Who Invented Indian Butter Chicken? (Encore) : State of the World from NPR

Butter chicken, one of India’s most loved dishes, is at the centre of a culinary storm with two competing restaurant chains claiming to be the inventors of the lip-smacking preparation.

Arun Sankar/AFP via Getty Images

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Arun Sankar/AFP via Getty Images

Butter chicken, one of India’s most loved dishes, is at the centre of a culinary storm with two competing restaurant chains claiming to be the inventors of the lip-smacking preparation.

Arun Sankar/AFP via Getty Images

In an episode we first brought you in March, we consider butter chicken. It is a much-loved Indian dish, both within that country and around the world. But who can claim they invented it? That question is the subject of a lawsuit. Our reporter tries to get to the bottom of butter chicken’s origin and finds out that it is a journey through India’s history.

You can find celebrated Indian chef Madhur Jaffrey’s recipe for butter chicken here.