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Instant pot butter chicken is a creamy tomato curry loaded with spices, butter, and tender chicken. So easy and delicious and made in under 30 minutes. Serve with some garlic naan and rice!
Every single time I go to an Indian restaurant I order butter chicken. It’s so creamy and delicious with a touch of sweetness and a bit of a kick.
Adjust this instant pot butter chicken recipe to your liking, for instance, I enjoy it a little sweet therefore I like to add a pinch of sugar. Also, the sugar helps balance the acidity of the tomato puree.
What I enjoy most about this instant pot butter chicken recipe is the fact that it’s extremely flavorful. I highly recommend seasoning the chicken with garam masala, chili powder, cumin, salt, and refrigerating it overnight.
However, if you’re in a time crunch don’t worry, you can still make this last minute.
This rich and aromatic dish goes wonderfully with some basmati rice or any long grain rice of your choice.
Prepping the Chicken
- Cut the chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces.
- Add the olive oil, garam masala, cumin, salt, and chili powder to the chicken and combine well.
- Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Instant Pot Butter Chicken Ingredients
- boneless chicken
- tomato puree
- butter
- onions
- garlic
- ginger
- garam masala – an Indian spice mixture that contains coriander, cumin, cloves, cinnamon, curry leaves, and peppercorns. If you want to make your own, here’s a great garam masala recipe!
- chili powder
- chicken broth
- heavy cream
- salt
- sugar
- olive oil
Tips:
Make sure you let the chicken sit for 20 minutes at room temperature before cooking.
How to Make Instant Pot Butter Chicken
Here’s all you have to do to make this rich and decadent dish:
- Press the saute function on the instant pot and add some oil and butter.
- Add the onions, cloves, and cardamom seeds. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic and ginger and cook for an additional 30 seconds.
- Add the chicken, tomato puree, sugar, salt, and water.
- Close the lid and press the pressure cooker function. Set the timer for 5 minutes.
- Once the 5 minutes are up, move the steam valve slowly and slowly release steam. Open the lid carefully.
- Press the saute function, add the heavy cream and cook for an additional 40 seconds.
- Check for seasoning and add fresh cilantro.
Note:
Please read your instant pot manufacturer’s guide on how to properly use your instant pot.
Why This Butter Chicken is so Good
- It’s incredibly rich and creamy and super flavorful.
- This recipe is low carb and keto-friendly if you omit the sugar and use sugar-free tomato puree.
Recipe Variations:
- Use shrimp, vegetables, or chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts if you’d like.
- If you use chopped fresh tomatoes instead of tomato puree, make sure to blend the tomatoes once they’re done cooking for a smooth sauce.
More Indian Recipes You’ll Love:
Instant Pot Butter Chicken
Equipment
- Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 2 lbs boneless chicken breasts
- 1 onion
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 tsp fresh ginger
- 28 ounces tomato puree
- 2 tbsp garam masala
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 tsp sugar
- 4 tbsp butter
- 1/2 tsp chili powder, optional
- 1 cup heavy cream
- salt to taste
- 2 tbsp fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Press the saute function on the instant pot and add some oil and 2 tbsp butter.
- Add the onions and turmeric. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic and ginger and cook for an additional 30 seconds.
- Add the chicken, tomato puree, sugar, salt, and water.
- Close the lid and press the pressure cooker function. Set the timer for 5 minutes.
- Once the 5 minutes are up, move the steam valve slowly and slowly release steam. Open the lid carefully.
- Press the saute function, add the heavy cream and cook for an additional 40 seconds.
- Check for seasoning, add the remaining butter and garnish with fresh cilantro, if desired.
Notes
- Please read your instant pot manufacturer guide before using.
- Use a little bit of sugar to sweeten it up and a bit of chili spice to make it spicy.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
