The accidental origins of butter chicken: a creamy legacy born from leftover tandoori

Food & Drink · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Butter chicken, or murgh makhani, is a global icon of Indian cuisine, yet its true birthplace remains a subject of intense legal and historical debate. Born from the clever repurposing of leftover tandoori chicken in a rich, buttery tomato sauce, this dish has traveled from Delhi kitchens to international fame.

The story of butter chicken is inextricably linked to the Moti Mahal restaurant in the Daryaganj neighborhood of Delhi. In the 1950s, chefs Kundan Lal Gujral and Kundan Lal Jaggi, both Punjabi Hindu refugees from Peshawar, popularized the dish. The prevailing narrative suggests the curry was created by chance, as the chefs sought to salvage leftover tandoori chicken by simmering it in a smooth, butter-rich tomato gravy. This technique of creating 'makhani' or butter-based sauces became a hallmark of their establishment, eventually extending to other dishes like dal makhani.

However, the origin story is now contested. In 2024, Monish Gujral, the grandson of Kundan Lal Gujral, asserted that the dish was actually invented in Peshawar during the 1920s or 1930s, long before the partition of India. This claim emerged during a legal dispute between the Gujral family and the descendants of Kundan Lal Jaggi, who operate a rival restaurant called 'Daryaganj' and maintain the traditional Delhi-centric account. This new assertion contradicts Monish Gujral's own 2013 book, which previously credited the 1950s Moti Mahal discovery.

Some food historians support the Peshawar theory, noting that the ingredients and the scale of butter production required were more characteristic of British garrison cities like Peshawar than post-partition Delhi. Regardless of its exact provenance, the dish has evolved significantly. While traditionally cooked in a tandoor, modern variations use grilling or pan-frying. The sauce, prized for its velvety texture, is achieved by sieving a blend of tomatoes, ginger, garlic, and spices—such as cardamom, cumin, and dried fenugreek leaves—often thickened with cashew paste. Today, the dish is a global staple, appearing in everything from Australian pies to Canadian poutine, frequently leading to the misconception that it is a Western invention.

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