These healthy paleo meatballs are a fun twist on a traditional Indian dish, butter chicken (murgh makhani)! Featuring tender ground chicken meatballs smothered in a delicious, buttery, tomato curry sauce. Dairy and gluten-free, this Indian-inspired dish is easy, healthy, and so tasty! Paleo, Whole30, & only 4 net carbs per serving.

keto butter chicken meatballs smothered in a tomato curry sauce over cauliflower rice

What Makes This Recipe Great

Healthy butter chicken seems like an oxymoron, right? But I promise, making a few swaps for dairy-free ingredients makes these paleo meatballs healthy, while still creamy and buttery and absolutely delicious!

Using garam masala, garlic and ginger, tomato sauce, and a few other authentic Indian spices, this cozy murgh makhani (butter chicken) recipe makes tender juicy meatballs marinated in a buttery, curry marinara sauce.

The result? Absolutely amazing meatballs!

Ingredient Notes

See the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients.

Ground Chicken: I use ground chicken, however, you can also use ground turkey or ground pork if you prefer. 

Garam Masala: This is a mixture of cinnamon, peppercorns, cardamom, mustard seeds, coriander seeds, cloves, mace, and nutmeg that gives the Indian curries their flavor and color. You can find this at your local grocery store or combine the spices to make it yourself. 

Breadcrumbs: Many chicken meatball recipes call for breadcrumbs, however, to make this grain-free and gluten-free, I use almond flour instead.

Ghee: Ghee is butter that has been clarified, where most of the milk solids and dairy have been removed. It is a commonly used pantry staple in the paleo community and a delicious option if you’re not allergic to dairy. If you have a true dairy allergy, I would use vegan butter instead. You can also swap the butter and almond milk for regular butter and heavy cream. 

Cayenne Pepper: The sauce is naturally more mild than other curry dishes. If you’d like more heat, add more cayenne pepper. 

How to Make This Recipe

prepping ground chicken with ingredients in a clear glass mixing bowl

  1. Preheat your oven to 400 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Combine the meatball ingredients and mix well. Form the meatball mixture into 16 balls (or 20 smaller ones) approximately 1.5 inches in diameter.
  3. Place meatball balls on the baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes.
  4. While the meatballs are baking, make the makhani sauce.
  5. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Melt the ghee (or vegan butter), and add in the onions, garlic, and ginger. Sauté for 4-5 minutes. At this point, you can either continue making the sauce on the stove or use the slow cooker method below.

Choose Your Final Cooking Method

ground chicken meatballs with no breadcrumbs on a baking sheet with parchment paper

Stove Top

  1. Add in the tomato sauce, spices, and coconut milk. Stir in the additional tbsp of ghee. Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer until the meatballs are done. 
  2. Add the chicken meatballs to the sauce and let them simmer for an additional 10 minutes.
  3. Serve with basmati rice or cauliflower rice, top with fresh cilantro, and enjoy!

Slow Cooker 

  1. Transfer the buttery sautéed onions, garlic, and ginger to the slow cooker. Add the tomato sauce, spices, coconut milk, and additional tbsp of ghee to the slow cooker and stir. Turn it on low heat to let the sauce start cooking.
  2. When the meatballs come out of the oven, add them to the slow cooker and gently stir them in with the sauce. Cook on low for 3-4 hours to allow the sauce to marinate the chicken. Serve with basmati rice or cauliflower rice, top with fresh cilantro, and enjoy!

healthy chicken meatballs with creamy tomato curry sauce in a black slow cooker

Mary’s Tips & Tricks

How to Serve: I like to serve my paleo meatballs fresh off the stove over basmati or cauliflower rice. Use frozen rice versions for quick cooking!

Substitute for Garam Masala: If you’re in a pinch and need an easy substitute for garam masala, you can mix 4 parts ground cumin with 1 part allspice. 

Storage tips: To store any leftovers (which you might not have!), use an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. 

Freezing: Store leftover paleo meatballs with the curry sauce only and make fresh basmati or cauliflower rice when you are ready to serve. Store in an airtight container separating layers with parchment paper for up to 3 months. 

Meal Prep: This is a wonderful meal prep recipe! Divide the murgh makhani meatballs and rice into portions and store them in separate airtight containers. Reheat in the microwave for 2-3 minutes and enjoy!

Creamy Garam Masala Curry Sauce with Ground Chicken Meatballs served over cauliflower rice in a bowl with two gold forks

FAQs

What is the Paleo Diet?

Paleo-Friendly foods are unprocessed foods that are gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free, soy-free, legume-free, and refined sugar-free. Paleo promotes foods that would have been “hunted and gathered”, such as fruit, berries, nuts, meat, fish, eggs, oils, starches, and vegetables. Check out my cookbook for quick & easy meals: Quick Prep Paleo.

Are these murgh makhani paleo meatballs also Whole30 meatballs?

These are also Whole30 meatballs! To stay completely compliant, serve them over cauliflower rice or zucchini noodles instead of white rice. 

What is the origin of Butter Chicken?

Murgh Makhani, also known as Butter Chicken is a popular, authentic Indian dish that was actually made by accident by mixing leftover tandoori chicken in a tomato gravy! It features a creamy tomato curry sauce with garam masala, garlic and ginger, and lots of butter. It is naturally milder than other curry sauces.

Is Butter Chicken spicy?

No! It is naturally milder than other curry sauces. To add or take away the heat, adjust the cayenne pepper!

Is Butter Chicken (murgh makhani) healthy?

Typically, butter chicken is made with lots of butter! I have adjusted my recipe to use vegan butter (or ghee, which is clarified butter). It still gives the creamy, buttery flavor, with a healthier, dairy-free alternative. I also make my paleo meatballs without breadcrumbs, lowering the carb count and making them gluten-free.

Murgh Makhani vs. Tikka Masala:

What is the difference between butter chicken and tikka masala? This is a super common question and a good one! Both butter chicken and tikka masala feature creamy tomato sauce curries.

The main difference is, the butter! Butter chicken (murgh makhani) is creamier and milder due to the butter cutting some of the curry spice, while chicken tikka masala has more tomato and more of a kick to it. But in a competition of butter chicken vs. tikka masala, you really can’t go wrong!

Try These Recipes!

Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala

Whole30 Thai Coconut Curry Turkey Meatballs

Easy Pumpkin Curry Chicken with Coconut Milk

Butter chicken meatballs with cauliflower rice
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Baked Butter Chicken Paleo Meatballs

Yield: 16 meatballs
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours
Total Time: 3 hours 10 minutes
These healthy paleo meatballs are a fun twist on a traditional Indian dish, butter chicken (murgh makhani)! Featuring tender ground chicken meatballs smothered in a delicious, buttery, tomato curry sauce. Dairy and gluten-free, this Indian-inspired dish is easy, healthy, and so tasty! Paleo, Whole30, & only 4 net carbs per serving.
4.91 from 11 votes
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Ingredients

Meatballs

  • 1.5 lbs ground chicken
  • 2 tsp minced garlic
  • 1 egg
  • ½ cup almond flour
  • 2 tbsp almond milk, unsweetened
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1.5 tsp sea salt

Sauce

  • 2 tbsp ghee , or vegan butter
  • 1 yellow onion, diced
  • 3 cloves minced garlic
  • 2 tbsp ginger paste, or minced fresh ginger
  • 28 oz tomato sauce, or crushed tomatoes
  • 2 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tbsp garam masala
  • ¼ tsp cayenne
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 cup full fat coconut milk, add more for a creamier sauce
  • 1 tbsp ghee or vegan butter

Equipment

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 400 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Combine the meatball ingredients and mix well. Form the mixture into 16 balls (or 20 smaller ones) approximately 1.5 inches in diameter.
  • Place the balls on the baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes.
  • While the meatballs are baking, make the sauce.
  • Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Melt the ghee (or vegan butter), and add in the onions, garlic, and ginger. Sauté for 4-5 minutes. At this point you can either continue making the sauce on the stove, or use the slow cooker method below.

Stove Top Method

  • Add in the tomato sauce, spices, and coconut milk. Stir in the additional tbsp of ghee. Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer until the meatballs are done.
  • Add the meatballs to the sauce and let them simmer for an additional 10 minutes.
  • Serve with basmati rice or cauliflower rice, top with fresh cilantro, and enjoy!

Slow Cooker Instructions

  • Transfer the buttery sautéed onions, garlic, and ginger to the slow cooker. Add in the tomato sauce, spices, coconut milk, and additional tbsp of ghee to the slow cooker and stir. Turn it on low heat to let the sauce start cooking.
  • When the meatballs come out of the oven, add them to the slow cooker and gently stir them in with the sauce. Cook on low for 3-4 hours. Serve with basmati rice or cauliflower rice, top with fresh cilantro, and enjoy!

Notes

How to Serve: I like to serve my paleo meatballs fresh off the stove over basmati or cauliflower rice. Use frozen rice versions for quick cooking!
Substitute for Garam Masala: If you’re in a pinch and need an easy substitute for garam masala, you can mix 4 parts ground cumin with 1 part allspice. 
Storage tips: To store any leftovers (which you might not have!), use an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. 
Freezing: Store leftover paleo meatballs with the curry sauce only and make fresh basmati or cauliflower rice when you are ready to serve. Store in an airtight container separating layers with parchment paper for up to 3 months. 
Meal Prep: This is a wonderful meal prep recipe! Divide the murgh makhani meatballs and rice into portions and store them in separate airtight containers. Reheat in the microwave for 2-3 minutes and enjoy!

Nutrition

Serving: 1meatball, Calories: 157kcal, Carbohydrates: 5g, Protein: 10g, Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 54mg, Sodium: 659mg, Potassium: 442mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 256IU, Vitamin C: 5mg, Calcium: 29mg, Iron: 2mg
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Indian
Calories: 157
Author: Mary Smith