Description
A creamy and flavorful Indian-inspired dish, Instant Pot Butter Chicken is made with tender chicken cooked in a rich, spiced tomato sauce. Perfectly balanced with buttery goodness and a hint of spice, it’s quick and easy to make in your Instant Pot.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon ginger, grated
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon chili powder (adjust to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- 1/2 cup tomato sauce
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Fresh cilantro, chopped (for garnish)
- Cooked rice or naan, for serving
Instructions
- Set the Instant Pot to ‘Sauté’ mode. Add butter and melt it in the pot. Once melted, add the chopped onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened.
- Add the garlic and ginger to the pot and sauté for another 1 minute, until fragrant.
- Stir in the ground cumin, coriander, garam masala, turmeric, chili powder, and salt. Sauté for 1-2 minutes to allow the spices to bloom.
- Add the diced chicken pieces to the pot and stir to coat them with the spice mixture. Cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is lightly browned.
- Pour in the tomato sauce, chicken broth, and lemon juice. Stir to combine and scrape up any bits stuck to the bottom of the pot.
- Close the lid of the Instant Pot, set the valve to ‘Sealing,’ and cook on ‘Manual’ or ‘Pressure Cook’ mode for 8 minutes.
- Once the cooking time is up, perform a quick release by turning the valve to ‘Venting.’
- Open the lid, stir in the heavy cream, and simmer on ‘Sauté’ mode for 3–5 minutes to thicken the sauce slightly.
- Adjust salt to taste and garnish with fresh cilantro before serving.
- Serve over cooked rice or with naan.
Notes
- If you prefer a spicier version, increase the chili powder or add cayenne pepper.
- For a lighter version, you can substitute the heavy cream with coconut milk.
- This recipe can be made with chicken breasts as well; just be sure to cut them into bite-sized pieces and reduce the cooking time slightly.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: Indian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe (approx. 1 cup)
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 850mg
- Fat: 23g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 10g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 130mg