I had never been the biggest fan of butter chicken, but this recipe was a game changer! But not every recipe they've brought home has been such a success.....
However, when I plugged the original recipe into my WW calculator and saw that it had 40 grams of fat and was 20 WW fsp points, I understood why it was sooo good; FAT MADE IT GOOD.
Weight Watchers Friendly Butter Chicken
So.... I made it my mission to make it into a delicious Healthy Butter Chicken that was Weight Watchers friendly and brought it down to 5 WW points on the blue plan!! And this Easy & Healthy Butter Chicken recipe with Greek yogurt does not disappoint. However, I knew it was a true success when my kids said they liked my Weight Watchers butter chicken better than the original fattening version!
Cooking Independence
When my son had been bringing home recipes from school for a few years and making them with my close supervision, one day I decided to give him a bit more freedom in the kitchen and backed off a bit. He seemed to like not being micromanaged. But when it came time to taste the cookies he made, he carefully watched my reaction as I took that first bite, yearning for my “expert baker” (as he calls me) approval. And as those cookie morsels met my taste buds in that very first split second, I really wasn't sure what to do...
Taste Testing
Being a parent is hard. And every parent's very real struggle is balancing being supportive with honesty, helping them to learn, grow, and navigate disappointment, while keeping their confidence intact and not inadvertently crushing their little spirits. Because honestly, you can never really predict how they'll react. And just then you think you have them figured out, they go and change. And then they are teenagers....
So, as my son sat there waiting for my 'expert baker' cookie endorsement, I managed to muster a “Mmmm... can I see the recipe?”
Healthy Butter Chicken
Then I got him to taste it and asked if that was how it was supposed to taste (as they made it in school). He concurred that it was a bit too salty and we soon discovered that he had doubled the salt by not reading the instructions carefully enough. Although he was clearly disappointed, luckily he is pretty easy-going, even as a teenager, and took it as a lesson learned. And fortunately, many subsequent successful recipes, like this healthy butter chicken, served to boost his culinary confidence!
Jasmine rice
I love to serve this recipe with jasmine rice because jasmine rice has a subtle floral aroma and a soft, sticky texture when cooked. It makes your house smell amazing! Jasmine rice is originally from Thailand and is commonly used in Southeast Asian cooking and is a longer grain variety of rice. You can also serve this butter chicken with basmati rice. Even though jasmine and basmati rice are often used interchangeably, there are some differences. One of the differences is that jasmine rice grains are shorter and thicker than basmati rice. You can read more about it HERE.
But when I'm trying to really keep my WW points down, I'll use Cauliflower Rice (and skip the oil in this recipe).
It takes a Village
I love that my kids are learning to cook with others, in addition to me. I think it takes a village to raise a cook. Whether it's the Foods Teacher at school, their Dad, their Grandma or Aunties, cooking with others gives them a different perspective, which expands their culinary horizons. But like I said, my favorite part is that they can cook and that means not only will they be able to survive without me one day, in the meantime, they cook for me!
Weight Watchers Chicken recipes
If you are looking for additional Weight Watchers friendly recipes give my Baked Hoisin Chicken a try!
And these Cornish Hens with Rosemary Wine Sauce are only 2 WW blue plan points per ½ a hen. And yes, Cornish game hens are chickens (just little ones!)
My Amazon Recommendations (affiliate links)
Easy & Healthy Butter Chicken - Weight Watchers Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken breast * can substitute leftover chicken
- 2-3 tsp olive oil
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 5 oz - can tomato paste
- ¾ cup -diced/crushed canned tomatoes
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp tumeric
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 2 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp cayenne
- 1 ½ cups water
- 1 ½ cups non-fat Greek yogurt
- 4 tbsp sweetened condensed milk
Instructions
- Cook chicken breast on stove top until no longer pink. Cut into bite sized pieces and set aside.
- Heat oil in medium pot on medium heat for 1-2 minutes. Add minced garlic and saute for 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and tomato paste, then add spices and saute for 5 minutes.
- Stir in water and heat sauce over medium to high heat until sauce is thoroughly warm.
- Reduce heat to low and whisk in Greek yogurt and condensed milk and heat until warm, whisking constantly.
- Once warm, set aside, then add chicken.
- Serve over jasmine rice, basmati rice or cauliflower rice.
Notes
Nutrition
More Weight Watchers Recipes!
This Recipe is part of Country Cook's Weekend Potluck!
Simra Baakzi
How on made so perfectely. Very Nicely Done. Mouth Watering ..!!1
Terri Gilson
Thanks! Hope you enjoy it!
Terri Gilson
Thanks, Simra!
Sheila
Wonderful recipe!! Thanks for posting
Terri Gilson
Thank you, Sheila! I'm glad you liked it!
Kristen
Made this last night and it was amazing! The only thing is, it looked a little separate? Is that due to the Greek yogurt? It looks gritty especially the next day but regardless I will be making it again and again. Loved it.
Terri Gilson
Glad you loved it, Kristen! It's on our regular dinner rotation. The kids were just telling me to make it again last night! As far as separating goes, it could be the brand of Greek yogurt you're using. Or it could be that it's still on heat when you whisk it? I find that it separates if it's on heat - I have to remove it from heat. Or if the yogurt is a bit older (but not expired)? Hopefully you'll figure out what's causing it!
Terri
Brenda Levesque
I just made this for tonight’s dinner:)) Easy Peasy recipe. It smells and looks delicious. No more buying store bought Butter chicken sauce in a jar.
Terri Gilson
That's great, Brenda- I'm glad you loved it! It's on regular rotation here 🙂
joyce
I love a good butter chicken recipe! Got to try this!
Terri Gilson
Thanks, Joyce - hope you enjoy!!
Melanie @ Bon Appet'Eat
This looks delicious and well done on the parenting bit! And on making your son a good cook with a great palate!
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I love kids in the kitchen. Your kids will probably always enjoy cooking because of your positive influence. I remember my daughter bringing home a homemade pizza dough recipe in Grade five many years ago. It is still one of our go-to recipes. I am looking forward to trying your Butter Chicken recipe, Terri. Thanks so much for sharing it with us.
Leanne | Crumb Top Baking
It's been a very long time since I had butter chicken! This looks delicious Terri! And I love that you made it a healthier version!
Chef Markus Mueller
Yum! I make butter chicken regularly as a meal prep item, Looking forward to trying you version!
Terri Gilson
Thanks, Marcus-hope you like it!!
Curtis Davis
Why is the sodium so high? I am not sure where all that sodium is coming from. Please could you let me know?
Terri Gilson
Hi Curtis: There is 1.5 tsp of salt in the recipe and I figured out that is where it's coming from - that's about 3500 g of sodium, then there's some in the canned tomatoes and condensed milk. If you eliminate the salt and get a no-salt canned tomatoes, it will bring it down a lot! Thanks,
Terri
Claire
All your recipes look so good . I am following wW and would love to try them!
Terri Gilson
Thanks, Claire! I hope you enjoy them - they keep me on track!
Haleigh
I don't have condensed milk... anything I can substitute for it?
Terri Gilson
Hi Haleigh: Here are some suggestions: https://www.mashed.com/166593/heres-what-you-can-substitute-for-condensed-milk/
You could also use a tiny bit (1/2 tsp of agave or 1 tsp of honey and a little whole milk or cream). It just needs to be sweetened up a bit.
Let me know how it turns out!
Enjoy 🙂
Haleigh
Thank you! We are looking forward to having this tonight!
Terri Gilson
Enjoy!