Instant Pot Butter Chicken Recipe

Bowl filled with Instant Pot Cooked butter chicken.

Instant Pot Butter Chicken Recipe

This flavorful Instant Pot Butter Chicken recipe is made in your pressure cooker in about 30 minutes! A family favorite with melt-in-your-mouth, tender chicken in a spice-filled, buttery sauce.

Course dinner

Cuisine Indian

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Servings

Calories 555kcal

Equipment

Instant Pot
Spatula or cooking spoon

Ingredients

3 tablespoons butter unsalted
6 large cloves garlic minced
2 teaspoons fresh ginger finely grated or minced, or paste
1 cup tomato sauce or puree
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 teaspoons garam masala
1 tablespoon coriander ground
1 teaspoon cumin ground
½ teaspoon chili powder
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon salt
2 pounds chicken thighs boneless and skinless cut into pieces
1 cup water
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons parsley chopped

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Instructions

Turn your Instant Pot to the sauté setting and press start. Place your butter in the pot and let it melt. Now, add the garlic and ginger and sauté for about a minute or until the garlic becomes aromatic. (don't overcook your garlic or it will become bitter.)
Add the tomato sauce and tomato paste to the Instant Pot and stir. Add the garam masala, coriander, cumin, paprika, turmeric, chili powder, and salt to the Instant Pot, stir and cook for approximately 3 to 5 minutes.
Add the chicken thighs, water, and stir. There should be enough liquid in the pot to cover the chicken. Add more water if needed.
Close and seal the Instant Pot lid. Set the Instant Pot to the Pressure Cooker or Poultry setting and set the time for 5 minutes.
Wait until the natural release cycle is complete, it should take roughly 10 minutes. You can also follow the manufacturer's guide for quick release. Open and remove the lid.
With the lid off, put the Instant Pot on the sauté setting. Add the heavy cream and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. The sauce will thicken slightly.
Turn off the Instant Pot and top with fresh parsley if desired. Serve warm over rice and with naan.

Video

Notes

STORING: The recipe will keep in the refrigerator for about 5 days.

VEGGIES: Sometimes, we throw sliced onions or peppers in the pot while the garlic is simmering to give it more texture and flavor.
CHICKEN: As an option, you can use chicken breasts instead of thighs.
LIQUID: You can substitute chicken stock for the water in the recipe. You can substitute coconut milk for the heavy cream.
LIGHTEN IT UP: Swap half of the heavy cream for Greek yogurt to make the recipe healthier.
These spices can be found at your local grocery store.

Nutritional information is approximate and was calculated using a recipe nutrition label generator and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Nutrition