Instant Pot Butter Chicken
The ultimate comfort food, Instant Pot Butter Chicken is a rich and creamy dish that’s perfect for a quick weeknight dinner. With tender chicken cooked in a fragrant, spiced sauce, every bite is a flavor explosion. Make it tonight and enjoy a taste of India from your kitchen!
Equipment
- Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 5 cloves garlic about 5 teaspoons, minced or crushed
- 2 inch fresh ginger root grated (about 2 tablespoons)
- 2 teaspoons garam masala
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- ½ teaspoon chili powder optional
- 1 teaspoon salt add more if needed
- 2 pounds chicken thighs skinless, boneless, diced into bite-size pieces
- 1 15-ounce can tomato sauce or passata
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream or coconut milk, or half and half
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or mint or cilantro, for garnish
Instructions
- On the Instant Pot press on SAUTE and melt the butter. Add the garlic and ginger, and cook until fragrant (about 1 minute).
- Add all of the spices, and the salt, stir, and cook for a minute. You might want to deglaze the pot at this point if the mixture is stuck to the bottom of the pot, just add a splash of water and scrape off any stuck bits with a wooden spoon.
- Then add the tomato sauce (passata) and a ¼ cup of water. Switch off the sauté setting.
- Add the chicken thighs, give everything a mix.
- Secure the lid and set the vent to SEALING. Select the PRESSURE COOK/MANUAL setting and set the cooking time for 6 minutes at high pressure. The Instant Pot will take around 10 minutes to come to pressure and start cooking.
- When the cooking program ends, quickly release the steam. Carefully remove the lid, and press on SAUTE.
- Stir in the cream, and allow the sauce to reduce a little (season with more salt if necessary). Taste the sauce and see if you need to add a little bit more salt.
- Serve warm over rice with chopped parsley or cilantro.
Notes
- Do not add water: The chicken will produce enough liquid for the Instant Pot to come to pressure.
- Chicken varieties: Chicken breasts can also be used, but thighs are more flavorful. If using breasts, pressure cook for 5 minutes.
- Substitutions: The passata can be substituted with tomato sauce or blended plain tomatoes.
- Non-dairy options: You can use coconut milk instead of heavy cream.
- Spice levels: This dish is medium spicy; adjust the chili powder for children.
- Quick dinner: Skipping the sautéing step is possible for a speedier meal.
- Double the recipe: If doubling, do not adjust the cooking time.