Content

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1. Why This Recipe Works
2. Ingredients Required
3. How to Prepare Everything Before Cooking
4. Step-by-Step Cooking Instructions
5. A Few Tips From My Kitchen 
6. Common Mistakes to Avoid 
7. Variations
8. More Thai Recipes to Try

Why This Recipe Works

• Malaysian-style flavor – Unlike the familiar Indian version of butter chicken, this recipe uses curry leaves, chili padi, evaporated milk, garlic, and black pepper to create a flavor profile that reflects Malaysian home cooking.
• Creamy but balanced sauce – Evaporated milk gives the sauce its creamy texture, while the curry leaves, chili, garlic, and black pepper add fragrance and depth without making the dish feel too heavy.
• Tender chicken texture – Chicken thigh meat stays juicy and tender during cooking because its higher fat content helps prevent it from drying out.
• Quick and practical for home cooking – The chicken only needs a short marinating time, and the sauce comes together quickly once the ingredients are prepared, making this a convenient meal for busy days.
• Easy to customize – You can adjust the level of spiciness according to your preference, and the creamy sauce can also be adapted for other proteins such as seafood.

Ingredients Breakdown

• Chicken thigh – I prefer using boneless and skinless chicken thighs because they stay tender and juicy during cooking. The slightly higher fat content also makes it more forgiving compared with chicken breast.
• Curry leaves – These provide the distinctive fragrance that gives this Malaysian butter chicken its signature aroma and character.
• Chili padi – Bird’s eye chili provides both heat and a fresh chili aroma. Removing the seeds reduces the spiciness while keeping the chili flavor.
• Evaporated milk – This is the key ingredient that creates the creamy sauce texture while giving the dish its familiar Malaysian-style taste.
• Fresh garlic – Roughly chopped garlic adds a stronger aroma and a little texture compared with finely minced garlic.
• Black pepper – Black pepper is one of the main flavors in this sauce. Freshly ground pepper gives a stronger aroma and a more noticeable peppery taste.
• Unsalted butter – Butter adds richness and helps bring out the fragrance of the garlic, curry leaves, and chili.
• Maggi seasoning – A common Malaysian seasoning that enhances the savory umami taste of the sauce.
• Parmesan cheese powder – Optional, but a small amount adds extra depth to the sauce without making it taste like a cheese-based cream sauce.

How to Prepare Everything Before Cooking

Before you start cooking, it is worth getting everything prepared because this dish comes together quickly once the pan is hot.

• Start with the chicken. I prefer using boneless and skinless chicken thigh meat because it stays tender and juicy after cooking. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces so the marinade coats each piece evenly and the chicken cooks at the same rate.
• Marinate the chicken with salt, white pepper, light soy sauce, and cornstarch. The cornstarch helps create a smoother coating and keeps the chicken tender during cooking. Since the chicken pieces are small, a short marinating time of 20 to 30 minutes is sufficient.
• While the chicken is marinating, prepare the aromatics. Fresh curry leaves are always my first choice because they have a stronger fragrance, but frozen curry leaves can also be used if fresh ones are unavailable.
• Slice the chili padi into thin rings. If you prefer less heat, remove the seeds and some of the inner membrane instead of simply reducing the amount of chili. This helps lower the spiciness while keeping the fresh chili aroma.
• Prepare the garlic by roughly chopping it instead of mincing it finely. I prefer larger pieces because they add a little texture and remain noticeable in the finished sauce.
• For the black pepper, freshly ground pepper is always recommended. It has a stronger aroma compared with pre-ground pepper and makes a noticeable difference in the finished dish.
• Once everything is prepared, the cooking process moves quickly. Stir-fry the chicken, prepare the creamy butter sauce, then return the chicken to the pan and simmer until the sauce coats every piece.

The full ingredient quantities are listed in the recipe card below. 

Step-by-Step Cooking Instructions

1. Cook the marinated chicken until nearly done

Heat some vegetable oil in a pan over medium heat. For extra richness, you can use a mixture of vegetable oil and butter.

Cook the marinated chicken until it is almost cooked through while keeping the texture tender. Avoid overcooking the chicken at this stage because it will continue cooking later when it is simmered in the sauce.

Once the chicken is nearly cooked, remove it from the pan and set it aside.

2. Prepare the creamy butter sauce

Place the pan back on the stove and melt the unsalted butter over low heat.

Add the garlic, curry leaves, and chili padi. Keep the heat low because butter and garlic can burn easily. Slowly sauté until the ingredients become fragrant and the aroma of the curry leaves and garlic is released.

Add the evaporated milk, freshly ground black pepper, and sugar. Increase the heat slightly until the sauce reaches a gentle boil.

The sugar is optional if you prefer to reduce sugar intake, but a small amount helps balance the savory and spicy flavors.

3. Return the chicken and finish the dish

Return the cooked chicken to the pan and mix well with the creamy sauce.

Reduce the heat and allow everything to simmer gently. This allows the chicken to absorb the flavors while the sauce thickens and coats each piece evenly.

Stir in the Maggi seasoning and continue cooking until the sauce reaches your preferred consistency.

Finally, add a small amount of Parmesan cheese powder and stir briefly until it blends into the sauce. Use it sparingly because the cheese should enhance the flavor without changing the character of the Malaysian-style creamy chicken.

Once the sauce has thickened and the chicken is well coated, transfer the Malaysian butter chicken to a serving plate and serve hot.

Variations

Using Seafood Instead of Chicken

The creamy butter sauce also works well with seafood such as squid or shrimp. The combination of curry leaves, chili padi, and black pepper pairs nicely with seafood, creating another variation while keeping the Malaysian character of the dish.

Adjusting the Spiciness

For a milder version, remove more chili seeds and inner membrane or reduce the amount of chili padi according to your preference. This allows you to control the heat while keeping the fresh chili aroma.

Using Fresh Milk Instead of Evaporated Milk

Fresh milk works if evaporated milk is unavailable, but the final result will be slightly different. The sauce may need a longer simmering time to reduce and concentrate the flavor.

For a taste closer to the Malaysian-style butter chicken, evaporated milk remains the better choice.

More Recipes to Try

• Indian Style Butter Chicken – Try the Indian-style Butter Chicken, where traditional Indian spices are cooked into a rich, thick gravy.
• General Tso Chicken -General Tso Chicken is another chicken recipe that I often recommend. It was one of the most popular dishes among customers when I was running my restaurant, and it remains one of my favorite chicken dishes to prepare.

Quick Takeaways

The key to making this Malaysian butter chicken well comes down to a few simple techniques: use chicken that stays juicy, cook the aromatics gently, choose evaporated milk for the right creamy texture, and avoid overcooking the chicken.

For me, the most important part is not whether we call it butter chicken or 奶油鸡. What matters is creating a dish with a creamy sauce, fragrant curry leaves, fresh chili aroma, and a peppery flavor that everyone at home can enjoy.

This is the kind of comforting Malaysian home-cooked dish that brings together familiar ingredients in a way that feels both unique and satisfying.