Butter Chicken Sourdough Focaccia: A Bold Fusion You Didn’t Know You Needed

If Italy and India had a delicious love child, it might just be Butter Chicken Sourdough Focaccia—a dish that fuses the pillowy, golden-crusted charm of Italian focaccia with the rich, spiced decadence of North Indian butter chicken.

This is comfort food on steroids. It’s the kind of dish that makes you stop mid-bite and say, “Wait, why haven’t I had this before?”

The Inspiration

I’m always looking for creative ways to marry my favorite global flavors. Butter chicken—creamy, tangy, aromatic—is a dish that needs no introduction. And sourdough focaccia, with its airy structure and signature chew, makes the perfect vehicle for soaking up all that luscious gravy.

Why just serve naan on the side when you can bake the butter chicken into the bread?

What Makes This Special

  • Sourdough Base: The tangy complexity of the fermented dough balances the buttery richness of the topping.
  • Butter Chicken Layer: Slow-cooked, spiced chicken in a tomato-cream sauce, shredded and reduced to the perfect topping consistency.
  • Finishing Touches: Melted mozzarella or paneer cubes, fresh cilantro, and a drizzle of garlic ghee bring it all together.

This isn’t your average focaccia. It’s a full meal, a conversation starter, and quite possibly your new favorite way to eat butter chicken.

How to Serve It

  • Cut it into squares for a hearty appetizer or party snack.
  • Serve it warm with a cucumber raita or pickled onions on the side.
  • Reheat leftovers in a toaster oven to bring back that crispy edge.

Tips for Success

  • Use a well-fermented sourdough for depth of flavor.
  • Reduce your butter chicken sauce until it’s thick—no one wants soggy focaccia!
  • Don’t skip the olive oil drizzle before baking—it helps form those iconic crispy golden edges.

Final Thoughts

Butter Chicken Sourdough Focaccia is indulgent, inventive, and unforgettable. It’s everything you love about both cuisines, united in one golden, bubbly sheet pan of joy.

Whether you’re making it for a dinner party or just because your tastebuds deserve a treat, this dish is bound to impress.

Butter Chicken Sourdough Focaccia

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Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 350 gms Warm water
  • 180 gms active Sourdough starter
  • 400 gms All purpose Flour
  • 2 tbsps Olive Oil
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1 tbsp finely minced Chilli
  • 1/4 cup minced Coriander
  • 1 /4 tsp dried Fenugreek or Kasuri Methi
  • 1 tbsp Mustard Oil
  • 2 tbsps Olive Oil
  • 1/4 tsp black Pepper
  • 1 tsp Mustard Oil
  • 1 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 2 cups of leftover Butter Chicken

Method
 

  1. Add the starter to the warm Water and mix
  2. Add in the Flour and combine to form a shaggy dough
  3. Cover for 30 mins
  4. Add the Olive Oil and Salt and mix it it by stretching and folding the dough
  5. Cover for 30 mins and repeat this process one more time
  6. Grease and line a 11 x 11 inch pan
  7. Add the Mustard & Olive Oil and scrape in the dough
  8. Fold it over and fold the sides like a letter
  9. Flip it over
  10. Add the Pepper
  11. Cover and let it rest in a warm place for 8 hrs to overnight
  12. The next morning it should have risen and filled the entire tray and it should jiggle when you shake it
  13. Dimple the dough by pressing in gently with your fingertips
  14. Add more Mustard & Olive Oil and start adding the Butter Chicken gravy followed by the Chicken pieces
  15. Make sure the pieces are not too big, the lighter they are, the easier to help the dough rise.
  16. Don’t cover the entire surface
  17. Bake in a preheated oven at 450 degrees for 25 – 30 mins
  18. Keep an eye on it if the Butter Chicken starts to get too brown you can cover it with some foil
  19. Remove & garnish with chopped Coriander