Vegan Butter Chicken

Creamy, flavorful, and full of spice – this Vegan Butter Chicken with jackfruit is the perfect plant-based alternative to the Indian classic. Cashews and coconut milk make the vegan butter chicken sauce wonderfully rich, while jackfruit creates that “chicken-like” texture. An ultimate comfort food that will impress everyone!

Indian cuisine thrives on bold spices and creamy sauces. That’s exactly why traditional Butter Chicken (Chicken Makhani) is so popular – and with this vegan Indian butter chicken recipe, you can enjoy the same magic in a plant-based way!

Jackfruit is the perfect meat substitute: it soaks up spices beautifully and its texture resembles shredded chicken. Paired with a rich sauce made from tomatoes, cashews, and coconut milk, you’ll have a dish that even die-hard butter chicken fans will love – all without butter or dairy!

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This easy vegan butter chicken has all the spice and creaminess of the original but is much lighter and healthier. Instead of butter and cream, I use cashews and coconut milk for the vegan butter chicken sauce. And to keep things even lighter, you can cook the whole dish completely without oil.

The “chicken” is, of course, replaced – here with canned jackfruit. But you could also use tofu, seitan, soy chunks, or even chickpeas (see below). And since we’re diving into Indian-inspired cooking, warming spices like cumin and ginger are a must.

Getting hungry already? Let’s get started and see how to make vegan butter chicken step by step.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Soak cashews
   Pour hot water over cashews and set aside.
2. Prepare the base
   Dice onion, chop garlic. Rinse and drain canned green jackfruit, then cut into smaller pieces if needed.
   Sauté onion and garlic in a splash of water for 2–3 minutes. Add jackfruit and spices (except salt & pepper) and cook for another minute.
3. Simmer
   Add vegetable broth, bring to a boil, and let simmer for 4–6 minutes.
4. Blend the sauce
   Drain cashews and blend them with coconut milk, tomatoes, tomato paste, and lemon juice until creamy.
5. Combine everything
   Pour the sauce into the pan, season with salt and pepper, and let simmer for 10–15 minutes over medium heat until the sauce thickens.

Tip: This vegan curry tastes even better the next day once the flavors have fully developed.

What to Serve with Vegan Butter Chicken?

• Traditionally with basmati rice – perfect for soaking up the creamy sauce
• With fresh naan bread or chapati for the full Indian experience
• In a bowl with quinoa, fresh cilantro, and vegan cucumber raita or apple-mango chutney

Alternatives to Jackfruit

No jackfruit in your pantry? No problem! This vegetarian butter chicken also works beautifully with:

• Chickpeas – rinsed, drained, and added straight into the sauce
• Cauliflower – cut into florets, lightly pre-cooked or simmered directly in the curry
• Tofu – cubed and pan-fried or baked until crispy, then added to the sauce
• Soy chunks – soaked in hot vegetable broth for about 10 minutes, squeezed out, then cooked like jackfruit
• Store-bought vegan chicken substitutes – pan-fried and added to the sauce

This recipe is a true comfort dish that will make you forget all about the meat-based version. Whether you’re looking for an easy vegan butter chicken recipe, experimenting with canned jackfruit recipes, or simply craving a hearty vegan butter chicken curry – this dish has it all.

More Indian-inspired recipe

I hope you’ll give this oil-free vegan butter chicken recipe a try. If you love this recipe, be sure to leave a comment, rate the recipe and tag me on instagram (#veggiejam) with your recreation.

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