors to the dish, but also increase its nutritional value.

Vegetables that pair well with butter chicken include onions, potatoes, cauliflower, bell peppers, carrots, mushrooms and spinach.

Onions are an essential ingredient for adding flavor to the dish and can be cooked until soft before adding to the butter chicken.

For a hint of sweetness, carrots can be added in small cubes or cooked till al dente.

Potatoes are a great choice when looking for a crunchy option while mushrooms provide a earthy-nutty taste.

Bell peppers can give the dish a pleasant appearance while cauliflower provides an interesting texture element.

And lastly, spinach adds bulk without altering the flavor of original dish too much.

Choosing the right combination of vegetables is important to maximize flavor and enjoy your own version of butter chicken.

Does butter chicken recipes contain onions?

One of the most popular recipes for Indian butter chicken (murgh makhani), is often served with a side of basmati rice or naan.

It is an excellent example of Indian cuisine, consisting of classic flavors and textures that combine to create a delicious entree.

Traditional butter chicken recipes contain ingredients such as milk, cream, tomatoes, ginger-garlic paste, garam masala, coriander powder and fenugreek leaves.

It is typically made with boneless pieces of chicken that are cooked in a creamy tomato sauce until they become tender and succulent.

The question then arises – does traditional butter chicken contain onions? The answer is both yes and no.

Onions are indeed present in some versions of the recipe; however, it is also quite common for variations to be made without them.

An onion-free version can be easily created by omitting them from the recipe or substituting them with green peppers or other vegetables such as mushrooms or carrots.

Adding onions to butter chicken adds flavor while still keeping the dish light and delicious.

Other vegetables can also bring depth to the dish and provide additional texture – such as adding cauliflower florets to make it into an even heartier meal.

Ultimately there are no rules when it comes to making this beloved curried dish – so feel free to experiment and customize your dish according to your tastes.

How do Indians eat butter chicken?

Indians often enjoy their butter chicken with steamed basmati rice, naan bread and/or chapati.

This meal is delicious on its own and does not require any side dishes to complete it.

However, if you’re looking to add a little something else to your meal, here are 12 of the best vegetables for butter chicken.

  • Spinach: A classic Indian vegetable dish, palak paneer can be served as a side dish alongside butter chicken. It’s easy to make and quite delicious.
  • Eggplant: Eggplant is a classic Indian vegetable and makes an excellent companion to spicy dishes such as butter chicken, providing an added layer of richness and flavor that’s sure to please everyone at the table.
  • Potatoes: As with most Indian dishes, potatoes are a great compliment to butter chicken and can be cubed or mashed as desired before they’re cooked in a spicy tomato-based gravy with lots of flavorful spices such as cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, garlic and more.
  • Cauliflower: Cauliflower makes yet another excellent side dish for butter chicken; its mild flavor pairs extremely well with the strong spices utilized in this classic Indian dish. For even more flavor try roasting it on low heat after coating it in olive oil and spices.
  • Mushrooms: Lastly mushrooms make a great addition to any Butter Chicken whether they’re cooked right along in a curry sauce or just sautéed separately in oil & spices then added at the end where they will still carry lots of savory goodness into every bite.

What is the difference between butter chicken and butter chicken curry?

The term “butter chicken” is somewhat of a misnomer, as this dish typically contains no butter.

While the name is derived from the Indian style chicken tikka masala — a dish made of marinated, skewered and grilled chicken pieces in a creamy tomato and butter based sauce — vegetable butter chicken is actually more closely related to a curry.

Unlike its meaty counterpart, vegetable butter chicken has vegetables instead of meat in the mix, plus additional spices and herbs that give it an aromatic flavor as well as vibrant colors.

The sauce also tends to be thicker and creamier than traditional butter chicken due to added coconut milk or yogurt.

The combination of ghee (clarified butter), ginger-garlic paste, onions, tomatoes and spices creates the warm orange hue typical for Indian-style curries.

It’s worth noting that tomato paste or ketchup can often be used in place of fresh tomatoes if desired.

The addition of almonds certainly adds richness to this dish but isn’t mandatory; almond powder can be substituted if you’re looking for something simpler.

To make sure your curry doesn’t turn out too hot, be sure to keep an eye on your chilli pepper quantities.

Conclusion

For an amazing vegetarian version of the classic butter chicken curry, serve with your favorite side and a simple fresh salad.

You will love the variety of textures and flavours in this homemade dish.

Whether you go for the plain and simple approach or ramp it up with additional spices, don’t forget to add some quality butter to get that creamy yet rich flavour.

With so many delicious ingredients, you can tailor your dish to your own taste and dietary needs.

Enjoy.