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Instant Pot Butter Chicken

The best Instant Pot Butter Chicken recipe! The pressure cooker makes authentic Indian butter chicken easy to recreate at home.

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
1 hr
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 336 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil
  • 1 small yellow onion diced (about 1 cup)
  • 4 cloves minced garlic  about 4 teaspoons
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
  • 1 ½ tablespoons curry powder
  • 2 teaspoons garam masala
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
  • Splash of water or low sodium chicken broth
  • 1 (28-ounce) can tomato sauce
  • 1 small cauliflower or ½ large head, cut into florets (about 4 ½ cups)
  • 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into small pieces (use coconut oil to make dairy free)
  • ½ cup half-and-half or full-fat coconut milk, do not use light coconut milk, as it will water down the sauce
  • ½ cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt or non-dairy yogurt to make dairy-free
  • Prepared brown rice or Turmeric Rice, quinoa, or Homemade Naan, for serving
  • chopped fresh cilantro for serving

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Add the coconut oil to the Instant Pot and set to SAUTE. Once hot, add the onion and cook until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the ginger, garlic, curry, garam masala, chili powder, and salt. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Turn the Instant Pot to OFF. Add a splash of water or chicken broth and stir, using a sturdy plastic or wooden spoon to scrape loose any browned bits that have stuck. Make sure you remove all of the stuck-on bits so that you don't trigger a burn warning. 
  2. Add the tomato sauce and cauliflower florets and stir to combine. Lay the chicken breasts on top, then scatter the butter pieces over the top.
  3. Close and seal Instant Pot. Cook on Manual (HIGH) pressure for 12 minutes. Once the time is up, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then vent to immediately release any remaining pressure.
  4. Carefully open the lid and transfer the chicken to a cutting board. Cut into bite-sized pieces, then return to the sauce. Stir in the half-and-half or coconut milk. Let cool a few minutes, then stir in the Greek yogurt (do not stir it in immediately or it will curdle). Serve with rice and a sprinkle of fresh cilantro.

Notes

  • TO STORE: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
  • TO REHEAT: Gently rewarm leftovers in a pot on the stovetop over medium-low heat or in the microwave. 
  • TO FREEZE: Freeze butter chicken in an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. 
  • TO MAKE IN THE SLOW COOKER: Use this recipe for Slow Cooker Butter Chicken!

Nutrition Information

Serving 1(of 6), about 1 1/2 cups butter chicken and sauce, plus 1/2 cup prepared brown rice Calories 336kcal (17%) Carbohydrates 17g (6%) Protein 38g (76%) Fat 13g (20%) Saturated Fat 7g (35%) Trans Fat 1g Cholesterol 115mg (38%) Potassium 1354mg (39%) Fiber 5g (20%) Sugar 9g (18%) Vitamin A 921IU (18%) Vitamin C 50mg (56%) Calcium 100mg (10%) Iron 3mg (17%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 336

% Daily Value*

Serving 1(of 6), about 1 1/2 cups butter chicken and sauce, plus 1/2 cup prepared brown rice
Calories 336kcal 17%
Carbohydrates 17g 6%
Protein 38g 76%
Fat 13g 20%
Saturated Fat 7g 35%
Trans Fat 1g 50%
Cholesterol 115mg 38%
Potassium 1354mg 29%
Fiber 5g 20%
Sugar 9g 18%
Vitamin A 921IU 18%
Vitamin C 50mg 56%
Calcium 100mg 10%
Iron 3mg 17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.