⚠ Butter chicken is consistently higher calorie than chicken tikka masala — typically 80–120 kcal more per portion. "Makhani" means buttery, and butter is the defining (and most calorie-dense) ingredient.
Butter chicken (murgh makhani) calories range from 368 kcal (light, 350g) to 840 kcal (restaurant rich, 400g) — consistently higher than chicken tikka masala at every tier due to its butter-forward sauce. This calculator covers 5 variants with a gram slider for portion size and a...
TOTAL CALORIES
543
kcal · 27% of 2,000 kcal daily reference
% of 2,000 kcal/day (FDA/NHS daily reference value)
Homemade — Standard · 350g
NUTRITION FACTS · HOMEMADE — STANDARD · 350G
Based on NDNS / restaurant nutritional data. Home recipes vary — these are reliable estimates.
Exercise to burn 543 kcal
MET-based estimates for 70kg body weight.
COMPONENT BREAKDOWN — STANDARD HOMEMADE (350G PORTION)
Chicken (150g cooked, breast & thigh)
Marinated in yoghurt and spices, often pre-cooked in a tandoor before being added to the sauce.
200 kcal
37%
Tomato-onion base
Less acidic and prominent than in tikka masala — the sauce is built around butter rather than tomato.
55 kcal
10%
Butter (20g)
"Makhani" means buttery — this is the dish's defining ingredient and the source of its name.
143 kcal
26%
Double cream (35ml)
Added at the end for silkiness and to round out the spice heat.
77 kcal
14%
Cashew paste (8g, thickener)
A traditional thickener that adds subtle sweetness and richness without extra cream.
44 kcal
8%
Sugar/honey + spices
Butter chicken is traditionally slightly sweeter than tikka masala.
24 kcal
4%
| Tier | Butter Chicken | Chicken Tikka Masala | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Light | 368 kcal | 333 kcal | +35 kcal |
| Standard | 543 kcal | 455 kcal | +88 kcal |
| Restaurant | 700 kcal | 600 kcal | +100 kcal |
| Rich | 840 kcal | 720 kcal | +120 kcal |
Butter chicken is higher calorie at every tier — the gap grows from +35 kcal (light) to +120 kcal (rich) as more butter and cream are used.
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Calories in Butter Chicken · Light 368 kcal · Standard 543 kcal · Restaurant 700–840 kcal · Higher calorie than CTM at every tier · Source: NDNS / restaurant data