Ultimate Butter Chicken Mac and Cheese: A Fusion of Flavors

If you’re new here, I’m Anadi and I’m a butter chicken lover. It seems that Butter Chicken is the quintessential Indian dish among Westerners, so you may not think I’m actually from India because it seems like such a cliche to love butter chicken. Well, yes, I was born and raised in New Delhi actually! However, it appears that I have the same sentiments towards butter chicken as Westerners do. When my sister and I went to restaurants in Delhi, we always wanted the butter chicken, so it indeed was a special dish to us. This is probably because of being raised in a vegetarian household, so when we went to restaurants we knew that that was our chance to indulge in that wonderful juicy and smoky Chicken Tikka in a luxurious Makhani Sauce. Offer me butter chicken and I can never say no! It really is my favourite meal ever! Comment below: are you Indian and your favourite food is butter chicken too? There’s no way I can be alone!

Now, I’ve never had a mac and cheese till I came to Canada. I tried Kraft Dinner as my first mac and cheese and wasn’t entirely impressed, but it was pretty good. It wasn’t till I made my own mac and cheese that I was really hooked. Then, my Ultimate Creamy Mac and Cheese recipe was born! That is some comfort food you just can’t go wrong with! It’s such a crowd-pleaser in a casserole or fun to indulge in by yourself if you make it in individual casseroles!

I personally have always loved fusion cooking ever since I began my cooking journey. If you follow me on YouTube, you know that I’ve been hosting an open YouTube collaboration throughout the month of August 2021 called #mycookingjourney2021, in honour of India’s 75th Independence Day on August 15th. The goal with this collaboration is to have those who are new to Indian cooking break out of their comfort zones and try new classic Indian recipes they’ve never made before in order to show that Indian cooking is accessible and fun! If you’re a seasoned pro at Indian food, then I suggested to try a fusion! I took on the challenge too, and I’ve been trying out classic dishes that I’ve either made before or only made a handful of times (a surprisingly large number of desserts came out of this collaboration!) or I’ve been thinking of some new fusion recipes.

While this isn’t actually a new recipe - I’ve actually first made this about four years ago! - but I thought it needed a refresher. I really wanted to share this as part of the collaboration because fusion recipes are just so much fun, and I think I didn’t do it justice when I first shared the recipe. If you love a creamy mac and cheese and love to indulge in that rich butter chicken gravy with tender chicken tikka pieces, then you’re definitely going to get the best of both worlds with this Butter Chicken Mac & Cheese! Let’s get to it!

Two Luscious Sauces

The best part about this dish is that sauce. For this recipe, I follow my classic Makhani Sauce - The Ultimate Butter Saucerecipe. This Butter Chicken Mac & Cheese recipe uses all the elements that makes a great makhani sauce:

No Onions!

If you see a butter chicken or paneer makhani recipe that uses onions to bring “body” or “thickness” to the sauce, turn around and run away. But seriously, traditionally, a makhani sauce is made of butter, tomatoes and cream, hence the name “makhan” which is Hindi for butter.

A Balanced & Tangy Flavour

Most people either associate the sauce to a spicy Indian curry or an overly sweet dish. This can be made with Tandoori chicken or paneer for vegetarians. When in reality, the sauce should strike the perfect, playful balance between sweet and spicy.

A great time saver and alternative to using fresh tomatoes is using strained, sweet Italian tomatoes, also known as Passata.

It is great for creating a perfectly smooth gravy, since it is already strained and contains no tomato peels.

It is sweet and tangy and is consistent in flavour, so you can guarantee each batch of the sauce will taste the same.

And lastly, it is such a time saver!

Aromatic & Rich Gravy

Butter: I prefer to use unsalted butter so I can have complete control over the flavour of the dish. Butter adds a shine and smoothness to this sauce and is an essential part of, well, makhani (buttery) sauce. You can adjust the amount of butter to your liking, but be aware that the final gravy may not taste the same.

Cardamom: Known as the Queen of all spices due to its extravagant, intoxicating aroma. Usually associated with green cardamom, the flavours are slightly sweet, minty and pine-like and adds a wonderful scent to the sauce once the tomatoes are blended in the food processor. There are also several healing and health benefits from cardamom, you can read more about it here.

Mace: Usually used in Indian cuisine, this spice grows on the outside kernel of the nutmeg. In terms of flavour, it is a much more subtle version of nutmeg and helps enhance the sweetness and spiciness in the sauce.

Cashews: These really help add richness and naturally thicken the sauce. I enjoy roasting the cashews with the whole spices and butter to lightly roast the cashews. *You can omit cashews if you have a nut allergy

Ginger-Garlic Paste: An essential to a ton of dishes, Indian and otherwise. This mixture is made up of 1 part ginger : 2 parts garlic, and helps add a grounded heat, and spiciness to the dish. Since this is a restaurant style recipe, the amount we use is more than usual. See my Ginger-Garlic Paste recipe for step-by-step instructions on how to make it!

Deggi Mirch: This ingredient is key to add a natural red colour to the gravy without the use of any artificial colours. Made from mild Kashmiri red chilies, they are not too spicy and can be easily found at an Indian grocer. You can also find it on Amazon.

Honey: Although sugar can be an alternative to honey, I strongly recommend using honey. I find the sweetness from sugar is too intense, while honey carries a much softer, smoother sweetness which is much easier to control to reach the perfect level of balance between sweet and spicy in the sauce.

Dried Fenugreek Leaves: Also know as Kasoori Methi in Hindi, these leaves are crushed before adding to the gravy. While bitter in taste when dry, once added to gravy, they “wake up!” and add a beautiful fragrance and sweetness to the sauce.

Garam Masala: Usually added at the end of the cooking process, this combination of several roasted whole spices add the final touch of warmth and spice to the sauce.

Cream: Traditionally heavy cream is used to finish of the sauce and give it the signature orange colour, I find it is sometimes too rich. Instead, I prefer adding 10% cream, which helps thin out the gravy to my liking.

Salt: Essential seasoning to taste.

Next comes a classic béchamel sauce to turn the makhani sauce into a béchamel-tandoori cheese sauce. For this step, we will start with preparing a classic béchamel sauce.

To Make the Béchamel Sauce

1. Heat a pan on medium heat and add the butter. Once the butter melts, mix in the flour and cook for 2-3 mins until the rawness of the flour is cooked out.
2. Pour in your milk, a little bit at a time while whisking to ensure no lumps. Once all your milk is mixed in, wait until your sauce starts to come to a boil.
3. Once your sauce starts coming up to a boil, it will begin to thicken. Adjust for seasoning as needed.
4. Once the sauce has thickened, turn the heat off and add half of the cheddar cheese and half of the mozzarella cheese. Stir until the cheese has completely melted.

Now, Time for the Fun Part - Fusion Time!

Mix the makhani sauce with the béchamel sauce and make sure to mix well. Then, add in the cooked pasta, toss to combine and transfer into an oven safe dish or casserole and sprinkle the rest of your cheese.

Finally, bake in a preheated oven at 400 F for 15-20 mins. Once it has finished, take it out of the oven and add the chicken and garnish with fresh cilantro.

This mac and cheese recipe is sure to blow your socks off, and will be a unique experience. I guarantee it.

Tips for the Best Butter Chicken Mac and Cheese

• Pasta shapes with ridges like rigatoni or shells will hold more sauce than plain macaroni.
• A mix of cheeses works best — sharp cheddar for tang, mozzarella for stretch, and something like smoked gouda for depth.
• Pair the dish with something fresh on the side, like a salad, raita, or mint chutney, to balance the richness.
• Taking the time to sieve the makhani sauce gives a silky, restaurant-style texture.
• Marinating the chicken overnight gives the best flavor, and basting with butter while broiling adds smoky, charred edges.
• For the topping, try butter-toasted breadcrumbs with kasoori methi or even crushed papad for extra crunch.
• The sauces and chicken can be made a day ahead, then assembled and baked before serving.
• A drizzle of melted butter infused with kasoori methi or chili oil and a sprinkle of cilantro makes a beautiful finishing touch.

Frequently Asked Questions