Instant Pot Butter Chicken Recipe

This deliciously flavorful Instant Pot Butter Chicken recipe is made in your pressure cooker in about 30-minutes! Tender pieces of chicken in a buttery sauce - yum! It's a spiced-filled dinner you'll want to make again and again!

Instant Pot Butter Chicken

So, this Instant Pot Butter Chicken is our family's new favorite dish! It's so flavorful (but not spicy hot) and is ready in about 30-minutes! It's often requested and made week after week.

Serve it with brown rice, white, or Jasmine rice, to be untraditional some quinoa or some warm naan for the kids - and EVERYONE is happy and content.

We love our Instant Pot because you can make such easy meals in so little time! We also put this Instant Pot Macaroni and Cheese on our meal plan a lot!

Our one recommendation, double the recipe because your family is going to want seconds. Plus, it's incredible reheated for lunch the next day!

Oh, that savory, buttery spice-filled sauce. Dreamy!

Other Instant Pot Favorites

Instant Pot Spaghetti with Meat Sauce - easy for busy weeknights.

Amazing Instant Pot Lemon Chicken - our favorite.

Instant Pot Tortellini Soup with Sausage - a whole meal the entire family loves.

Instant Pot Chicken and Rice - a soul-soothing recipe the whole family enjoys!

 

What is Butter Chicken

You may be asking yourself what exactly is Butter Chicken? Well, it's a modern Indian dish of tender chicken in a tomato, butter, and cream sauce - with a handful of spices. What's not to like about that!

They say it was developed in the early 20th century in Delhi as a way to use leftover tandoori chicken. All I know is it's evolved into an American favorite as well. Just ask our family 🙂

What Spices Go In Butter Chicken?

Along with the garlic, this recipe has some flavorful and healthful spices. Usually, in a Butter Chicken Recipe, you use the following spices:

• garam masala
• coriander
• ginger
• cumin
• paprika
• chili powder
• turmeric
• salt

Personally, we think it's the garam masala that gives this recipe such good flavor, but all the spices come together to make this Indian food so addictively good.

You'll want to take a piece of naan and soak up all that sauce!

Other Ingredients in Butter Chicken Made in the Pressure Cooker

• Chicken Thighs - or chicken breasts.
• Butter 
• Fresh Garlic
• Fresh Ginger
• Tomato Sauce
• Water
• Heavy Cream

How Do You Make Butter Chicken In Your Instant Pot

Ok, you're going to love this recipe. When you can have such a great tasting meal on the table in 30 minutes, you can't go wrong.

Tip: If you're new to pressure cooking, see your manufacturer's guide for detailed instructions on using your Instant Pot.

Here we go...

Step 1

First, 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 a minute or until the garlic becomes aromatic. (don't overcook your garlic or it will become bitter.)

Step 2

Next, add the tomato sauce and tomato paste to the Instant Pot and stir. Now, 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.

Step 3

Add the chicken thighs, water, and stir. There should be enough liquid in the pot to cover the chicken. Add more water if needed.

Step 4

Next up, 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.

Step 5

Wait until the natural release cycle is finished; it should take roughly 10 minutes. You can also follow the manufacturer's guide for quick release. Open and remove the lid.

Step 6

Now, 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.

Step 7

Finally, turn off the Instant Pot and garnish with fresh parsley. Serve warm over rice and with naan.

Instant Pot Butter Chicken With Coconut Milk

We make this instant pot recipe with both coconut milk and cream, and they are both delicious, so use whatever type of milk you prefer, or your diet allows.

Can I Make this Butter Chicken with Frozen Chicken?

Yes! You can use frozen chicken, but your Instant Pot will take a little longer to come to pressure before the cooking time begins. However, the recipe is just as amazing.

How to Store Butter Chicken

If you have leftovers, you can store butter Chicken in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. 

It can also be frozen in an airtight container and kept in the freezer for about 3 months. To reheat, take it out of the freezer the night before to thaw or thaw in the microwave until the desired temperature.

Tips  and Swaps for Making Instant Pot Butter Chicken

• Sometimes we throw some sliced onions of peppers in the pot while the garlic is simmering to give it more texture and flavor.
• You can substitute chicken stock for the water in the recipe.
• To make the recipe a little more healthy, swap half of the heavy cream for Greek yogurt.
• As an option, you can use chicken breasts instead of thighs.
• You can find these spices at your local grocery store.

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