Instant Pot Butter Chicken
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
10 mins
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Cook Time
30 mins
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Servings
3 serving
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Calories
905 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Indian
Instant Pot Butter Chicken
Description
This recipe starts by sautéing onions in butter and ghee in an Instant Pot until softened, then adding ginger and garlic pastes for aromatic depth. Tomato puree and paste form the sauce's base, which cooks gently with Indian spices including red chili, coriander, cumin, and turmeric powders. The chicken is added and covered with a small amount of water to maintain moisture during pressure cooking.
After cooking on the poultry setting, the dish is finished with garam masala, heavy cream, extra butter, dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi), and garnished with fresh cilantro and cream drizzle. The sauce is thick, creamy, and mildly spiced, coating tender chicken pieces. This approach reduces cooking time compared to traditional stovetop methods while preserving authentic flavors.
This butter chicken pairs well with rice or flatbreads for a complete meal. Monitoring butter browning carefully during sautéing prevents burning and ensures a rich foundation. Nutritional information varies based on ingredient brands and quantities used.
Ingredients
For Curry Base(Sauce)
- 1 ½ tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon ghee
- 2 large onion chopped fine in food processor, white
- 12 ounce tomato puree or canned tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- ⅔ tablespoon ginger paste
- ½ tablespoon garlic paste
- 1 ¼ pound chicken thigh cut into 1-2 inch cubes
- ½ to 1 cup water
Spices
- 1 tablespoon red chili powder or use a mix of cayenne pepper and paprika powder
- 2 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 ¼ teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon salt adjust to taste
To Finish
- 2 teaspoon garam masala powder
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoon butter
Garnish
- 1 teaspoon cilantro
- 1 tablespoon cream for drizzle
- 1 cube butter on top
- 2 teaspoon kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
Instructions
- Select “Saute” setting on Instant Pot. When display turns on, Melt butter and ghee.
- If using whole spices (cardamom, cinnamon stick and bay leaves) add
- Saute finely chopped white onions until it changes color to pink.
- Add ginger and garlic paste. Cook with constant stirring until the raw smell of paste is gone.
- Add fresh homemade tomato puree or canned tomato . I did stir the mix, but be carefully of burning. Let the tomato cook without stirring if you are worried of burning.
- Add tomato paste and let it cook for some time.
- Mix all the spice powder except for garam masala in a bowl. Add spice powders to the pot.
- Add chicken pieces and just spread it out evenly on the pot.
- Turn off the saute setting.
- Pour little water. Stir everything well. There should be enough liquid in the pot covering chicken.
- Close the lid, ensure the steam release knob is in “sealing position”.
- Turn on the poultry setting on the Instant Pot and select 10 minutes on the timer (I have shown in the video 15 minutes poultry time, But I actually used 10 minutes, was too lazy to shoot the edited time setting)
- Once the Instant Pot cycle is complete, wait until the natural release cycle is complete, should take about 10 minutes. Then manually release any pressure if still inside the pot by turning the pressure release know to the “venting position”
- Switch in the “saute” setting on the pot.
- Open the lid. Add garam masala, little more butter and pour cream into it. Simmer for 3 minutes. Sauce should thicken by then.
- Turn off Instant pot.
- Garnish with fresh chopped coriander leaves.
- Serve warm with instant pot rice or butter naan (Indian flatbread)
Notes
- Be cautious when browning butter to avoid burning and maintain a rich, nutty flavor.
- This Instant Pot method shortens cook time while keeping chicken tender and sauce flavorful.
- Nutritional information can vary significantly depending on specific ingredients used.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 3serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 905 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 0g | |
| Calories | 905kcal | 45% |
| Carbohydrates | 24g | 8% |
| Protein | 36g | 72% |
| Fat | 75g | 115% |
| Saturated Fat | 35g | 175% |
| Cholesterol | 322mg | 107% |
| Sodium | 1190mg | 50% |
| Potassium | 1192mg | 25% |
| Fiber | 6g | 24% |
| Sugar | 10g | 20% |
| Vitamin A | 2954IU | 59% |
| Vitamin C | 20mg | 22% |
| Calcium | 122mg | 12% |
| Iron | 5mg | 28% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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