Food is one of the most lovable things that helps to connect people. With food choices, anyone can build a meaningful connection with others. Why? It is simple. Food has the power to connect various people, and this power doubles when we reside outside our homeland. Indeed, no food in the world can match the taste of our home, but at Curry Corner, we try our best to serve you with the best food that reminds you of your homeland.
Here in Arizona, we have plenty of people from India and Pakistan, and therefore, while crafting the menu, we keep this in mind to look after the demands and needs of our customers. Therefore, we offer both butter chicken and chicken tikka masala on our menu. These two dishes are considered the key elements of the Indo-Pak desi menu. The popular question we often hear is which is better: Chicken Tikka Masala or Butter Chicken? Let’s begin the discussion and figure it out!
Chicken Tikka Masala
Chicken Tikka Masala is one of the most popular dishes among our customers. People from both countries love to have this spicy and tangy chicken. This dish consists of a chicken marinated in spices, lemons, and yogurt and cooked over a charcoal grill for a crispy flavor. Then, this charcoal-grilled chicken is cooked in a thick and spicy tomato sauce with ginger, garlic, and aromatic spices that instantly enhance its flavor.
It was supposed to be that it was first made by Indian chefs in the UK. However, it is praised by all because of its charcoal-spicy flavor. At Curry Corner, you can have this scrumptious dish with naan or plain rice. We also have green chicken tikka masala that will surely elevate your taste buds.
Butter Chicken
As the name decodes, butter chicken is one of the creamiest dishes you can ever have. The spicy and tangy chicken is incorporated in a thick, creamy, and buttery sauce. Thus, this classic dish has won many hearts, and it has become the first choice of customers as well. At Curry Corner’s Tempe Menu, we serve this yummy dish with naan or plain rice. The spicy tandoori chicken cooked with a tomato gravy, cream, and butter can make anyone fall in love.
History of Butter Chicken
Kundan Lal Gujral was the first person who created this tempting dish, murgh makhni, also known as Butter chicken. In 1948, Gujral owned a hotel named Moti Mahal Hotel in Delhi. At that time, he was experimenting to create a new dish with tandoori chicken, which he had created before, and now he was planning to add diversity to his hotel menu. While experimenting, his inner chef pushed him to incorporate the tandoori chicken with tomato gravy infused with aromatic spices and, obviously, yummy butter. After serving, this butter chicken became a major hit at his restaurant, and people came from far places to have this luxurious delicacy. Thus, in the blink of an eye, this butter chicken has become the star dish of India, and to date, people love to have this nostalgic and exotic food.
Chicken Tikka Masala vs Butter Chicken Nutritional Comparison
As the world changes, the main concern of people is their health. Today, before having anything to eat, people first like to know about the calorie count and nutritional value of the food. Below, we share some of the points that can clear your thoughts about the nutritional value of both chicken tikka masala and butter chicken.
Nutritional Value of Chicken Tikka Masala
Pros:
In the battle of butter chicken vs tikka masala, it is obvious that the nutritional value of chicken tikka masala is slightly higher than butter chicken. It is made from yogurt and spices and infused in a tomato gravy and ginger garlic. After that, it is cooked over a charcoal pr tandoor grill with a little oil brushed over the chicken. In short, this cooking style lessens the chances of high cholesterol and makes it a healthier option than butter chicken. Moreover, due to more chicken and less gravy, it has a higher protein count and fewer carbohydrates.
Cons:
However, it can be slightly higher in fat and sodium content, which is not negligible. Also, it is full of spices, and due to its tantalizing flavors, it might not be a good option for people who love mild spices.
Nutritional Value of Butter Chicken
Pros:
Butter chicken is considered to be rich in flavours. Due to its creamy, buttery gravy, butter chicken is the favourite of most customers. Nutritionally, butter chicken is high in protein because of the tender chicken pieces and is low in carbohydrates. Moreover, it’s a less spicy option than most of the Indo-Pak dishes. Thus, if you are looking for a full-protein and less spicy meal than butter chicken is for you. You can also have Butter chicken tikka to elevate your meal time.
Cons:
Due to its rich, creamy, and buttery gravy, Butter chicken is supposed to be high in cholesterol. It can be a heavy eating option for light eaters. If you are looking to eat something light, then butter chicken is surely not for you. It’s high in calories and, therefore, can not be eaten daily.
Wrapping Up
In Chicken Tikka Masala vs Butter Chicken, we can not finalize on only one dish. It is more tangy and has a burst of flavors. Its unique cooking technique makes it exempt from other dishes. People love to have this classic tikka-style chicken gravy in dine-ins, and every age group loves to have this yummy food. It is nutritionally better than butter chicken because of its low cholesterol, and it is also high in protein. The only drawback of chicken tikka masala is its high spice level and sodium.
On the other hand, butter chicken has a high cholesterol level because of its rich and creamy gravy. It’s not a good option to consume frequently. But its smooth taste, mild spices, and buttery gravy make it popular among customers. Today, a large number of clients order it and enjoy this historic dish with their friends and family. It’s high in protein and low in carbs.
In the end, it is safe to say that every dish has its own people who like to have it. Being a responsible business owner, it is our responsibility to serve what is demanded and liked by our lovely customers. We feel satisfied when we see our customers happy at our place.
Frequently Asked Questions
It’s a common question. The reason is due to major common spices and cooking techniques; sometimes it might feel that both butter chicken and chicken tikka masala are the same in taste. At Curry Corner, we keenly look after the differentiation and taste of the dishes and ensure to deliver what our customer expects. You can check our Gilbert Menu for more scrumptious options.
No, they are not the same. Chicken tikka masala is tangy and spicy, and cooked over charcoal or tandoor. However, butter chicken is cooked in a creamy and buttery gravy with mild and aromatic spices.
At Curry Corner, we serve chicken tikka masala that is gluten-free. We do not add any preservatives or thickening agents. We just spice and vegetables like tomato, ginger, garlic, and lemon to make the gravy, and this makes it a gluten-free food.
You can serve it with plain naan, garlic naan, or plain rice. At Curry Corner, we serve red chicken tikka masala with plain rice to elevate the flavours.

