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5.0 from 33 votes

Instant Pot "Butter" Chicken (with Coconut Milk)

Instant Pot Butter Chicken is a quick & easy weeknight meal, using common pantry ingredients. I love how all you have to do is add the ingredients in the pot, press a button, and walk away!

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Additional Time
15 mins
Total Time
35 mins
Servings: 4
Calories: 266 kcal
Course: Main Course

Ingredients

  • 1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes (and their juices)
  • 1 yellow onion , cut into chunks
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 1 tablespoon fresh minced ginger (about 1-inch peeled)
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (use less for a mild dish)
  • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts (each breast should be 8-12 oz.)
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt , plus more to taste
  • 1/2 cup coconut cream (the solid part in a can of coconut milk)
  • 1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste (no salt added)
  • fresh cilantro , for garnish
  • 1 cup dry white rice (for optional pot-in-pot cooking)

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. In a blender, combine the diced tomatoes, onion, garlic, ginger, garam masala, cumin, and cayenne pepper. Blend until smooth.
  2. Pour the blended tomato mixture into the bottom of the Instant Pot, then place the chicken breasts on top. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of salt over the chicken, then secure the lid. Move the steam release valve to "Sealing" then cook at high pressure for 10 minutes.
  3. Tip: You can cook a bowl of white rice at the same time as the chicken. To do this, place a 2-inch trivet over the chicken, then set a bowl on top of that. Rinse 1 cup of white rice in a fine mesh strainer, then add the drained rice to the bowl. Add in 1 cup of water and stir well, then secure the lid and cook as directed.
  4. Let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes. When the screen reads LO:10, you can move the steam release valve to "Venting" to release any remaining pressure. When the floating valve in the lid drops, it's safe to open the lid.
  5. Use oven mitts to remove the bowl of rice and the trivet, if you did the pot-in-pot cooking. Use tongs to transfer the cooked chicken to a cutting board, and stir the 1/2 cup of coconut milk and the can of tomato paste into the tomato sauce in the pot. (The tomato paste helps to thicken the sauce and makes it a nice red color, but you can leave it out if you don't have any on hand. It still tastes great without it.)
  6. Use 2 forks to shred the chicken, or use a knife to cut it into chunks. then add the shredded chicken back into the pot. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. You can add more salt (I usually add another 1/2 teaspoon) or a squeeze of lemon juice if you need to brighten up the flavor.
  7. Serve warm over rice, with fresh cilantro on top. The leftover chicken will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days in the fridge.

Notes

  • I do not recommend using brown rice instead of white for the pot-in-pot cooking, as brown takes much longer to cook. Be sure to check out my Instant Pot Brown Rice tutorial for details.

Nutrition Information

Calories 266kcal (13%) Carbohydrates 10g (3%) Protein 27g (54%) Fat 14g (22%) Saturated Fat 10g (50%) Cholesterol 73mg (24%) Sodium 729mg (30%) Potassium 771mg (22%) Fiber 3g (12%) Sugar 4g (8%) Vitamin A 258IU (5%) Vitamin C 15mg (17%) Calcium 57mg (6%) Iron 3mg (17%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 266

% Daily Value*

Calories 266kcal 13%
Carbohydrates 10g 3%
Protein 27g 54%
Fat 14g 22%
Saturated Fat 10g 50%
Cholesterol 73mg 24%
Sodium 729mg 30%
Potassium 771mg 16%
Fiber 3g 12%
Sugar 4g 8%
Vitamin A 258IU 5%
Vitamin C 15mg 17%
Calcium 57mg 6%
Iron 3mg 17%

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