Chicken pieces grilled to absolute perfection in a masala-filled marinade, dipped in buttery, tomato-ey, creamy gravy, is perhaps the simplest, most accurate way I could describe this delicacy to someone who’s never had it before. It’s a dish so widely loved and revered that it has become one of the most iconic, ubiquitous foods born in the Indian subcontinent. However, you’d be surprised to know that this luxuriously perfect dish started as nothing but a bunch of leftovers!
The story of butter chicken began at a restaurant called Moti Mahal, established in 1920 in Peshawar, modern-day Pakistan, and particularly sought after for its tandoori chicken. The tale follows the two owners, Kundan Lal Gujral and Kundan Lal Jaggi, Punjabi refugees who brought the restaurant’s legacy with them to Old Delhi’s Daryaganj, after moving there post the partition of India, in 1947. After opening a new branch of the joint in Delhi with a businessman called Thakur Dass Mago, they began selling their delicacies to a newly independent India.
However, since their meat was cooked in clay ovens and served fresh, it didn’t age well. By the end of each day’s work, the leftovers would dry out, losing both moisture and appeal. Rather than discarding it, the chefs did what Delhi kitchens have always done best: they improvised. The leftover, drier, tandoori chicken was cooked in a tomato-based gravy, enriched generously with butter and cream, and lightly spiced to revive the meat. The intention was simply to conserve and rescue something old. Yet, what emerged from that kitchen was a dish that struck a rare balance—smoky yet just mellow enough, indulgent yet comforting, familiar yet entirely unlike something anyone had had before in the country.
How did it become world-famous, you may ask? A host of dignitaries and VIPs visiting the restaurant were absolutely captivated and bewildered by the dish, including then-Prime Minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru, his daughter Indira Gandhi, and her sons. Thanks to just how flabbergasted they were by the dish, it went on to achieve stardom across the world!
And so, if you’re visiting the capital or are an experienced local wondering where, in the bylanes of this labyrinthine city, look no further! Below, all the places serving the best butter chicken in the country.
Moti Mahal
As a listicle about Delhi’s best butter chicken, there’s no better place to begin than the birthplace of the dish itself! Now a franchise spread all across India, Moti Mahal began from a humble spot in Daryaganj. Today, it has become a culinary landmark in the city’s history. And so, any butter chicken crawl would be incomplete without its mention.
The butter chicken here is a crowd favourite for good reason. Filled to the brim with smoky tandoori chicken pieces, bathed in a smooth, rich, gently spiced tomato-butter gravy that lets the flavours shine. It’s the kind of bowl that disappears fast, especially once the butter garlic naan hits the table. Pair this with the restaurant’s legendary dal makhani, slow-cooked, smooth, and very indulgent, along with a side of tandoori chicken tikka, if you’re feeling ambitious about your appetite. Also try their chicken biryani, chicken bhuna masala, and rajma chawal. Moti Mahal is truly a gold mine for North Indian delicacies.
The vibe is old-school, the portions are generous, and the menu is chock-full of classics that have stood the test of time, quite literally. Come for the butter chicken, stay for literally everything else! At Moti Mahal, you’re tasting the OG, and honestly, that alone makes a visit worth it.
Address: 3704, Netaji Subhash Marg, Old Dariya Ganj, Daryaganj, New Delhi, Delhi, 110002
Timings: Monday to Sunday (12 pm–11 pm)
Price for two: INR 1,300
Afsar Chicken Point
Recommended by Delhi-based chefs for a decade, Afsar Chicken Point in Zakir Nagar makes a unique butter chicken with tandoori meat, in a curry made, quite literally, with butter and some spices.
The streetside eatery has now become one of those neighbourhood gems with a brilliant reputation among locals and students for no-fuss, flavour-forward chicken dishes since it opened around 2011. The food is all about bold, punchy Mughlai and North Indian flavours that turn one-timers into decade-long regulars, who keep returning for more, more and more!
While it’s not a fine-dining landmark, Afsar Chicken Point has carved out a niche for itself on the city’s food map with butter chicken done in its own rustic, tandoori-gravy style, where smoky roasted chicken is generously bathed in melted butter, cream and spices that fans swear by. Beyond its signature butter chicken, the menu reads like a checklist of all-time crowd pleasers—from tandoori chicken, achari biryani, and chicken lollies to malai tikka and chicken changezi.
The best part? The hotspot offers authentic, irresistible flavours at very pocket-friendly prices! It’s the sort of place you visit with friends, dig in, and leave with greasy fingers and happy stomachs.
Address: 395/A, 3, Zakir Nagar Main Rd, Jogabai Extension, Zakir Nagar, Okhla, New Delhi, Delhi 110025
Timings: Monday to Sunday (12 pm–11 pm)
Price for two: INR 800
Dhabha – A Punjabi Theme
Dhaba – A Punjabi Theme in Rajouri Garden is one of those classic Delhi spots where hearty North Indian food is served in a relaxed, dhaba-but-in-the-city setting. The restaurant has been around for decades and has built a following for its sprawling menu, which ranges from traditional curries to grilled starters and biryanis, with generous portions.
What makes Dhaba fun (and worth a stop on this list) is that their food, especially the butter chicken, is absolutely ravishing, and paired with a vibe that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Think rich, creamy gravies, tangy spices, and plenty of butter; exactly what you crave after a long day or when you want comfort food done right. Their butter chicken is among the best in the lot! With well-cooked meat, perfectly spiced and buttered gravy, and naans that hit home, quote literally!
Beyond butter chicken, standout menu picks include murgh rara, a robust chicken curry with shredded meat in a thick masala; tangdi kebab and chicken lollipop for smoky, grilled bites; and classics like dal makhani and keema kulcha, which pair quite well with fresh breads straight from the tandoor. The atmosphere here is relaxed and family-friendly, with enough space for a casual, Punjabi dhaba-inspired feel that’s hard to find in the city otherwise.
Address: A-5, Block A, Vishal Enclave, Rajouri Garden, New Delhi, Delhi, 110027
Timings: Monday to Sunday (11 am–1 am)
Price for two: INR 2,500
Rajinder da Dhaba
Rajinder Da Dhaba in Safdarjung Enclave is one of Delhi’s most legendary dhaba-style spots where the lines are long, the plates are generous, and the flavours are very spicy and very bold. What started in 1968 as a tiny roadside stall selling fish fry and egg fry has, over the decades, mushroomed into a full-on culinary hotspot run by the founder’s family, still serving up proper North Indian and Mughlai classics that keep food lovers coming back.
Here, expect bustling crowds, quick service, and queues that snake out into the market. However, you must believe that their plates are equally worth waiting for. The butter chicken here is rich and creamy, best paired with rumali roti or butter naan. The menu is also stacked with smoky tandoori and grilled starters like chicken malai tikka, galouti kebabs, and chicken satay, each with a distinct marination and smoky finish that dhaba devotees live for. Beyond the meat, Rajinder doesn’t forget its vegetarian crowd, offering things like soya malai chaap and Dal Rajinder Xpress, a creamy lentil dish perfect for pairing with crisp roti.
The charm of Rajinder Da Dhaba lies in its authentic, close-to-Punjab, and humble meal. You’re here to experience the peak of that unmistakable dhaba energy where everyone from office crowds to late-night foodies dig in shoulder-to-shoulder, akin to what dhabas in the midst of Punjab look and feel like!
Address: AB-14, DDA Market, Safdarjung Enclave, New Delhi, Delhi 110029
Timings: Monday to Sunday (4 pm–12 am)
Price for two: INR 1,200
Gulati
Gulati Restaurant on Pandara Road is one of Delhi’s most-loved dining institutions and a must-visit stop for anyone wanting to explore the best butter chicken offerings in the city. What started in 1959 as a tiny dhaba with wooden benches and simple flavours has, over the decades, evolved into a spacious, polished restaurant that still draws long queues, from foodies all over the country.
Gulati’s claim to fame is its butter chicken that many diners swear by as one of the best in the city. The gravy is luxuriously smooth and pairs beautifully with fresh garlic naan or laccha parantha straight from the tandoor—which is exactly how you must devour this dish.
A standout for butter chicken, for obvious reasons, Gulati is also popular across the capital for its mutton burrah, Amritsari fish tikka, and dal makhani. If you’re noticing a pattern here, their creamy, almost melt-in-the-mouth curries are a star attraction! For hardcore Punjabi lovers, the Shahi Nawabi Murg Tikka, sarson ka saag & makki ki roti, and kebab variety is also quite renowned.
Over the years, Gulati’s butter chicken has also earned its fair share of accolades in local food polls and guides! Whether you’re celebrating a special night out or just craving a quintessential Delhi butter chicken experience, Gulati delivers on any kind of occasion!
Address: 6, Pandara Road, Market, near India Gate, New Delhi, Delhi 110003
Timings: Monday to Sunday (12 pm–12 am)
Price for two: INR 2,200
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